I don’t think the July-August-September party has started yet (if I’m wrong, somebody please merge).
There has been discussion here and there of the cafe going in next to the new(ish) location of Formaggio Kitchen. I’m pleased to report progress:
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Eat Greek has opened in Davis Square in the former Out of the Blue space. We peeked in- very slick renovation for a counter-service gyro place. Also, very high prices. We shall see… if someday I feel like a $18 Greek salad with a $6 add-on chicken or gyro meat, I’ll let you know how it is.
Here’s their menu- took me a while to find to confirm I wasn’t misquoting their prices, so I’ll save you the time googling:
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I’ve posted this link elsewhere, but this seems the appropriate spot to also place it:
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This is the one Nick Zappia is involved with?
I think that’s the cafe at the top of this thread.
Local folks have spotted a Fat Boy BBQ sign posted on the store front of the old Momo Cafe place in Quincy. I wonder if they are bringing back the old school Fat Boy BBQ crew from Chinatown. The space is quite small, and doesn’t have tables, so it would likely only work as a Cantonese BBQ takeout place.
Haven’t been to HK Cafe in a while, but I assume that place is still humming along.
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Well, I did feel like an expensive Greek take out meal a few days ago, and I don’t think this place will merit its own thread so I’ll reply to myself. I was mostly intrigued by Eat Greek’s mention of a corn pita option. Sadly for me, they are still wheat-containing so not a gluten free option. When I mentioned I was looking for GF, I was directed by the very nice counter staff to one of the bowls which are made with quinoa. I got one with quinoa, a mix of chicken and beef gyro meat, feta, tomatoes, cucumber, and tzaziki. It was… fine. The quinoa was cold, which was kind of a bummer. Had I known, I probably would have picked a rice bowl. The gyro meat was good, maybe a bit bland. The bowl on the whole was a generous size, but kind of boring. It needed more sauce and seasoning. I ate the final third the next day with my own additions of hot sauce and hummus and it was much better. I’ll give them a shout out for their use of compostable paper bowls and wood utensils, but not sure I’ll rush back here.
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This is not an opening yet, but a possible opening much later. Yet, if it happens, it will bring joy to many of us. First, the context:
I was there after the transition, and getting passable packaged takeout near the old omakase counter was more than I could bear. So I stopped.
But I was back there today, for weird sentimental reasons. I last had their omakase almost exactly 5 years ago. Then, pandemic, followed by the transition mentioned above. But I have this summer gig in Harvard Square (some of you may have caught my act as I failed year after year to catch flaming torches), and after 4 zoom years I was back in the flesh this summer. In the past I often ended with a quiet omakase at Cafe Sushi. Not an option today, but there was the takeout. I have good news:
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As takeout goes, it was pretty good, especially their “Signature Sushi”. I had branzino topped with iced onion and sesame sauce, amberjack topped with a trace of cherry, tuna with yuzu and scallion, and salmon belly with ponzu (two pieces of each). There was other stuff in my order (rolls, etc.), but these stood out in the precision and balance of their execution. They lacked the total balance of the Cafe Sushi of the past (too much rice in each case), but they were among the three best boxed sushis I’ve had in the last 5 years. The best was this, and the next best delivery from Sushi Noz in NY at the height of the pandemic. That cost me well into the three figures, but it leaned heavily into this uni and that, and it was my 5th or 6th birthday (I forget which) or some combination of those digits. I say this because bronze facing such competition is remarkable.
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There is heavy construction going on in that space (the takeout now is a narrow space at the other end – and is packed with snacks, soy sauces, such as a clear one, etc.) and they say a new restaurant will emerge later this year. Hence my opening statement.
Apart from this, I feel a general joy in the air. Just sayin’ that I’m a happy guy. (And NOT sayin’ that I weirdly love my couch.)
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Niveaux Patisserie has soft opened in North Quincy at 406 Hancock St (corner of Billings Rd & Hancock St). It’s located inside the Yocha, and the space will now serve both clientele.
Still no good bread bakers in the area.
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Kung Fu Kitchen opened in Coolidge Corner. Have not been, but it’s been fairly full when I walk by in the evenings. https://www.kfkitchennyc.com
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Wonder if they’ll have the non-stop video of the owner’s movie going at this location too 
These are among my favorite xlb in nyc — the crab and pork ones.
The steamed and pan-fried dumplings are good too (and generously sized). Also the pan-fried pancakes — duck, mushroom & bok choy. Shanghai spring rolls are also good and so is the scallion pancake with beef.
Not a fan of the ramens and other noodle soups, but the hand-cut noodles (stir-fried) are probably worth a try.
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Hope they’re as good as the original. Broadly echoing @Saregama , they are very good.
(I’m fortunate that I’m 30 minutes by helicopter from them in Manhattan – provided I’m not in a spurious conversation with an indeterminate somebody in a craft that was never close to crashing – or a 6 minute walk.)
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A friend went and raved about their soup dumplings. He’s gone back twice within the last 2 weeks.
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According to Boston.com, the King and I (Thai restaurant, Beacon Hill) closed about a week ago.
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Oh man. That stirs up a lot of happy memories. The head of my lab used to love going there for group lunches. Sad to read about Kent. Hope something indie and charming moves into that space, and not another bank.
Sounds familiar. The head of my lab was a regular at Yen Ching, to the point that it was one place we could reliably catch him. And the reason I learned to use chopsticks in grad school.
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A sign visible on I90 eastbound indicates Hobson’s Bar and Kitchen has opened in the Allston Depot space.
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Cambridge Brewing Company has announced they’re closing after 35 years. Last day serving will be Dec. 20th.
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End of an era. Back when Cambridge Brewing started, the idea of local brewpubs was in its infancy. I remember when it was just CBC and Commonwealth Brewing over in Boston.
Your post started me on a trip down memory lane, so here’s a history of Cambridge Brewing from Boston Magazine.
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Commonwealth Brewing preceeded Cambridge by quite awhile (1986 vs 1989). I remember it opening, it was a big deal locally. I had already visited both the Manhattan Brewing Co and New Amsterdam Brewpub in NYC (both opened in 1984) so I was pretty stoked about it
Commonwealth brewed good beer right off the bat, some their English Ales were tremendous. (As the article you linked to indicated, Cambridge Brewing Co.'s initial beers were pretty horrible - lots of infected stuff was being served. Darryl Goss totally saved them)
They later opened a second location on Boylston St (Back Bay Brewing Co., 1995 - 2000) where Todd Mott was the head brewer after working at Commonwealth for awhile).
Todd then moved to Harpoon where he was responsible for developing their IPA 1993 which basically saved the company which had been limping along with pretty average products. He later moved to Portsmouth Brewing and now has his own place (Tributary) in Kittery ME
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