Category: Good Eats

Restaurant reviews in Newton Massachusetts.

2 Quick Food Finds Near Brandeis University
Alison and I checked out quick food options that are walking distance from Brandeis University for our New England Top 100 College Showcase, an inaugural girls soccer college recruiting event from Foley Athletic Advising.

We asked around and found two great places within a five-minute walk from the Brandeis soccer field.

AK’s

559 South St

Waltham, MA 02453
- Pizzas
- Slices
- Calzones
- Subs
- More Subs
- Burgers
- Wraps
- Pasta
- Dinners
- Salads
- Starters
- Desserts
- Chips
- Drinks
AK’s has great pizza and sandwiches including vegan and gluten-free options including gluten free pizza!

You can call in if you are in a hurry or even have the food delivered to the field!

There is also dine-in seating! They are known for their great food and their fast service.

There is also a great Greek yogurt shop across the street from AK’s.

Chillbox Greek Frozen Yogurt

570 South St

Waltham, MA 02453

They have smoothies, ice cream, Greek frozen yogurt, and lots of toppings including fresh fruit!

Here are the hours:

Here are more dining options near Brandeis. There are also restaurants a short drive away including Panera, Moe’s Southwest Grill, and Einstein Brothers Bagels.

I also have Brandeis Athletics Visitors Guide here, a downloadable PDF with everything from hotels to parking to restaurants.

Brandeis Athletics Visitors Guide 2018-19-V2

Some highlights:

Free parking is available outside Gosman Athletic Center during non-business hours. Parking overnight or during business hours is prohibited without permission from Brandeis Public Safety (781-736-4250)

Brandeis Campus Map
May 16, 2019
New La Tate Mexican Restaurant is Muy Delicioso!

La Tate Mexican Restaurant in Newton is new and we just tried it! First of all, we were impressed by the salsa. It was fresh and homemade. The usual stuff is not too spicy (probably in deference to the area), but they gave us a habanero salsa that they made for the staff. It was really spicy and delicious. We also sampled the Pico de Gallo, which is kind of salsa to me.

The guacamole was fresh and delicious. What really impressed me though was the entrees. My enchilada was a spicy pork (I think carnitas) and it was delicious! We also tried the taquitos, also delicious and extremely savory.

It was a really hot day so I didn’t try the soup but I am looking forward to that.

The staff is really friendly and the decor is exuberant with brightly colored walls and tables, and an inviting bar showcasing artisanal tequilas.

This is a wonderful addition to the Newton restaurant food scene. The only downsides to La Tate is the lack of parking. We found street parking on the back side.

The pricing is also a tad high, especially for lunch specials but I am happy to pay a little extra because it ensures that La Tate can make it in this high rent area and also that they are not skimping on quality ingredients.

We highly recommend La Tate. They also have a take out menu and I assume they deliver. We will be back!

September 18, 2018
Tiger Mama Dim Sum Sundays at The Street

Tiger Mama introduces a dynamic alternative to Boston’s brunch offerings: Dim Sum Sundays. Chef Tiffani Faison, named Best Chef in Boston of 2016, offers her own take on dim sum with Tiger Mama classics, including cocktails, arriving via a roving cart and endless trays. Dim Sum Sundays will take place every Sunday, 12pm-9pm, beginning November 13, 2016.

Whether diners are looking for immediate service or prefer to linger and enjoy a leisurely meal, Dim Sum Sundays is the perfect option. The weekly menu will vary, allowing guests to select original items such as Singapore Street Noodles, Lobster Spring Rolls and Pad Gra Pow, as well as newcomers like Sweet Sesame Pancakes, Chili Crab Toast, Thai Fried Chicken and Lamb Muturbak. Guests can also choose from specialty cocktails and Vietnamese coffee as they are circulated dim sum-style. A select menu of favorite, larger format dishes will also be available.

All menu items will be priced at just $5, $10, or $15.

“There’s nothing I love more after a night out than a fun, boozy brunch where food arrives immediately! Dim Sum Sundays spin off of that love and let us play with recipes we wouldn’t normally offer. While there are ample Chinese dim sum offerings around town, we thought it would be extra interesting to take the traditions behind the experience and merge it with our inspirations: Thai, Vietnamese and Malaysian cooking,” says Chef/Owner Tiffani Faison.

Tiger Mama is located at 1363 Boylston Street Boston, MA. Reservations are recommended. To contact the restaurant, call 617-425-MAMA (6262) or visit www.tigermamaboston.com. Reservations can also be made via TableUp.

December 1, 2016

Not Your Average Joe’s to Benefit North Suburban YMCA

Want to contribute to the Y’s Annual Fund and Have a Great Meal at the Same Time?

Simple! Grab lunch or dinner at Not Your Average Joe’s in Watertown any Tuesday this November and 15% of your bill will be donated to the Y!

Not Your Average Joe’s believes in giving back and we are thrilled that they have chosen our Y as their Not Your Average Cause partner.

Just download the Not Your Average Cause certificate from our website and present it with your order – you can use it for take-out too! (Don’t worry if you forget the certificate, just mention the Y to your server). Printed certificates will be available at the Welcome Center all month long.

Donations will go directly to our Annual Fund which provides financial assistance to local families in need for memberships, life-changing programs like LIVESTRONG at the YMCA, child care and summer camps.

November 12, 2016

Restaurant Find for Cold Korean Noodle Soup

A hot day in Boston calls for a summer Korean speciality, Naengmyeon, a cold beef noodle soup with water kimchi, thin slices of braised beef, and Asian pear.

You start by cutting up the noodles in the bowl, using scissors that the restaurant provides. Add Chinese yellow mustard and vinegar to taste.

Then eat with the side dishes.

Seoul Soulongtang is located in Allston and serves authentic Korean food. This dish was a good as I remember from Korean Town in Los Angeles!

Seoul Soulongtang

1245 Commonwealth Avenue

Allston, MA 02134

This is a casual Korean restaurant focusing classic beef broth soups.

August 3, 2016
New Pho Restaurant in Waltham!

This new Pho restaurant in Waltham is a find! The food is great and there’s plenty of seating.

My husband and I tried it for lunch on a weekday. By the time we left, the restaurant was pretty full. Always a good sign!

Pho 1 Waltham

374 Moody St

Waltham, MA 02453

The crispy spring rolls were indeed crispy.

The deep fried squid was light and crispy and not at all oily.

Tod Mun is one of my favorite appetizers. It was so good, I almost ate them all before remembering to take a photo.

The menu contains Vietnamese, Thai, with a smattering of Japanese. The Pho soup that I had was great too. I eat Pho year round, even in heat of summer. How about you?

July 25, 2016
Phantom Gourmet BBQ & Country Fest

Located just one hour outside of Boston and Portland (ME), the Tri-City Arena at Rochester Fairgrounds in New Hampshire again will set the stage for the Phantom Gourmet BBQ & Country Fest from June 24-26, 2016. The three-day affair will feature award-winning pitmasters from across the globe, a country music festival, carnival entertainment and competitions, beer and wine gardens and family-friendly fun.

Recently recognized as one of Trip Advisor’s “Top 25 BBQ Battles & Festivals in the USA,” the Phantom Gourmet BBQ & Country Fest will welcome traveling barbeque teams from Australia to Texas to fire up their smokers and serve up the best – and messiest – in backyard, southern fare. Pitmaster teams such as Aussom Aussie BBQ,Chicago BBQ Company, Johnson Barbeque, Texas Thunder and Firefly’s Bodacious Bar-B-Que will offer their homestyle favorites like ribs, sausages, brisket, corn bread, mac ‘n cheese, cole slow, smoked chicken, rib samplers and more at a la carte pricing. Other tasty treats on premise will include fruit cups, fried dough, slush, hot dogs and hamburgers, nachos, cupcakes and ice cream.

On the music side, popular country acts will take the stage and provide live entertainment throughout the three days. The headliners include Nashville recording artists Darren Bessette, the Houston Barnard Band and Colin Axxxwell as well as regional favorites Brandon Lepere, Caroline Grey, Lexi James, Alec MacGillivray,Brianna Grace, THIRTY 6 RED, Timmy Brown and Jim Lippy Band.

The “Phantom Gourmet BBQ & Country Fest” takes place from June 24-26, 2016, at the Tri-City Stadium at Rochester Fairgrounds (72 Lafayette Street, Rochester, NH). The hours of operation are Friday from 12:00pm-10:30pm, Saturday from 11:00am-10:30pm and Sunday from 11:00am-8:30pm. Admission is complimentary onFriday, June 24, from 12:00pm-5:00pm and $5 per person during all other operating hours. Children under-10 are treated to complimentary admission throughout the three-day event. Registration fees for the Rib Run range from $20-50 and include various Phantom Gourmet swag. Free parking is available on premise.

For a limited time, tickets are “2 for 1” through Ace Ticket: https://www.aceticket.com/phantom-gourmet-bbq-and-country-fest-%28june-24-26%29-tri-city-arena-6-24/event/1700409.

June 12, 2016
Authentic Chinese Food Restaurant Opens in Newton!

My family used to make a monthly pilgrimage to Los Angeles’ Chinatown for groceries and a decent meal. My father immigrated from mainland China right before the Communist Revolution and good Chinese food was hard to come by in the sleepy beach town that I grew up in.

I’m basing my sense of “authenticity” on those Chinese meals with my family and all those wedding banquets we attended as well. My father also hung out with a group of Chinese STEM immigrants and the potluck dinners they hosted were legendary for the array of home cooked Chinese delicacies!

So how else do I rate “authenticity”? By the number of Asian diners of course! On a number of drive bys (The Dumpling House is on Walnut Street which we drive by several times a week en route to flute and Valeo FC), I ask my kids to count up the number of Asians they spot as we wiz by. They don’t really like this task but they humor me. It seems to attract about a 50% Asian customer base which is high given that Newton is just 11% Asian!

That seemed to be worth checking out. I went with my husband for lunch and we ordered the weird stuff like this dish of tendon and beef in a spicy sauce:

The meat is stewed in soy sauce and aromatics and then doused in a spicy sauce. It was both familiar and new to me. The meat had that familiar flavor of loo’ed slow simmered flavor, but the sauce was new to me. The tendon was chewy and flavorful. It was delicious and clearly authentic but I’m not quite sure what region of China this hails from. Northern China or Central with the zippy spicy sauce?

My husband ordered the Ma Po Tofu, feeling the need for something healthy. This was light and delicious!

I also ordered a tofu dish: pressed tofu with bamboo shoots. It was my favorite dish out of a meal of outstanding dishes.

Interestingly, the dumplings were not my favorite. I’m used to thin skins and these thick skin dumplings were good but not what I’ll be coming back for. The menu is full of more interesting dishes that seems to attract the Chinese crowd from beyond Newton.
The Dumpling House is a find! It’s a completely new restaurant from the previous Hot Pot restaurant. Come by and try it before word gets out and it gets really crowded!

March 9, 2016
Celebrate National Chocolate Soufflé Day!
Easy Chocolate Soufflé

Ingredients
- 150 grams of butter
- 200 grams of dark chocolare
- 175 grams of sugar
- 6 eggs
- 125 grams of flour
Directions
1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Melt the chocolate and butter together in a bowl over a pan of gently simmering water.
3. Meanwhile, whisk together the eggs and sugar in another bowl until light and fluffy.
4. Sift in the flour and fold gently to incorporate.
5. Fold in the chocolate mixture.
6. Pour into ramekins lined with a COOKINA Cuisine. At this stage, you can cover and store in the fridge for cooking at a later time, otherwise pop into the oven for 8-12 minutes.
7. Keep an eye on the soufflés for the last few minutes. When the tops start to crack, give it another minute and they should be done. They should be really gooey in the centre but cakey on top and round the edges.
8. Serve immediately with a scoop of ice cream.
The COOKINA Cuisine Reusable Baking Sheet is an innovative product that creates a nonstick, easy-to-clean and healthy cooking & baking experience for any mom. Ideal for using as an alternative to aluminum foil, parchment and wax paper, users can place the cooking sheet on a baking tray or pan to bake recipes without having to use oil or needing to clean the tray afterwards. Available at cookina.co for $12.99.
February 28, 2016
Kane’s Donuts Pop-Up Store TOMORROW!

KANE’S DONUTS
WILL OPEN AT “THE POP-UP”
TOMORROW, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2016

The Street announces that the nationally renowned, Massachusetts-based Kane’s Donuts will open at The Pop-Up, its concept devoted to innovative and locally grown brands, tomorrow, February 24, 2016. Open through March 26, 2016, it will no doubt delight visitors with its delicious hand-crafted donuts during this last stretch of winter. Kane’s at The Pop-Up at The Street is located at 3 Boylston Street Chestnut Hill, MA near Star Market, AT&T, Comella’s, and EyeSpot. www.kanesdonuts.com; www.thestreetchestnuthill.com

Kane’s Donuts owners, the Delios family, have been hand-crafting donuts out of their small, converted cottage in Saugus since 1988. The business was originally founded by Bob and June Kane in 1955, and in total, has been in operation for over 60 years. Compelling locals and tourists alike to line up as early as three in the morning for a donut, Kane’s donuts are made fresh daily, primarily with local ingredients. The Honey Glaze was deemed by Travel + Leisure as the best in the country, and Bon Appetit named Kane’s among the top 10 donut shops in the U.S.

In addition to offering classics such as Jelly, Boston Crème, Old Fashion Plain and Honey Glaze, Kane’s changes its menu seasonally to offer artisanal flavors such as Honey Hibiscus, Maine Blueberry, Turtle, and Pistachio. In 2015, Kane’s Donuts opened a Boston location, bringing varieties such as Crème Brulee, Butter Crunch, Chocolate Honey Dip and Giant Cinnamon Coffee Rolls to the Financial District.

Kane’s Donuts is open daily at The Pop-Up at The Street from Wednesday, February 24, 2016 through Saturday, March 26, 2016. Its hours of operation are 7:00 am to 3:00 pm.

Kane’s Donuts takes the place of experiential floral company, Alice’s Table. Prior to Alice’s Table, The Pop-Up hosted luxury knitwear line The Third Piece and OMG! Bagels.

February 23, 2016