Well truth be told, there are some fabulous little restaurants out there that you've probably never heard of, and they are the perfect locations for dinner parties. Canestaro, tucked on Peterborough St. behind Boylston in the Fenway, is the epitome of the drippy candle Italian cucina where the owner seats you, the portions are enormous, and the vino flows like the Charles River (but a hell of a lot cleaner!)

Canestaro's menu spans every genre of Italian cuisine, from large 16 inch pizzas to calzones, burgers with an Italian twist, a boatload of pasta offerings, and sandwiches galore. Due to our pasta addiction, we are dependent on their dishes that combine pesto and shrimp with penne. In fact, we think we'd like a keg of pesto in our own kitchen, but that's beside the point. Canestaro is located so close to Fenway Park and the Museum of Fine Arts, it serves as a great pre-game/post-museum stop. So whether you're gearing up for bleacher seats at Fenway, or viewing Italian pieces like the Titians and Tintorettos at the MFA, remember a cannoli is always waiting for you around the corner at Canestaro.

Canestaro [MenuPages]
Canestaro [Official Site]

[Photo: Tommy Williams/Flickr]

You know how sometimes you find a new cafe that just makes you feel right at home? You hope they're around for the long haul? Community-based Ula fills an important niche in Jamaica Plain, and in the year they've been open, we've enjoyed their amazing coffee concoctions, sweet potato sandwich, and free wifi.

In Ula, you will find a warm, friendly staff of local folks who love their job. The walls are lined with rotating art for sale. Teas are available from local distributor MEM Teas in Somerville, and everything is bought local when possible. Beautiful, delicious sandwiches made with bread fresh from Cambridge's Hi-Rise Bread Company and an assortment of veggies, spreads, and wholesome out-of-the-ordinary cafe meats like Black Forest Ham. The soup menu changes daily, as do the yummy baked goods including cupcakes, cookies, and scones. You can even stop in for breakfast - hot oatmeal or an egg dish of the day will start your morning off right.

Squeezed between Bikes Not Bombs and The Boston Beer Company in the Jamaica Plain Brewery, Ula Cafe is a real gem and only a short walk from the Stony Brook T stop. Support a local community-based shop that also happens to have exceptional espresso, muffins, and salads. You won't be disappointed.

Ula [MenuPages]
Ula Cafe [Official Site]

[Photo: digiyesica/Flickr]

Yeah, we’ve noticed that things are changing. Beer and pizza prices are going up. It bums us out, but you know, it isn’t all that bad. As long as places like Crazy Dough's keep churning out pretty fantastic slices and providing us with cheap beer, we’ll be happy.

Now, there isn’t anything overly special about Crazy Dough’s from the first look of it. A glass case contains a bunch of different (some normal some crazy looking) pies in two forms: traditional triangle slices and thick Sicilian style. But this isn’t your mom’s pizza that’s for sure. With crazy concoctions like chicken cordon bleu (with a splash of hot sauce for extra flavor!), eggplant and roasted red pepper, and potato bacon cheddar, you know you are in for something special.

With awesomely priced deals like $4 for a personal pie and a soda, why not spend a bit more to get some choice gourmet slices of your own. You can also add a pitcher of Pabst for $4, or a draft (in a plastic cup) for a A BUCK!. Pabst not your thing? Get a draft or pitcher of Titan IPA, rock out with a pretty darn tasty meat lovers slice and relax in the fact that nothing can top pizza and a beer.

Crazy Dough's [MenuPages]
Crazy Dough's [Official Site]

Kenmore Square has suffered for a while. It was sad, losing such popular local eateries such as Burrito Max and DeliHaus. However, we may be in for a new golden age with places like UBurger leading the charge. UBurger is an incredible burger joint that is out to be quality food done fast, and doing a darn good job of not appearing to be a fast food rip off. With juicy burgers, incredible frappes, and some of the best onion rings this side of the Mississippi, you cannot go wrong at this local hotspot.

Before a game, for lunch, or even just a quick dinner before class at BU, UBurger is here to fight your hunger needs. Sure, it can get pricey when you start upgrading from a soda to the thick, wicked tasty frappes (special right now is Reese’s peanut butter and chocolate), but $8 is enough to get you a burger, soda and fries or onion rings. But why stop there? Why not get an all beef hot dog with the works (mustard, tomato, onions, pickles, banana pepper rings)? And what about a grilled chicken sandwich, or heck even the Spiro Salad (field greens, gorgonzola, walnuts, pears, dried cranberries, balsamic vinaigrette), which is a pretty tasty treat on a summer afternoon.

But really the burger is what keeps people coming back. Every day the 100% sirloin for the patties is ground fresh, which really adds to the flavor. On the Boom Boom burger (chipotle sauce, cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato, fried jalapenos), every component adds to an overall outstanding burger, and if anything was missing, it would be a loss. So thank you, UBurger, for giving us faith that once again, Kenmore Square will have more to offer us in the way of delicious, locally owned fare.

UBurger [MenuPages]

Outdoor drinking is definitely a favorite past time of many Bostonians, but most bar patios in the city cater to scantily clad college girls with bad blonde highlights taking tequila shots while singing along to Bon Jovi. If you're looking for a more low key evening, check out the late night patio at Eastern Standard. Instead of typical standing room only and cheap beach furniture, Eastern Standard decorates its patio with cushioned wicker chairs and couches that are actually comfortable to lounge in. And with lively Kenmore Square in the background, people watching is a prime activity.

For those of you interested in carrying on a conversation without being drowned out by the Bon Jovi previously mentioned, the patio at Eastern Standard is ideal. Since the kitchen stays open late, you can order anything off the menu without getting the typical "the kitchen is closed" from your waiter. And when it comes to beverages, it's impossible to be disapointed. Besides a wine list that no dedicated oenophile could complain is incomplete, the bar offers a variety of delectable concoctions. Our favorite is the Strawberry Cobbler, a delicious infusion of strawberry vodka, mint, and fresh fruit.

It's always a pleasure to get our required daily dose of vitamin C in combination with expensive vodka. But anything for our health, right?

Eastern Standard [Official Site]

[Photo: mod*betty/Flickr]

When the warm weather rolls around, we at MenuPages Boston find there's nothing like a good picnic (especially given the city's lack of al fresco restaurant options). One of our favorite spots is Forest Hills Cemetery in Jamaica Plain. It's everything we'd want a cemetery and a picnicking spot to be: cool, serene, dotted with Victorian architecture and full of winding paths to get lost on. Spread a blanket by the pond (if you can find it, and beware of the duck droppings) and commune with William Lloyd Garrison, Anne Sexton, ee cummings, and the many others, famous and not, for whom Forest Hills is their final stop. Need to pick up some food along the way? We're big fans of Canto 6 on Washington Street, where you can find chocolate or Gruyere croissants, pain aux raisins, or a veggie-laden sandwich on oven-fresh bread. If eating in a cemetery seems creepy, you'll need only to try it once to get over it.

Forest Hills Cemetery [Official Site]
Canto 6 [MenuPages]

[Photo:Forest Hills Cemetery/Forest Hills Trust]

Who would have thought that a $1 hot dog could change your life? Well, we did! The Lower Depths Tap Room in Kenmore Square easily has the best hot dogs in the city, and for only ONE DOLLAR! Not only is The Lower Depths a nice, fun bar with an attentive wait staff, but the food is all pretty top notch. We’ve had the King of Kenmore sandwich, the Green Monster Falafel sandwich (which was literally, the size of a forearm), but we always end up back at the $1 hot dogs. What you get for you buck is simple; a grilled (some would say to perfection) Fenway Frank, a grilled and buttered crispy and soft bun, and your basic ketchup, mustard, and relish condiments. Now, for an extra buck a piece you can add toppings like BBQ sauce, cheddar cheese, bacon (not bacon bits but REAL bacon!), salsa, and the list goes on! Pictured above is the insanely delicious combination of bacon, cheddar, and guacamole ($4.50) and cole slaw ($2).

Besides the unbeatable hot dogs and their lower than low prices, the beer selection is just plain huge. There is always a healthy selection of interesting drafts and a ton of bottles, from local microbrews to mass-produced swill, heck you can even get a 40oz of Private Stock!

So if you have $10 and want to fill up on hot dogs that are better than the ones in Fenway Park, and cheaper, and want to wash them down with a Wexford Irish Cream Ale, then come into the Lower Depths and pull up a stool!

Lower Depths Tap Room [MenuPages]

It's strange when the local newspapers are mostly occupied by coverage of every graduation on this side of the state, but we all know what it means: the students are leaving, and we have our city back! Here are some on-campus favorites you can't try outside of summer and winter breaks.

Boston University The Terriers have gone home, and now we have Comm Ave. back! Sort of. At the very least, enjoy Noodle St without hearing about what a drag it is to be studying pre-med while researching the best residencies in the country. Pick your own topic of conversation and your own curry dish. We recommend the yellow curry to those who seek out the mild but are ready to kick it up a notch.

Harvard University The charms of Grendel's Den in the summer far outweigh their school-year counterparts. Go for their express lunch and have a soup and half-sandwich combo - maybe even sneak in a half-pitcher of sangria before you head back to work. We won't tell.

Northeastern University: Okay, we all know that the best way to shave off some of that 5-year degree that goes along with co-op is to go to school in the summer. So no, you cannot go to Tigerlily and avoid the NU DogHouse at the same time. We would, however, highly recommend a walk in the opposite direction on Huntington. The Squealing Pig offers a fine selection of beers (we like the Franziskaner hefeweizen) and rather delicious food (like the brie and cranberry toasted sandwich).

Noodle St. [Official Site]
Grendel's Den [Official Site]
Tigerlily [MenuPages]
The Squealing Pig [MenuPages]

[Photo: La Shawn Barber's Corner]

Of all the places in Boston one can have a picnic, the Arboretum is our favorite. With lush grass, bubbling brooks, and thousands of varieties of plants and trees, it is the perfect urban escape, with only the occasional skyline landmark peeking out behind the trees. Due to its many iron gate entrances, takeout options around the border are plentiful.

• On Centre St., between Knoll St. and Weld St., is one of the best Mexican restaurants in the Roslindale area. Yucatan, which also has a location on Washington St., has a fine selection of "Mexican food made by Mexicans". We are absolutely hooked on the ceviche.
• Village Sushi and Grill is located on Corinth St. in Roslindale, and has been making the Square smell good since it opened. Even if you don't like sushi, there is a maki for you. Our favorite? Idaho Maki, with sweet potato tempura rolled up in rice.
• Wapo Taco on Poplar St. is tiny, family-owned, and has a special - six tacos for six dollars! What makes Wapo special is that they make a lot of vegetarian options. Not just rice and beans, though - they make use of soy-based protein as well, for those of us who miss the ground beef tacos we appreciated so much in our youth.

Village Sushi and Grill[Official Site]
Wapo Taco [Dwellings]

[Photo: Emerald Necklace Conservancy]

What is Pimm's? It's gin-based, with an otherwise top-secret recipe that features herbs and spices. The Pimm's Cup is Pimm's served with lemonade (or lemon soda, or ginger ale), cucumber, mint leaves, and lemon, orange, and strawberry. Very refreshing, we daresay, and it's fun to think that's what they sip at the Henley Royal Regatta.

We recently traveled to London, and were delighted to find that we could buy a bottle of our favorite British beverage when we came home. Pimm's, while not yet popular in the States after nearly 200 years, can be bought by the bottle in some liquor stores. What we were even more excited about was the fact that we could order it in some of our favorite bars and restaurants. Brilliant!

• Our first Stateside foray into Pimm's at a bar was where we learned that you can't ask just anyone for a Pimm's Cup. The senior bartender at the Milky Way Lounge & Lanes recommended a number of good mixers, and we settled on a Pimm's and Ginger, which was garnished with lime.

• Miracle of Science (by the MIT Museum, on Mass Ave) serves their Pimm's in a pint glass, garnished with a cucumber! Probably the closest approximation of a Pimm's Cup.

• We've applauded Silvertone Bar & Grill for their mac and cheese, but their British Isles motif is surely conducive to an enjoyable Pimm's-drinking experience. Bonus points to the bartender, who was apologetic for the lack of cucumbers.

Milky Way Lounge and Lanes [Official Site]
Silvertone [Official Site]

[Photo: The Publican]

These warm days washed clean by spring rain have us raring to go in the morning. Sort of. We only hit the snooze button once. Okay, we could use a little help. Some protein - an omelette! But make it worth our time, because we could have had an extra nine minutes of sleep.

• The Blue Star has been a trademark Roslindale storefront for decades, and it's no wonder why. We are most impressed by their German (ham, leek, and cheese) omelette, served with home fries and toast. Bonus: the best espresso in the Square.

• Visit any friend in JP, and they will take you to Sorella's. Why? Because they know. They know that Sorella's only uses fruits and vegetables that are in season, that it feels like your artsy aunt's kitchen (complete with breakfast nook!), and that, in addition to the impressive selection of pancakes, they will put anything you want in an omelette. Our favorite? The Philly, which is stuffed with (surprise!) cream cheese. We like to ask for avocado, too.

• Then, of course, there's the old breakfast standby in Inman Square, the S&S Restaurant. There's a reason it's been around since 1919. We would highly recommend the heart-healthy garden omelette, made with Egg Beaters, dill havarti, broccoli, spinach, onions, mushrooms, and tomatoes.

S&S [Official Site]

[Photo: Gourmet Trading]

In honor of the birth of both Brahms and Tchaikovsky (they share a birthday this week!), we would like to offer some facts about the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Did you know that James Levine is its first American-born music director, or that the BSO recorded the score for both "Saving Private Ryan" and "Schindler's List" (both written and composed by former Pops conductor John Williams) at our very own Symphony Hall? Or that Symphony Hall is considered one of the top few finest concert halls in the entire world? A trip to our historically rich symphony is an experience every Bostonian should have once in their lives. Did you know there are lots of nearby places to eat right before you go? Of course you did. But here are some of our favorites - each in a different price range.

•$$: Pan Thai is often overlooked because of its location just beyond Tigerlily. While the prices are student-friendly, you will not find any scorpion bowl races here. Have a glass of plum wine with the beef mussamun curry, which is loaded with potatoes, onions, carrots, and peanuts.
•$$$: Betty's creates a fun atmosphere with good music and sake-based cocktails and sangria. You can't go wrong when you create your own noodle dish - they even let you try the sauces to find out which is right for you! A veggie bar allows the pickier eaters in your party the chance to eat healthily without performing surgery on their dinner.
•$$$$$: At the MFA, upstairs from that sun-drenched cafe at the left of the door, is Bravo. Home to the occasional wine tasting event, Bravo is a warm and inviting restaurant with a small menu of only the most delicious-sounding entrees. We are impressed with the seared pork loin with asparagus, fondant potatoes, and red wine demiglace. Bonus: two world-renowned Bostonian cultural institutions in one night.

Pan Thai [MenuPages]
Tigerlily [MenuPages]
Betty's Wok and Noodle [Official Site]
Bravo [Official Site]

[Photo: Bach Cantatas]

Between the Harvard Square ice cream invasion and the closing of a few local institutions, we don't know what to do!

Openings
All Over the Place!: Finally! Saladworks moves to the Bay State in multiple locations! [Fast Casual]
Brigham Circle: Montecristo, a Mexican restaurant, is moving into the former Cafe Italia. [Chowhound]
Central Square: Craigie on Main is the newer, larger, more accommodating Craigie Street Bistrot. [Craigie Street Bistrot]
Dorchester: Dot-2-Dot has a menu that changes daily - never a dull moment on Dot Ave! [Lower Dot]
Fenway: The president of Red Sox Nation opens the very fitting Remy's Sports Bar & Grille [Boston Herald]
Harvard Square: Sushiya, a Chinese/sushi place, is moving into the old Mayflower space. And rumor has it J.P. Licks will be opening a Harvard Square location. Because between Herrell's, Lizzy's Ice Cream, and Ben and Jerry's, there is simply not enough gourmet ice cream to go around. [Chowhound, Boston On the Go]
Newtonville: Bon Bon brings their sorbet and candies to the suburbs! [Newton TAB]
Washington Square: Roadhouse Barbeque will be run by the folks at The Publick House. Residents of Brookline and environs trust this will be a nice change from Vinny T's. [Chowhound]

Closings
Allston: New Trend Eatery closes its doors in just under a year. [Chowhound]
Central Square: After 37 years in business, La Groceria closes to make way for Craigie on Main. [Cantabrigia]
Jamaica Plain: After an 85% rent increase, Milky Way Lounge & Lanes must close. Hipsters this side of the river wonder what to do on weekday nights. [Jamaica Plain Gazette]

Moving
Jamaica Plain: The good news is, Bella Luna is moving - to Amory St. [Jamaica Plain Gazette]

[Photo: Richard C. Harris]

What a lovely week for a walk or a bike ride! Why not pick up lunch and head down to the jewel of the Emerald Necklace for a calm picnic with the sailboats? We recommend a few places only a couple blocks away.

•El Oriental de Cuba has a number of tasty sandwiches to choose from, but doesn't it just make sense to order a Cuban sandwich for only $6.50? They definitely know what they're doing. And don't forget a tropical shake - try the parcha vanilla for a familiar taste with a warm spin.
•The Purple Cactus has so many delicious foods made portable! We love the Thai hot wraps, with fire-grilled chicken, peanut sauce, broccoli, jasmine rice, and bean sprouts.
•JP Seafood Cafe offers the oh-so-convenient Obento (lunch box!), for a square meal of miso soup, rice, salad, and all kinds of sushi. Maybe not what Olmstead envisioned when he considered the picnic in his park, but it sounds great to us!

El Oriental de Cuba [MenuPages]
Purple Cactus [Official Site]
JP Seafood Cafe [Official Site]

[Photo: Jamaica Plain: Povo]

With Free Cone Day behind us, it's easy to be in the spring-almost-summer mindset that the rest of the country is in. Unfortunately, the weather forecast for the weekend calls for nothing but Londonesque rain and overcast skies. Problem solved: hot chocolate, sweet, and more importantly, warm, boosts our mood any day. So grab a cup and drink it outside! It's spring, after all.

•LA Burdick might be better known for its hot drinks than it is for all its other chocolatey treats. There's a reason for this: each tiny cup is filled with the richest dark chocolate we have found in the city. It may seem expensive at around $4 a cup, but trust us: it's worth it.
• Made by stirring their homemade hot fudge into steamed milk, the hot chocolate at Emack and Bolios tastes like liquid chocolate cake. Bonus: conveniently located in many places, with more locations opening soon - keep an eye on North Station!
• When it finally starts behaving like spring around here (or when we have another knockout tease week like we did last month), go to Bon Bon on Mass Ave. for their gelato. For now, settle for their array of hot chocolates and teas. Our personal favorite? The rather spicy Chocolat-inspired cocoa, which can be enjoyed by the adventurous and timid alike.

LA Burdick [Official Site]
Emack and Bolios [Official Site]

[Photo: My Recipes]

Blogston Proper is your weekly roundup of Hub-related food writing from all over the Internet. We read the blogs so you don't have to. But you should anyway, just to be nice.

•So it isn't the old Brigham's, but it's on Centre St. in West Roxbury, selling Brigham's ice cream? Universal Hub sniffs out motives. [Universal Hub]
•Former Doyle's patrons, not entirely pleased with newer management, set out to find a new watering hole. [Harrumph!]
•We Are Not Martha has a delicious-looking new take on Lo Mein.[We Are Not Martha]

[Photo: We Are Not Martha]

We are a dairy lover. We do not follow a vegan diet, but we are sure cutting corners here and there would improve our health significantly. That said, we do work with a number of vegans, all of whom felt a little snubbed at last summer's ice cream social. Sorbet, as we understand it, can only take you so far at the sundae fixings table.

This year, things will be different, because we will buy a couple pints of soy-based, non-dairy ice cream for vegans and the lactose intolerant alike. Choices in the freezer section, however, are slim to nil.

Enter Wheeler's Black Label Vegan Ice Cream. The carry countless delicious-sounding flavors of vegan ice cream, going so far as to create new ones for special events. They say that if you can think it up, they will design it. Best part: they are opening a shop on Mass Ave! In...early April? We ourselves have visited the site, and the store still appears to be under construction.

We are sure there is nobody more ruffled by the late opening of Boston's branch of Wheeler's than the Wheeler's folks themselves, but the ice cream social is fast approaching, and we need answers. We anxiously await any hot tips you can provide on the matter.

Wheeler's Black Label Vegan Ice Cream [Official Site]

[Photo: Wheeler's Ice Cream]

Have a date, but low on cash? Calm down! To some, the Bostonian cheap date is a myth. Allow us to prove it possible!

•Share Piattini's little dishes, like the Ravioli di Zucca Gialla (we assume this means "absolutely delicious butternut squash ravioli in apple cider, brown sugar, and sage" in Italian). Each food listing has two wine recommendations from their extensive list.
•Check out some local folk music where Bob Dylan and Joan Baez hung out in the 60s. Order food from Veggie Planet Pizza while you take in a show at Club Passim. Diners rave about the Portobello Redhead and what breaks the ice better than food you can eat with your hands?
•Check out The Dogwood Cafe in JP for their local art and warm, dim atmosphere. The food is great, too - brick oven pizzas named after trees are served on top of enormous cans of tomato sauce. Try the Willow, topped with spinach, goat cheese, caramelized onion, garlic, tomato sauce, and mozzarella.

Piattini [Official Site]
Veggie Planet [Official Site]
Club Passim [Official Site]
Dogwood Cafe [Official Site]

[Photo: The Marketing Fresh Peel]

In this week's edition of the Tuesday Report, three restaurants take crucial steps to expand and Sweet Finnish has a not-so-sweet finishing. Do you have a hot tip about a restaurant opening or closing? Let us know.

Openings
Back Bay: Word on the street is that the owners of La Voile are planning to open a cafe and boulangerie on Newbury, near the current location. Developing! [Chowhound]
Dorchester:Dot-to-Dot Cafe, a soon-to-be coffee spot on Dorchester Ave has its sign up and has started interior work. [Lower Dot]
Downtown Crossing: Temple Place is slated to get another dining option when The Ivy's owners open Stoddard's Fine Food & Ale, a "classic American" restaurant. Look for a September opening. [The Beantown Bloggery]
Fields Corner: Shabu-shabu is coming to Fields Corner with the opening of Osaka Shabu, the first-ever Japanese restaurant to open in that part of Dorchester. Bostonians: just can't get enough of shabu-shabu! [Chowhound]
North End: Rumor has it that Finale is in discussion to open a location in part of the former Martignetti's site. Because there's not enough dessert in the North End? [Hanover & Prince]
North End: The Matarazzo Family Club, a "prestigous center comprised of a daycare, an all Italian restaurant and a shopping area" will be coming soon to Purchase Street. Will this move cause the stroller brigade to migrate from the South End to the Financial District's condos? Only time will tell. [Craigslist]
Post Office Square: Z Square continues its rapid expansion with a third location in Post Office Square (perhaps in the spot planned for Todd English's doomed burger venture?), slated to open this summer. [Boston on the Go]

Closings
Allston: It was not exactly a restaurant, but nonetheless, the Paradise will be deeply missed. [Bostonist]
Central Square: Gandhi Restaurant is no more. As one Chowhounder points out, it's difficult to imagine why a restaurant named after Gandhi would offer an all-you-can-eat buffet. Here's hoping for a more appropriately-named spot to take its place. [Chowhound]
Jamaica Plain: Sweet Finnish has closed after three years in business. Rest assured, there is still no shortage of JP bakeries. [JP Gazette]
Needham: Needham's branch of Pho Pasteur has closed and is being replaced by another location of Somerville's Tu Y Yo. [Chowhound]

Changes
Jamaica Plain: The Blue Frog Bakery might be hopping from Green Street to Centre. How fiendishly clever of them to do so just as Sweet Finnish shuts its doors! [Dishing]

[Photo: Flickr: kenziebella]

After a long cold winter, Opening Day is finally here! Things kick off in just three hours...can you feel the excitement? We can and so can local restaurateurs, who are offering up some great deals to kick off what will hopefully be another stellar season for the best damn team in the MLB.

•All of the Boston-area Chipotle locations are offering free chips and guacamole to anyone in Red Sox gear. You know you're wearing your (please God, not pink) cap today...why not get some free food out of it?
•Jacob Wirth Restaurant isn't giving out free food per se, but they are offering dollar hot dogs and two buck drafts of Bud Light. Sadly, the Friday night piano man probably won't be present.
•J.P. Licks is kicking off the season with free ice cream and frozen yogurt at every location all day. We suggest hitting up multiple spots.

Chipotle [Official Site]
Jacob Wirth Restaurant [Official Site]
J.P. Licks [MenuPages]

[Photo: Hood]

Is there any better time to be a Bostonian? Spring is just beginning to...well, spring, new restaurants are popping up all over the damn place, and tomorrow afternoon, the Sox are back in town, going up against the Detroit Tigers in their first home game of the season at 2:05pm. 2:05? That means you have time to eat lunch before you head to Fenway. Below, three very different options.

•Looking for a quick bite? Head to UBurger for their appropriately-named Cowboy Burger: a quarter pound of ground sirloin topped with BBQ sauce, Monterey jack, bacon, and mushrooms and wash it down with an Oreo frappe.
•If you're in the mood for a more leisurely meal, try Trattoria Toscana where a dish of orecchiette with pancetta, tomato, and pesto will hold your hunger at bay, no matter how many extra innings happen.
•If you feel like fulling embracing the Opening Day insanity and its attendant crowds and lines, you won't do better than at La Verdad. Settle in for some awesome guacamole, a few smoked tongue tacos, and a margarita or four. What better way could there be to ramp up your pre-game excitement?

UBurger [MenuPages]
Trattoria Toscana [MenuPages]
La Verdad [MenuPages]

[Photo: Trip Advisor]

Food and love: there's no question that they go together. Both can make you feel more incredible than anything else in this world, but when they go bad, can leave your stomach in an awful state. But let's not focus on that part now! Let's focus on the fun part, the first dates. Most people take a foodie first date to mean dinner and a movie. Boring! Why not get a little more creative with these food-focused adventures that are perfect for getting to know someone?

•What could be more romantic than a picnic, especially now that the weather is (almost) warm enough? Stop by flour bakery + cafe to stock up on provisions (we recommend the applewood-smoked-bacon stuffed BLT and literally any one or five of their baked goods), then head to Union Park, nestled in the middle of the prettiest street in Boston. Can you feel the heart fluttering?
•The great thing about taking a cooking class together on an early date is that it gives you a concrete thing to discuss and, even if the date sucks, afterwards, you've learned something besides the fact that you'll never date a vegan construction worker/singer-songwriter again. BCAE has a slammin' one and a half hour chocolate tasting course coming up on May 15th, so start scheming of ways to ask that cute boy/girl at the bookstore now.
•You know what makes every date better? Alcohol. Take your date to a free tour at the Sam Adams brewery in JP before dinner at Vee Vee where you can feast on goat cheese and caramelized onion pasta while drinking (wait for it) more beer. Excellent.

flour bakery + cafe [Official Site]
Chocolate Tasting: From Bean to Bar [Boston Center for Adult Education]
Boston Brewery Tours [Sam Adams]
Vee Vee [Official Site]

[Photo: Pretty, pretty Union Park: Flickr: garethkay]

Good Friday is tomorrow and for those observing, it's a time to abstain from meat. You could go vegetarian, but instead, we recommend fish, glorious fish. Good Friday is a time to keep it simple, food wise, so instead of defaulting to our usual endorsements of lobster stuffed with pancetta and truffles*, we've hunted down three relatively unadorned, yet excellent, picks from the sea.

•Visit Great Bay for the pan-seared Kona snapper with white rice risotto, roasted shallots, and baby carrots. It's delicious, but still earthy.
•All the food at Mare is organic, so you can feel good about treating the earth well. Try the sauteed halibut, which comes with preserved lemon, kalamata olives, and chantarelle mushrooms for a taste of the Mediterranean on a cold day.
•One of Boston's simplest and best fish preparations can be found at Yankee Lobster: a piece of salmon, broiled to perfection, and served unadorned, except for a wedge of lemon. Excellent.

*: Note: this is not, to the best of our knowledge, a real dish.

Great Bay [Official Site]
Mare [Official Site]
Yankee Lobster [Official Site]

[Photo: Tesco]

We know, we know: it's guys night on American Idol and you've developed a bewildering crush on Jason Castro, dreads and all, and you're seriously considering just staying home and ordering a pizza. Pizza is great and we're feeling your Castro love (he just seems so happy!), but really, it's relatively warm out (albeit a bit rainy), so shouldn't you get out while you can? Boston is full of good shows tonight, so why not get a nice meal before checking one out?

•The Boston Symphony Orchestra hosts German violinist Isabelle Faust for a night of Mozart, Berg, and Brahms at 8pm. Prepare for this evening of high culture by getting your fix of rowdiness at Betty's. A big bowl of Shanghai wheat noodles will hold you through every last concerto.
•If you're in the mood for something a little more countrified, head to The Cantab Lounge for their 8pm Bluegrass Pickin' Party, but not before stopping into Rendezvous for a luxurious dinner. Grilled sardines with fennel and cherry tomato vinaigrette pair surprisingly well with pickin'.
•Get your indie rock fix at Harper's Ferry, which hosts New York band the French Kicks at 8pm. Beforehand, stop by New Trend Eatery for stellar Cantonese fare: don't miss the BBQ roast duck.
•We are a giant theatre nerd, but frequently, the over-intellectualized productions at the American Repertory Theatre leave us cold. We do, however, very much want to see their current production of Julius Caesar for one reason: Jim True-Frost, also known as Roland Pryzbylewski on the best television show of all time, The Wire, plays Brutus. Before you feast on his awesomeness, dine on a frisee salad and crispy seared duckling at UpStairs on the Square. Mmm...artsy.

Even though we've definitely hit the point in winter when we're counting down the minutes until ramps reappear, signaling the beginning of the growing season, we're not immune to the charms of wintry vegetables. Case in point? Leeks. We adore this pleasantly punchy cousin of the onion and in the depths of winter, want to eat it as much as humanly possible. To assist you in your quest for leek-age (haha), we've compiled a list of five of the Hub's best leek dishes.

•Aujourd 'hui combines two of our obsessions with their dish of sea scallops served with truffled potato puree, melted leeks, and lobster sauce. It's a perfect treat for a chilly night.
•At Petsi Pies, leeks are paired with bacon and Swiss cheese and served in a deliciously gooey tart.
•Leeks vinaigrette is, of course, the quintessential leek dish. Petit Robert Bistro makes an excellent version, topped with grilled duck magret. It's pretty much all you could want from a lunch: tart and rich at the same time, not to mention hearty as all get out.
•At The Squealing Pig, braised leeks top a pizza, along with fried sage leaves, goat cheese, and puree of toasted squash. It doesn't look like much, but it tastes absolutely delicious.
•Stella makes comfort food decadent with their basil roasted chicken, served with potato leek ragout (a nice play on the standard potato leek soup) and crispy pancetta. Assembling a fork so you can taste each at the same time is one of the Boston dining scene's great pleasures.

Aujourd 'hui [Official Site]
Petsi Pies [Official Site]
Petit Robert Bistro [Official Site]
The Squealing Pig [MenuPages]
Stella [Official Site]

[Photo: Flickr: shaggyblog]

"Help! I'm Trapped In..." is a semi-regular feature where we tell you how to make the most of being stuck in areas that are (fairly or not) regarded as culinary wastelands. You're welcome.

Longwood Medical and Academic Area is something of a mystery to us, even after having spent no small amount of time there (we put in our three years at Latin School and spent a collegiate summer subletting on Tetlow Street). The area has no shortage of captive visitors (five hospitals and ten colleges) and yet, so very few decent places to eat. Sure the food court is fine for a few weeks, but sooner or later, you're going to want a sit down meal, even if it has to be a quick one. As always, we have you covered. Behold, a week's worth of lunching in Longwood. Why not try one of the suggestions out today?

Monday: Head to the brand new Cafe Italia for a hearty lunch to get your week started off right. After a lunch of spaghetti amatriciana, you'll be ready to face the week with your wallet a mere $8.95 lighter.

Tuesday: Stroll to the Fens for a fine meal from Brown Sugar Cafe or, if you can't quite spare the time, use their very speedy delivery service. You could order the excellent Pad Thai or you could be fun and adventurous and try the duck curry. Your choice.

Wednesday: Get over midweek madness with a serene meal at the Gardner Cafe, nestled in the Gardner Museum's gorgeous courtyard. Virtuously order the simple salad and cheese...so you can then indulge in their white chocolate bread pudding for dessert. Hey, Wednesdays are rough, you know?

Thursday: Sometimes, you just need a pizza in the middle of your workday. When that craving strikes, your best bet in Longwood is the Bertucci's in the Children's Hospital. Order a full-size Margherita and it can be dinner as well!

Friday: The buzz on The Savant Project is crazy, but fortunately, the restaurant lives up to the hype. Treat yourself to a cheddar-stuffed burger with truffled polenta logs and manchego aioli. It's a pretty good way to kick off your weekend.

Cafe Italia [MenuPages]
Brown Sugar Cafe [Official Site]
Gardner Cafe [MenuPages]
Bertucci's Brick Oven Pizzeria [Official Site]
The Savant Project [Official Site]

[Photo: Joseph Barillari]

After two rather slow weeks in terms of major restaurant news, we have a slew of openings and changes (and no closings!) this week. We're just going to jump right into it, because there's a lot to report.

Openings
•Wellesley fine dining standby Blue Ginger is coming up on its ten year anniversary and to celebrate, it's getting renovated and expanded. The restaurant has acquired the space next door and plans to use it for a lounge which will showcase Ming's Bings, Chef Ming Tsai's take on Asian street food. We are unspeakably excited about this development.
•Chowhound reports that Harrison Ave is set to get even more bustling with the spring opening of Estragon, a giant tapas restaurant set to come later this spring. We were going to make an unspeakably pretentious Waiting for Godot joke here, but it turns out that "estragon" is also the French word for "tarragon." Although: it's a little strange for a tapas place to have a French name, no?
•The BU Free Press reports that Kenmore Square burger hotspot UBurger is opening a second location on Commonwealth Ave near BU's West Campus, neatly filling the space (both literally and figuratively) recently departed by Grille Zone.
•Speaking of expansion, rumor has it that Somerville's Redbones is planning a second location near Fenway Park. This would be tremendous good news for those who love both baseball and barbecue. A call to Redbones confirmed that while nothing is set in stone, they're definitely looking into opening in the area.
•The Fenway area is also set to get another fast food spot when Framingham wing and music emporium The Chicken Bone (beloved by Ming Tsai...this post is coming full circle!) opens a second branch. Note to the unemployed: they're hiring!
•It's unclear whether Sofra, the Ana Sortun/Maura Kilpatrick Middle Eastern bakery and cafe will be located in Cambridge or Watertown. It is, however, clear that people (including us) are getting pretty excited.

Changes
•The rumors are true...well, sort of. There's been a very big staff shakeup at The Biltmore with owner Rebecca Roth, chef Seth Morrison, and bartender Sean McKeown all departing. A call to the restaurant revealed that there are still a few staff members left over and it will not be permanently closing.

[Photo: Flickr: falconn67]

We have long been fond of using February 14 to celebrate not just our romantic relationships, but also our wonderful friendships. In high school, we exchanged Palentine's Day cards with our group of close friends. In college, we, along with our best friend, established The Feast of Leila and Jen's Awesomeness, an occasion on which to eat a grand meal and drink several bottles of wine that just so happened to coincide with Valentine's Day. (As both of us have been in relationships for the past few years and live five hours from each other, the holiday is now celebrated on an alternate date.) The way we see it, since there's no Friendship Day, why not celebrate your important non-romantic relationships on Valentine's Day, which, to our mind, is about love in all its forms?

We love going out for Palentine's Day dinner, but it can be tricky to figure out where, exactly, such a dinner should take place. Anywhere too aggressively fancypants and romantic can be either awkward or leave you feeling like a second-class citizen. On the other hand, it's a special occasion, so you don't just want to go to Bertucci's. Below, three spots that we think strike the right balance.

•Bella Luna is offering a special three-course menu for $40 featuring tasty treats like herb-crusted rack of lamb and wild mushroom ravioli with goat cheese béchamel. Afterwards, there will be dancing downstairs at the Milky Way Lounge & Lanes.
•Somehow, a dinner with beer pairings feels less romantic than one with wine pairings. Jacob Wirth is having a Belgian beer dinner, which sounds just about perfect. $48 gets you four courses, each with a different Belgian beer (including Leffe Blonde, which just might be our favorite beer of all time).
•Ashmont Grill's neighborhood vibe is perfect for a Palentine's Day feast. In addition to their excellent regular menu, they'll be offering special desserts.

Bella Luna [Official Site]
Jacob Wirth [Official Site]
Ashmont Grill [Official Site]

Welcome to The Buzz, a feature where we look at what the Internet is saying about brand new restaurants. It's too early for a review, but when has that ever stopped anyone?

Folks in Jamaica Plain are pretty excited about Vee Vee, the new bistro on Centre Street (it's located in the old Cha Fahn space). There sure seems to be a lot to like: the pedigree is great (owner Dan Valachovic comes from neighborhood favorite Zon's), it's reasonably priced (appetizers go for $6-10 and entrees will run you $14-20), vegetarian-friendly (always an important consideration in JP), and the menu is widely appealing (we're particularly intrigued by the wild mushroom pate and the linguine with goat cheese, caramelized onions, and walnuts...and the cornmeal-crusted skate wing...and the stuffed Delicata squash...okay, really the whole menu). The buzz so far is quiet but positive. Let's take a closer look, shall we?

The Good: Chowhound gourmaniac stopped by Vee Vee on its first night and had plenty of nice things to say: "The food is very good with moderate portions and prices. ... The cited food [two apps, two entrees, and one dessert] plus two glasses of Prosecco and an Oregon white beer and tip came to $90. All in all, Vee Vee is the kind of place I’ve always wanted to have within walking distance after a long, too-tired-to-cook day." 'Hound BarmyFotheringayPhipps seems hopeful as well: "There is not a single thing on that sample menu that I wouldn't eat, and at popular prices. Good graphic design, too. I am intrigued." Blogger D-in-Beantown also stopped by on the first night: "I had linguini, with goat cheeze, onions and pine nuts. It's perfect when the pasta craving can't be tamed. So much for dieting. They decorated in brick and shale colors, and it still had the feeling of the tiny little tea house. Dinner was good, staff was kind and relaxed, and the wine was delicate and perfect."

The Slightly Less Good: Per gourmaniac's report, the shrimp and scallop fritters are, in fact, one fritter and the beets in the beet salad "could have been roasted longer." These are clearly small issues. To our mind, the larger issue is that some folks might take a while to warm up to Vee Vee as Cha Fahn was such a favorite of many. We suspect, however, that Vee Vee is going to become an important part of the JP dining scene.

The Punny: From the inevitable DailyCandy writeup: "So, ur BFF wants u & the S.O. to take the T to J.P. for some V.V. Np, right?" We must say that here at MenuPages, the city editors typically communicate via instant messenger. As you might imagine, abbreviations abound. Recently, without thinking about it, we've begun to say "NP" out loud whenever someone thanks us. It is very embarrassing. In further pun news, the major Chowhound thread on Vee Vee is entitled "Oui, Oui to Vee Vee in JP". Shockingly, no one has yet said anything like "I'm v.v. excited about Vee Vee."

Vee Vee [Official Site]
Oui, Oui to Vee Vee in JP [Chowhound]
Notes from a Stroll Tonight [D-in-Beantown]
Cha Fahn is Now VeeVee (in JP) [Chowhound]
Short and Sweet [Daily Candy]

Originally posted on May 3, 2007. One doesn't hear so much about La Verdad anymore.

The chips and guacamole at La Verdad are stirring up a fair bit on controversy over on Chowhound. Are the chips cut too thick? Is the guacamole refreshingly delicious as is or does it need a chile kick? Opinions are divided but one thing seems to be constant among both the Chowhounders and patrons we've witnessed: people are impressed by the cheese sprinkled atop the dish. Well, impressed and possibly a little bit baffled. Our own dining companion thought it was parmesan and was very confused. What is this puzzlingly tasty cheese?

The mystery cheese is none other than queso Cotija, a Mexican semi-hard cow's milk cheese with a flavor somewhere between feta and parmesan. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the cheese comes from the town of Cotija de la Paz in the Mexican state of Michoacan, along the Pacific coastline. Queso Cotija is quite granular, which makes it ideal for grating. Its super-salty flavor makes it an ideal accompaniment to dishes in need of a little kick. If you're keen to buy some for home use, try looking at La Internacional Foods in Somerville.

La Internacional Foods, 318 Somerville Ave, Somerville, (617) 776-8855

La Verdad [MenuPages]
La Verdad: 3 out of 4 is pretty damn good [Chowhound]
Cotija Cheese [Wikipedia]
Cotija Puts The Accent On Mexican Foods [San Francisco Chronicle]
Cotija Cheese [Official Site]

It's been yet another very busy week for the Boston restaurant scene with eight openings and only 1.5 closings. Niiiice. Let's see how it all shakes down, shall we?

Openings
•A Brookline TAB Blog post about the new sushi restaurant coming to Washington Square featured one of our favorite paragraphs in quite some time: "You know what Brookline really needs? A good sushi restaurant. Sushi’s so great — it’s kind of healthy, it’s easy to share, it’s fun to eat, it tastes….What?…..Brookline already has 15 sushi restaurants? Oh." Sushi restaurants are totally the new taquerias, guys.
•The South End news reports that The Upper Crust is continuing its quest to open a branch in the neighborhood. Owner Jordan Tobin had previously tried to open a location next to Nicole's Pizza, but that was shut down by the Zoning Board of Appeals. Now Tobin is set to open at Tremont and West Newton, pending approval.
•The long empty El Rancho Restaurant space in Roslindale Square finally has a new tenant and, as Universal Hub reports, its name, at least as its printed on the sign, is quite the doozy.
•The soon-to-open Hotel Indigo in Newton will house both Seth Woods venture Prime 128 and Phi Bistro, a "hip bistro." Hotel Indigo is owned by the same team behind the restaurant-filled InterContinental Boston, so we'll be keeping an eye on it.
•The Newton TAB Blog reports that Newton Highlands' Ice Cream Works has given way to Citrio, a catering/cafe operation owned by the folks behind the excellent 51 Newton. Sounds pretty exciting to us!
•Jamaica Plain's Centre Street is set to get even fancier with the opening of Vee Vee, a "New American bistro." It will be located in the old Cha Fahn space and will be vegetarian-friendly. Chowhounders are excited.
•Dishing brings us the news that Lobby Bar & Kitchen, a restaurant offering "New American cuisine with Global Influences, creative and innovative cocktails, and a worldly, affordable wine list" has just opened its doors in the Financial District. Expect trendy cocktails to abound.
•Excellent news! Rumor has it that recently shuttered venerable North End institution Cafe Graffiti is looking to reopen soon, possibly in the space soon to be left by Martignetti Liquors. Hurrah!

Closings
•Domani Bar & Trattoria in the Copley Square Hotel is temporarily closed due to water damage. It should reopen in late March.
•South Boston institution The Quiet Man's kitchen will be closing on January 25 and the whole thing will shut down on February 3. The owners have no plans to reopen in a new location, so gather ye steak tips while you may.

[Photo: Flickr: Meherban Singh]

Diner's Agenda is snowed out.

Tuesday, January 15
•Way back in November, Erwin Ramos and Ivan Torres of Ole Mexican Grill were invited to the James Beard House in New York to throw a Day of The Dead celebration. Now, two months later, they're finally bringing the party back to Cambridge with a seven course dinner featuring traditional dishes from Veracruz and Oaxaca. Call (617) 492-4495 to save your place. [Ole Mexican Grill]
•There's something very appealing about throwing a tapas party, since it hasn't been done to death. Unfortunately, however, we have no idea how to make interesting tapas that are not just pieces of jamón serrano and Manchego laid out on plates. Enter Gordon's Fine Wine & Culinary Center, which is offering a 6:30pm class on Spanish tapas and wine taught by Gerald Lopez of the Elephant Walk. The $60 class will teach students how to make four different tapas, which is more than enough to throw a party. Reservations may be made online. [Gordon's]
•Between that upcoming raw foods restaurant and the new Veggiest feature on Bostonist, Boston vegans are sort of having a moment, no? Their reign of terror/glory continues with a vegan dinner at Chez Henri. $50 gets you five courses, including a "Mexican 'Chocolate' Banana Tart with Celtic salted 'caramel'." Call (617) 354-8980 to get in on the meat and dairy free goodness. [Chez Henri]
•You know what we love? The BBC. No, not the British Broadcasting Corporation (oh, who are we kidding? We love that, too.), but the Berkshire Beer Company. Church will be hosting the brewers for a five-course dinner with beer pairings at 7:30. The courses seem fairly luxurious for $45, so we strongly encourage you to call (617) 236-7600 to save your spot. [Church]