Category: Good Eats

Restaurant reviews in Newton Massachusetts.

Easy Teriyaki Salmon
Easy Teriyaki Salmon

This healthy recipe is from Catz Needham.
Salmon is filled with healthy omega 3 essential fatty acids, protein, and vitamin B12. This recipe is quick and tastes amazing. Serve it with a side of brown rice and steamed veggies.

Servings: 4

Here’s what you need…
- 1 Tablespoon sesame oil
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon ground mustard
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 4 (6oz) salmon steaks
1. In a large re-sealable plastic bag combine the first six ingredients; mix well.
2. Set aside 1/2 cup of marinade and refrigerate.
3. Add salmon to remaining marinade, cover and refrigerate for 1-1/2 hours, turning once. Drain and discard marinade.
4. Place the salmon on a broiler pan. Broil 3-4 in. from the heat for 5 minutes. Brush with reserved marinade; turn and broil for 5 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Brush with remaining marinade.
Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 392 calories, 19g fat, 2.6g carbohydrate, .2g fiber, and 38g protein. Motivate your friends, family and co-workers! Use the “refer a friend” link below to forward this newsletter and subscribe your friends.
February 16, 2016
Walnut Market is a Foodie Paradise!

Walnut Market

20 Lincoln St

Newton Highlands, MA 02461

Exceptional, curated selection of obscure beers, wines, and fine foods. A huge variety of International and local foods, as well as exotic beer and wine. They also have a great selection of British and European chocolate.

We like Canadian products and they have Canadian smoked turkey and Canadian bagels. The British and European chocolate is also a hit with my kids and closer to us the Kiki’s Kwik-Mart.

December 10, 2015
Best Food That Delivers to Newton

So my criteria for “delivery” is that the restaurant has its own delivery service — i.e. you can order delivery directly from the restaurant. The delivery has to be executed within an hour of ordering.

I asked my mom friends for their favorite delivery restaurants and, to be honest, we are all in the same boat: there are not enough good restaurants that deliver!

With the busy holiday season, I hope this list helps you out. Please add your favorite delivery food restaurants! Thanks!

Best Pho That Delivers to Newton

Pho and Spice

We eat in and have food delivery. Pho on a cold winter night is welcome at our house! They also have Thai food.

$2.00 Delivery Charge, $15.00 minimun order

457 Moody Street

Waltham, Ma 02453

Tel: (781) 788-8899

Best Middle Eastern Food That Delivers to Newton

Jasmine Restaurant

My friend Sena is a food writer for the Boston Globe. She recommends their pilaf rice. Stop by Arax Market for their wonderful prepared foods and other Middle Eastern groceries and pick up Jasmine’s pilaf rice as well and your dinner is all set!

580 Mt Auburn St

Watertown, MA 02472

Best Pizza That Delivers to Newton

Sichuan Gourmet House

Spicy dishes, including Sichuan hot pots, are the specialty of this modern Chinese restaurant.

1203R Walnut St

Newton Highlands, MA 02461

Sweet Tomatoes

1279 Washington St

West Newton, MA

(617) 630-8666

47 Langley Rd

Newton Centre, MA

(617) 558-0222

The parking is challenging at both locations so it’s great that they now deliver! Try their great salads too!

Best Chinese That Delivers to Newton

Rice Valley was recommended more than once. It’s hard to find decent Chinese food in Boston in general and this is the best we can find for delivery.

Rice Valley

821 Washington St

Newtonville, MA 02460

Phone: (617) 558-7666

Number 1 Noodle House

My foodie Asian friend Stella recommends this restaurant. My friend Nathalie also recommends it. Try the noodle soups and the chow fun.

51 Langley Rd
Newton, MA 02459
Phone: (617) 527-8810

Lobster Wok

My friend Nathalie also recommends Lobster Wok for their Hot and Sour soup and rice dishes.

10 Austin St

Newtonville, MA 02460

Best Indian Delivery in Newton

My Brit friend Lydia recommends this one. They know their Indian food!

Punjab Palace

109 Brighton Ave

Allston, MA 02134

Phone: (617) 254-1500

Best Thai Delivery in Newton

Baan Thai

My foodie friend Sena who writes about food for the Boston Globe picks Baan Thai for her delivery Thai food option. No-frills eatery for curries & other classic Thai dishes plus sushi rolls & a full bar.

659 Main St

Waltham, MA 02451

Thai North

433 Faneuil St

Brighton, MA 02135

Phone:(617) 254-2025

Pho and Spice (see above also has Thai)

Best Brazilian That Delivers to Newton

Panela de Barro

229 Newton St

Waltham, MA 02453

Phone:(781) 209-1888

This is a buffet style restaurant. We usually eat in but we notice the staff filling orders for delivery. You pay by the weight.

Best Japanese that Delivers to Newton

New Sapporo

Our favorite Korean and Japanese restaurant is under new(ish) ownership and now they do delivery too!

81 Union St

Newton Centre, MA 02459

Phone:(617) 964-8044

Sakura

We’ve eaten at the restaurant and then found out that our daughter is friend’s with the owner’s son!

5 Pine St
Waltham MA, 02453

(781) 216-8922

November 21, 2015
Foodie Guide to Boston’s Chinatown

I keep running into my friend Stella in Chinatown even though we both live here in Newton so I am calling upon her expertise to help me with this guide to Chinatown in Boston. It’s a little mystifying to find the best of the best in Chinatown. We usually agree, but when we don’t, I’m going to list both options.

My kids are of a different mind. They think I am being a “Bruce Lee” by spilling Asian secrets and thereby making their favorite haunts even more crowded than they already are. There is plenty for everyone!

What makes you hesitate to go to Chinatown? Is it the bad drivers? Is the lack of parking? Is it because you don’t speak Mandarin? The drivers are terrible; this is true. We park at a lot on Tyler Street. It’s impossible to get meter parking but we manage once or twice a year to score a spot. And not everyone in Chinatown speaks Mandarin; there are hundreds of Chinese dialects so not everyone who lives there can understand each other. Your English will be fine!

Hope you venture into Chinatown. There are a lot of delicacies waiting for you there!

Best Dim Sum

China Pearl Restaurant

9 Tyler St
Boston, MA 02111

Everyone I know agrees that this is the best Dim Sum in Boston. It still doesn’t compare to Dim Sum in Hong Kong, or in Chinatowns in Los Angeles or San Francisco though so don’t get your hopes up too high. Still, their Har Gao is as good as any in the world.

Go before 11am on the weekend or expect to wait in line.

Best Soup Dumplings

Gourmet Dumpling House

52 Beach St

Boston, MA 02111

There’s usually a line out the door for dumplings so your best bet is to call ahead and pick up. Or do what we do. We order the soup dumplings when we are seated for Dim Sum (but before we start eating), then we pick them up on our way out for an afternoon snack.

Best Asian “Starbucks”

Tea Do

8 Tyler St

Boston, MA 02111

Stella turned us on to this contemporary tea house and my kids like their smoothies and bubble tea. Their Japanese snacks are great too! This is a popular hangout for teens in the area and stocked with board games so you can hang out while sipping your drink! This is a de rigeur stop for us when we come to Chinatown for Dim Sum!

Best Cantonese Seafood

We have a split decision. I have been going to Peach Farm for more than 10 years and therefore haven’t tried anything new since finding it. Stella likes Jade Garden and she’s Cantonese!

Peach Farm

4 Tyler St

Boston, MA 02111

Try the Salt and Pepper Squid. We order it half squid and half beef with bone. I like their ginger and scallion lobster too. Even our kids will eat the shrimp — that’s live from the tank (with the heads on), then steamed and served with sauce. Our kids like the sauce that isn’t spicy.

Jade Garden

20 Tyler St

Boston, MA 02111

Best Chinese Cake Bakery

101 Bakery

56 Beach St

Boston, MA 02111

My kids like their sponge cakes; a piece with just a thin layer of frosting in between.

Best Chinese Pastry Bakery

Hing Shing Pastry

67 Beach St

Boston, MA 02111

They make Moon Cakes when it’s that time of year but no one I know actually likes Moon Cakes as they are very dense and sweet. They are made of sweetened bean puree. Instead, try the sponge cake in the paper cones. I also like their beef curry pies, apple turnovers and their version of Pigs in the Blanket. They have Chinese specialities too like pork buns (baked not steamed), and sticky rice wrapped in leaves.

Best Roasted Meat Shop

Hong Kong Eatery

79 Harrison Avenue

Boston, MA 02111

The restaurant is always busy but I’ve never eaten there. Instead, I stand in line to order their roasted meats. My favorite is the soy sauce chicken but the salt chicken is equally popular. They have roast duck and roast pork — both Char Shui (BBQ) and suckling pig style.

Best Vietnamese Sandwich Shop

163 Vietnamese Sandwich

66 Harrison Ave

Boston, MA 02111

Even if you are full, get a sandwich to go. You won’t regret it!

What are your favorite eats in Chinatown? Please share in the comments below!

October 29, 2015
RFK Kitchen to Open in Needham

This spring 2016, Executive Chef Rachel Klein has announced that she will open her first restaurant, RFK Kitchen in her hometown of Needham, MA. The new 100-seat restaurant located at 948 Great Plain Avenue in the heart of Needham, MA, will bring a vibrant and unique dining experience to the town while maintaining a true neighborhood restaurant feel.

Klein’s vast executive chef experience includes X.O. Café in Providence, OM in Harvard Square, Seaport Hotel’s Aura, Mandarin Oriental Hotel and Asana, and most recently Liquid Art House, but this will be her first position as an executive chef/owner where she plans to redefine the white tablecloth experience into a concept that is more welcoming and less formal, without losing the hospitality that people expect.

Klein’s been searching for the perfect spot to open a restaurant for nearly six years, and when the opportunity to open one just down the street from where she resides with her husband and two sons, the timing could not have been more perfect. Much of what she strives to do with RFK’s menu and concept is a direct reflection of what she desires as a resident: a fun, eclectic, modern American, chef-driven, family-friendly dining experience.

Klein, known for her globally influenced cuisine as well as her modern interpretation of the classics and artful presentation, will create an expansive menu offering snacks, bar bites, boutique steaks, chef’s creations of entrees and appetizers, and a weekly comfort specials menu. Another highlight will be the mix-and-match bento boxes offered on the kids menu.

Guests will be able to enjoy the cuisine in three different settings: at the bar or in the lounge area, in the dining room, or at the 20-seat Chef’s Counter which surrounds the open kitchen, allowing them to have as interactive a dining experience as they wish. At the Chef’s Counter guests can order from the standard menu, or for the daring, can go the improvisational route, providing just enough information about their personal preferences and dietary restrictions for Chef Rachel and her team to provide an innovative, seasonal tasting menu.

RFK Kitchen is set to open spring of 2016. Klein will be opening the restaurant with friend and partner Francesco Melandri. Dinner service will be available six days a week upon opening, with lunch and Sunday brunch offerings following shortly thereafter.

October 11, 2015
Foodie Finds Near Newton

I am lucky to have foodie friends and these are some of the discoveries I have made living in Newton for the past 10+ years by asking them. And the funny thing is, some of these are new to me too!

How about you? What foodie finds have I missed? Please share in the comments section! Thanks!

Praline

203 Belmont St

Belmont, MA 02478

It’s a little bit of Paris in Belmont with handmade confections and pastries. They also sell crepes! We tried the ham and cheese crepe, chocolate croissant and chocolate macaron. Everything was top notch!

If you are headed to Sophia’s Greek Pantry and/or Linda’s Handcut Donuts, make a quick pit stop. It’s just one block away.

Walnut Market

20 Lincoln St

Newton Highlands, MA 02461

Exceptional, curated selection of obscure beers, wines, and fine foods. A huge variety of International and local foods, as well as exotic beer and wine. They also have a great selection of British and European chocolate.

We like Canadian products and they have Canadian smoked turkey and Canadian bagels. The British and European chocolate is also a hit with my kids and closer to us the Kiki’s Kwik-Mart.

Arak Market

585 Mt Auburn St

Watertown, MA 02472

Armenian & Middle Eastern food shop offering produce, olives, cheeses, pastries & other items.

The largest Armenian market in Watertown, Arax has been part of the Armenian community since 1974. Armenians and other Middle-Easterners crowd this market for items such as imported spices, cheeses, olives, jams, sausages, yogurts, coffee, and many other items. Arax also has fresh pita bread everyday.

We tried a bunch of baklava pastries and the lahmjoune which was so good, we went back the next day for more.

Kiki’s Kwik-Mart

236 Faneuil St

Brighton, MA 02135

Brit candy and specialty food.

The description says, “convenience store with deli for coffee, prepared foods & sandwiches, including a sub of the month,” but we are all here for the candy! My friend Penny whose mother is Irish told me that when Nestle bought out Cadbury, they reformulated the chocolate so it’s waxy like the American chocolate. The only way to get the good stuff is to buy Cadbury in Canada, the U.K. or Europe. Our Brit friend Lydia told usa bout Kiki’s which has all the good candy plus Brit foodie specialities like crisps.

My friend Penny says that the turkey sandwich is amazing.

Sophia’s Greek Pantry

265 Belmont St

Belmont, MA 02478

Try the Honey Vanilla 2% yogurt they make themselves. It’s amazing! My teen daughters have said that I have ruined them for any other yogurt.

The description again does not do it justice, “Market for Greek/Balkan imports & prepared foods, including olives, yogurt, pastries & coffee.” They make their own yogurt. The 2% yogurt tastes as rich as fully fatted. Try the Honey Vanilla yogurt and be sure to buy some of the granola sold there made with their Greek olive oil.

They scoop the yogurt for you and there are other flavors. My daughter likes the strawberry banana.

Linda’s Hand Cut Donuts: Breakfast & Sandwich Shop

247 Belmont St

Belmont, MA 02478

Try the honey dipped donut which tastes like the best cinnamon sugar donut you’ve ever had in your life. Check their hours before you go. They close early!

The description says, “Old-school corner spot known for a variety of donuts, coffee, sandwiches & bagels.” What it should really say is: the woman in line in front of me came from Woburn for their donuts. They are really that good.”

This is right down the street from Sophia’s Greek Pantry so do yourself a favor, and go to both!

Fastachi

598 Mount Auburn Street

Watertown, MA 02472

Fresh, hand roasted gourmet nuts, dried fruit, gift tins and more.

Owen’s Poultry Farm

585 Central Ave

Needham, MA 02494

People order their Thanksgiving turkeys well in advance from Owen’s Poultry Farm but they also have a great frozen chicken pot pie, fresh eggs, prepared food, and, of course, chicken.

Volante Farm

292 Forest St

Needham, MA 02492

With a farmstand supermarket, a bakery, a kitchen and a greenhouse, this is a good stop to linger and explore.

Russo’s Market

560 Pleasant St

Watertown, MA 02472

Russo’s sells wholesale produce to supermarkets in town like Whole Foods. Buy the same stuff here at half the price!

Russo’s Market started off as a green grocer and has grown into a gourmet (but at wholesale) prices speciality market. It has fruits, vegetables, flowers, plants, specialty products, imported and domestic cured meats, cheeses, prepared foods and more.

Great Harvest Bread

316 Walnut St

Newtonville, MA 02460

Try the Cinnamon Chip Bread!

Bakery chain specializing in whole-grain breads & muffins made with Montana wheat.

De Pasquale’s Sausage Company

325 Watertown St

Newton, MA 02458

Their cheese and garlic sausages are renowned.

DePasquale’s Sausage Company produces premium sausage products, including sweet italian sausages, in Newton, Massachusetts.

Bread and Chocolate

4 Hartford St

Newton Highlands, MA 02461

They serve breakfast and lunch both to go and on the premises. Everything is good. And be sure to save room for dessert! It’s hard to pick a favorite though my daughter loves their Red Velvet cupcakes.

Rosenfeld’s Bagels

1280 Centre St

Newton Centre, MA 02459

This is the closest thing we have in Boston to a New York Bagel!

Bagels with an array of cream cheeses, plus challah & special offerings for the holidays.

Antoine’s Bakery

317 Watertown St

Newton, MA 02458

Try their freshly baked Italian bread and their cookies! This is a North End kind of bakery right here in Nonantum!

Longtime bakery for French, Italian & American sweets, including cakes, cookies, pastries & pies.

Icing on the Cake

230 Adams St

Newton, MA 02458

The closest thing we have to Cake Boss!

Veteran bakery making cakes, cupcakes & cake pops, including custom creations for special occasions.

L’Aroma Cafe

15 Spencer St

West Newton, MA 02465

I love their Hibiscus Lemonade with has a shot of ginger flavor and my kids love their Iced Chai Latte which they claim is the best in all of Boston. Their bakery treats are great too! I also book all my meetings here. There are big spaces too if you have a large group.

Bakery treats, espresso & cafe fare are the draw at this compact fixture with an easygoing ambiance.

October 8, 2015
NEW Sapporo Restaurant! Under Newish Management!

Sapporo has a new but familiar owner.

Winnie the amazing waitress who could manage a full house on her own has taken over.

It’s nice to see the American Dream in full force!

She’s revamped the menu to streamline it a bit. She’s also added new items but what we really noticed was a sense of revitalization. There are now two waitresses and two sushi chefs. The place buzzes with energy and good vibes.

The food, as always, is delicious with a mix of Japanese and Korean specialities including sushi, bibimbap, tempura, teriyaki and udon.

Check it out in Newton Centre across from T stop at the basement level.

October 7, 2015
Shake Shack Labor Day Specials

Starting Friday, August 29 and extending through Monday, September 1, the Shack will be serving up two summertime favorites: Shack Corn Dogs($4.50) and Peach Pie Oh My Concrete (Vanilla frozen custard blended with a slice of Shack-made peach pie; Single: $4.25/Double: $6.50) at the Chestnut Hill and Harvard Square locations.

A Vienna all-beef hot dog dipped in Shack-made corn batter and served with Rick’s Picks sweet corn relish, the Shack Corn Dog pairs perfectly with the Shack X IPA (16 oz $5.25), the special edition collaboration beer brewed by Brooklyn Brewery. Labor Day weekend is the last chance to get your hands on the summer brew, so raise a pint and celebrate another great season with the Shack.

August 28, 2014
Cook Restaurant New Tailgate Bar Bite Menu

Cook Newton Gears Up for Super Bowl Sunday with

New Tailgate-Inspired Bar Bite Menu

Dine In or Carry Out Chef Paul Turano’s Inventive Tailgate Style Creations

WHAT:             Cook, a new American bistro located in the heart of Newton, MA, is gearing up for Super Bowl Sunday with a selection of inventive tailgate-inspired bar bites. Also available for takeout, the game day menu makes for easy super bowl entertaining at home.

Diners and football spectators alike will enjoy dishes like Salt and Pepper Chicken wings ($9), Boar Chili “Nachos” with house ranch potato chips ($11), Pork Belly Tacos with house kim chi ($6 per taco), NFC Newton Fried Chicken with mashed potatoes, a buttermilk biscuit, gravy and slaw ($17), and Pulled Pork Potato Skins with crispy onions and all the fix ins ($11).

Offering a wide selection of beers, wine, specialty cocktails and spirits along with three HD TVs, Cook Newton is a great destination for catching all the Super Bowl Sunday action.

For more information, visit www.cooknewton.com or call 617.964.2465.

WHEN:             February 2, 2014 – Super Bowl Sunday; 4:30 PM – Close.

WHERE:           Cook Newton | 825 Washington Street | Newton, MA |02467

About Cook:

“Cook” restaurant is an 80-seat New American bistro is located in the Greater-Boston area in Newton, Massachusetts. Cook presents a menu that crosses all cultural lines and spans from the simple to the complex. The perfect place to meet for lunch, brunch or dinner, or simply to stop in and enjoy items from their snack menu while sampling craft cocktails, or something from the extensive beer and wine list. Cook is a true neighborhood restaurant in every way.

Executive Chef/Owner Chef Paul Turano is dedicated to using only the freshest local ingredients. At Cook the food is dressed up, but you can dress down. Cook serves lunch Monday through Friday from 11:30AM- 3:30PM, Dinner: Sunday- Saturday from 4:30PM – close, and brunch on Saturday and Sunday from 10:30AM -2:30PM. Cook is located at 825 Washington Street in Newton, MA. For more information please visit www.cooknewton.com.

January 31, 2014
Cook Restaurant Opens for Lunch Starting Tomorrow

Chef Paul Turano, owner of Tryst restaurant located in Arlington, MA, recently opened Cook, an American Bistro style restaurant, just a few short months ago. “Cook,” which is currently open for brunch and dinner only, will soon be opening its doors for lunch!

Cook, located at 825 Washington Street in Newton, MA, highlights a variety of different dishes in its soon-to-be-launched lunch menu. Hungry customers can choose from Cook’s starters and salads including: udon noodles with peanuts and ponzu ($10), kale salad with brussels sprouts, parmesan, hazelnuts, verjus ($10), shrimp tacos with avocado, red onion, aji crema ($5 each) and cobb salad with blue cheese, bacon, avocado, tomatoes, balsamic vinaigrette ($10). Guests can also munch on a selection of Chef Turano’s sides such as bacon caramel popcorn ($5), sweet and spicy peanuts ($5), fries with “cool dips” and a housemade pretzel with mustards and salt ($3).

Cook’s main dishes are separated into three different categories on the lunch menu including sandwiches, flatbreads and entrees. Guests have an option of sandwiches including grilled cheese with tomato, herbs and greens ($12), lobster sliders ($13), a vegetarian pita with walnut lentil kofte, mushrooms, yogurt and sumac ($10) as well as a classic burger with cheddar, lettuce, tomato and onions pickles. All sandwiches are served with house made ranch chips and greens. From the flatbread section, Chef Turano will be serving wild mushroom flatbread with fontina, ricotta, caramelized onions and truffle ($14), chorizo flatbread with goat cheese, poblano pepper and fingerling chips ($12) as well as a selection of heartier entrees including bolognese with veal, pork, beef, mascarpone, herbs ($13), winter vegetable lasagna, zucchini, kabocha squash, caramelized onions, mushrooms ($12).

Join Cook for its first lunch opening on Monday, December 2^nd, 2013. Cook will be open from lunch Monday-Friday from 11:30AM to 2:30PM.

December 1, 2013