Originally posted on May 8, 2007. We sure do love it when people write in with questions!

A reader writes in...

Dear MenuPages,
My dad is stopping in Boston next week and wants to have dinner. Can you think of any place(s) easily walkable from South Station, relatively traditional but not too boring, where a guy could buy his daughter a nicer dinner than she could afford by herself?
-Frances, Providence

Dinner with parents is a great opportunity to vastly expand your restaurant repertoire. Odds are that your parents aren't trying to pay rent and eat on an assistant's salary (or worse yet, as a student) and they generally want to give you a little treat. Although the South Station area isn't necessarily regarded as a food destination, there are lots of great parent-friendly eats nearby.

•Trattoria II Panino serves up eminently reliable Italian food a cut above the typical red sauce joint. Go for the excellent pappardelle al ragu and marvel at the the sauce's mindblowingly rich combination of four meats.
•Show your pops that you're a sophisticate at Les Zygomates, a wine bar with stellar food. Go for the butter-poached lobster because there is but one thing in this world that can improve upon the natural deliciousness of lobster and that is poaching it in butter.
•Indulge in the seasonal perfection of Pigalle's bitter greens salad: a sort of frisee aux lardons packed with pickled ramps and other goodies.
•The food at Avila is basic enough to appeal to a cautious eater but adventurous enough to satisfy a foodie. Go for the superlative hand-rolled potato gnocchi.

Have a question about Boston dining that's burning you up inside? Ask us!

Trattoria II Panino [MenuPages]
Les Zygomates [Official Site]
Pigalle [Official Site]
Avila [Official Site]

[Photo: A View on Cities]

Originally posted on April 17. While on vacation, we just might go see The Savages. We will take our own advice on where to eat before the movie.

A reader writes in...

Dear MenuPages,
Where to get a tasty but not exorbitant bite to eat before a movie at the Kendall Square Cinema? So far my best answer is Mulan on Broadway, but surely -- surely! there must be other options SOMEWHERE in the area. The whole neighborhood can't really be as industrial/post-apocalyptic as it looks.
-Laurel, Cambridge

Laurel, you are absolutely correct. Kendall Square is nowhere near as industrial/post-apocalyptic as it looks. In fact, despite the biotech firms that dominate the area, it can actually be quite a good destination for the Cantabridgian foodie, worth investigating even if you aren't seeing a foreign film or shopping at The Garment District. Here are a few of your best options for pre-movie bites that won't cost you a small fortune.

•Emma's Pizza serves up some of the best pizza in the Boston area just a quick walk up Hampshire Street from the Cinema. We're particularly fond of the make-your-own pizza, which can be customized with three types of sauce, six kinds of cheese, and over thirty toppings.
•Sometimes, you need a little fortification before a very serious movie. If that's the case, check out the Cambridge Brewing Company. We've heard good things about the pizza, but the real star is their superlative beer.
•If you're craving atmosphere without too much expense, head over to One Kendall Square and check out Shine or The Blue Room. Both restaurants have very pricey entrees, but fairly inexpensive salads and appetizers, which are plenty large enough to make a meal...especially if you'll be following it up with movie candy.

Have a question about Boston dining that's burning you up inside? Ask us.

Mulan [Official Site]
Emma's Pizza [Official Site]
Cambridge Brewing Company [Official Site]
Shine [Official Site]
The Blue Room [Official Site]

Dear MenuPages,
I am looking for a store in the Boston/South of Boston vicinity that sells good Turducken. I would love to hear from you regarding this. I had heard a few years back of a place in the Beacon Hill area but have no idea where or if it exists. Please help me if you can.
-Herself, Location Unknown

We are going to choose to believe that we received this email because recent entries have led to wide recognition of this blog as home to a turducken enthusiast. Shamefully, we must admit that our interest in turducken has not, thus far, led to us actually eating the famed dish. Instead, we mostly gaze longingly at pictures and recipes, hoping that someday we might become clever enough to figure out how to de-bone birds. This email has inspired us, however, and we are now seriously considering ordering one of our own for a festive occasion. It seems that turducken is not the easiest food to come by, but we found four great options.

•A turducken is, to put it bluntly, a whole lot of meat, so unless you're feeding a lot of friends and family, you probably don't need a whole bird. Savenor's has you covered: they sell a four pound turducken roll meant for six to eight guests as well as whole turduckens, which run about fifteen pounds and can probably comfortably feed pretty much everyone you know.
•Roche Bros, which we didn't even know to be a chain until recently, has turducken at the bargain-basement price of $5.99/pound. Assuming a 15 pound turducken, that's a good $10 cheaper than Savenor's.
•Another option is to order a turducken to be shipped to you. Cajun Grocer seems to have a nice product. You can choose from a variety of stuffings: we'd probably go for the pork sausage.
•You could always make it yourself! You know you want to.

Have a question about Boston dining that's burning you up inside? Ask us!

Poultry & Game [Savenor's]
Roche Bros [Official Site]
Turducken [CajunGrocer]
Turducken [Chef Paul Prudhomme]

A reader who declined to give his or her name or location writes in...

Dear MenuPages,
Do you know when Bottega Fiorentina of Coolidge Corner is going to open in Newbury Street? I believe they are going to occupy the former Wisteria House. Any news?

We're embarrassed to admit that until we received this email, we had not, in fact, heard that Bottega Fiorentina was expanding into Boston proper. This is tremendously exciting news. Bottega Fiorentina (Bottega to bargain hunters in-the-know) has long been our go-to spot for great pasta on the cheap. Most pasta plates (and we do mean full plates) are under six bucks, sandwiches go for about $4.95-$6.50 and entrees are under $10. Not only is the food cheap, but it's delicious. In our decade plus of frequenting Bottega, we've tried a goodly portion of the menu and the only thing we've ever had that wasn't amazing was the fettucinie alfredo, and even that was better the next time we ordered it. We wholeheartedly endorse the penne Michelangelo, the pollo al limone, and the Bottega sandwich.

We called Bottega to ask about the forthcoming Newbury Street location and were pleased as punch to hear that it should be opening in late November or early December. It will indeed be opening in the former home of Wisteria House and will feature the same menu as the Brookline locations. We're very much looking forward to a day of holiday shopping on Newbury Street punctuated by a delicious, filling, and cheap lunch at the brand-new Bottega Fiorentina.

Have a question about Boston dining that's burning you up inside? Ask us!

Bottega Fiorentina [MenuPages]
Bottega Fiorentina [Official Site]

Dear MenuPages,
So this boy is coming to town next week. I used to have a giant crush on him, but now he just makes me roll my eyes. I'd still like to wow him, though. Anywho, he wants me to pick out a restaurant. He's a fancy investment banker that wears Armani suits, but he's also a Texas country boy. He's used to the best but appreciates simplicity. Money isn't an issue and he wants seafood, but I refuse to wear a lobster bib on a date.
I want something nice, but nothing that *requires* a dress. Something sophisticated, but nothing that will make me struggle to pronounce my entree. Something close-ish to JP and Dorchester (where his hotel is). I want to eat gracefully and impress him with my dining selection and the Red Lobster is all booked up!
-Ashley, JP

Really, is there any more complicated situation than dinner with a former flame? We could write a book on the vagaries of choosing a hairstyle alone. It is paramount that you appear hot, sophisticated, brilliant and entirely out of his league while also leaving the door open for some ex-lovin'. Oh, like you've never done it. Anyways, we racked our brain and came up with four restaurants that we think fit the bill. Plenty of seafood but no shellfish required, that are sophisticated, yet relatively casual, and most importantly, places that will definitely impress an i-banking country boy.

•Great Bay is a bit of a hike from Dorchester, but well worth it. It comes with a rareified pedigree (Christopher Myers, Esti Parsons and Michael Schlow) and features, in the restaurant's own words, "conspicuously excellent seafood." Your boy can get the butter-poached lobster while you luxuriate in the olive-oil poached halibut. Heavenly.
•If this is happening on a Monday, you must go to Neptune Oyster for the fabulous lobster spaghettini special. Hell, even if it's not Monday, you can still dine exceptionally well on oysters, fish and the like. Bonus: afterwards, you can go for a "oh, we're totally just friends but wait, look, it's so romantic, oh whoops, we're making out" stroll through the North End.
•It's not a seafood restaurant per se, but Sel De La Terre does offer some damn fine fish dishes in addition to a truly great steak. The wine list is excellent as well, which should help with the situation's innate awkwardness.
•If you're after a trendy, South End feel, head to B&G Oysters. Feast on a variety of oysters (and you know what they say about oysters!), before getting down to business with the lobster carbonara or amazing diver scallops.

Have a question about Boston dining that's burning you up inside? Ask us!

Great Bay [Official Site]
Neptune Oyster [Official Site]
Sel De La Terre [Official Site]
B&G Oysters [Official Site]

Dear MenuPages,
My sister, her husband, and their two kids (a four year old boy and an eight year old girl) are coming to stay with me in the South End. Where can we all go out to eat where the kids won't be a nuisance (and can find something on the menu they'll eat!) and the adults can still enjoy great food? Help! I don't want to be stuck eating pizza all weekend!
-Josie, South End

We happen to adore children (we used to be a nanny), but, as far as fine dining goes, there's a time and a place for the kidlets. In general, we advocate knowing your child. If your five year old has manners that would make Emily Post green with envy and loves offal the way other kindergarteners love chocolate milk, then, by all means, take them to an (early) dinner at Hamersley's Bistro. If, however, your little one is a little more...basic in their culinary development, here are a few local restaurants you might want to check out.

•If we could live at flour bakery + cafe, we absolutely would. Children and adults alike will thrill to their upscale renditions of classic sandwiches (the BLT with applewood smoked bacon haunts our dreams) and everyone will enjoy finishing up the meal with one of their amazing pastries. The atmosphere is super informal, so even if the little ones get rowdy, it won't be a huge deal.
•Kids enjoy anything that seems like breakfast for dinner, so the fried chicken and waffle meal at Bob's Southern Bistro is sure to be a big hit. Grownups can get a little more adventurous and try the shrimp etoufee or the awesome glorifried chicken wings.
•If the small fry have been unusually well behaved during a long afternoon spent touring the South End's many boutiques, treat them to a hot dog, followed by a Nutella panini from Code 10.
•Joe V's is one of the cutest restaurants in the already-adorable South End. Its low-key neighborhood vibe makes it perfect for families and, while the adults can indulge in the yoga pizza with mozzarella, shaved parmesan, mushrooms, baby arugula, and white truffle oil, picky kids can stick with linguine and meatballs.
•By night, the bar scene at Tremont 647 goes strong, but during Sunday brunch, it's fun for the whole family. Choosy kids can scarf down buttermilk pancakes and fresh-squeezed OJ to their hearts' content, while parents and aunts can accompany their crab Benedict with a nice mimosa or two.

Have a question about Boston dining that's burning you up inside? Ask us!

flour bakery + cafe [Official Site]
Bob's Southern Bistro [Official Site]
Code 10 [MenuPages]
Joe V's [Official Site]
Tremont 647 [Official Site]

Dear MenuPages,
I'm coming to New England for honeymoon with my wife and will be spending four days in Boston and rest on Cape Cod. I'd be interested to hear about any great eating spots in the city ranging from splash out fine dining restaurants to unknown quality cafes and seafood shacks. So would you be able to recommend interesting places for couple of Europeans who want to sample the best of Bostonian culinary scene?
-Henri, United Kingdom

First of all, congratulations on your marriage! May the two of you have a long life together, filled with plenty of good food! We'll certainly do our best to get you started on the right eating path. Boston has a multifaceted culinary identity. Obviously, seafood is a huge part of the Boston dining experience, but we think you'd be remiss to leave the city without also sampling some of the city's neighborhood spots or the cuisine of some of the city's most innovative chefs. Here are some recommendations to start you off.

•Obviously, you can't go to New England without feasting on seafood, most especially lobster. For our money, we think Summer Shack features the best and most consistent traditional New England fare in town, but if you'd rather a more authentic atmosphere, head to the tiny Yankee Lobster. We recommend two visits: one at lunchtime to try the clam box and one at dinner for the lobster. For a more romantic seafood dinner, duck into Neptune Oyster, where the raw bar is superb and the Monday night lobster spaghettini is absolutely to die for. For a very different kind of crustacean, stop by Mike's Pastry for the "lobster tail", a delicious custardy pastry concoction.
•As a pizza lovers town, Boston may not have the cache of New York or Chicago, but we still make quite a respectable showing. We cannot encourage you strongly enough to have lunch one day at Santarpio's Pizza. It's very near the airport, so perhaps right after you fly in. The menu is a testament to minimalism: pizza, grilled sausage and lamb tips. Get a pie with garlic and get the sausage.
•Boston has one of the fastest-growing populations of Brazilian immigrants in the United States, so Brazilian restaurants have started cropping up. Muqueca Restaurant is by far the best. Make sure to try the feijoada.
•What would a honeymoon be without romantic dinners in beautiful restaurants? Splurge on meals at No. 9 Park and L'Espalier. Both feature elegant dining areas and impeccable food from two of Boston's best chefs. For a more bohemian vibe, hit the garden at Oleana, where Beard award winner Ana Sortun serves innovative takes on Turkish cuisine. Finally, Eastern Standard has perhaps the largest following of any restaurant in the city. The restaurant's updated take on classic dishes wins raves, as do the truly excellent cocktails.

Have a question about Boston dining that's burning you up inside? Ask us!

[Photo: Maureen Murphy Music]

Dear MenuPages,
We live in Oregon and have friends moving to the Boston area. We would like to give them a gift certificate for $100 for dining, and are deciding between choosing a restaurant for them (they will be in the downtown part of the city), or purchasing a Dinegift certificate. Do you like the choices provided on by Dinegift? Or should we choose for them? Either way, what "introductory" Boston experience might you recommend? Any input is greatly appreciated!
-Nancy, Oregon

What is up with Dinegift lately? We'd never even heard of it a few weeks ago, and now it's been the subject of two Ask MenuPages queries in the past two weeks. We'd suspect this was some sort of viral marketing scheme, but both email addresses check out, so, you know, way to go, Dinegift!

We think Dinegift's options are perfectly respectable, especially at the price point of $100 for two people. As we mentioned earlier, we're especially fond of Davio's, Harvest, and Sandrine's Bistro. The multi-restaurant gift certificate is also a nice idea in many ways, since it gives your friends some options.

On the other hand, there's also something to be said for choosing one specific restaurant. Although it obviously doesn't make as many allowances for individual taste, it is a significantly more personalized gift. Ultimately, we'd say that the decision of whether to buy a gift certificate to one or two several restaurants lies with you and how well you know the culinary preferences of your friends. That said, if you decide to go the one-restaurant route, here are a few of our favorite introductory Boston experiences.

•$100 won't buy much for two at L'Espalier, but it is enough for a satisfactory dinner at Sel De La Terre. The downtown location lends itself well to a pre- or post-dinner walk by the Harbor and the French fare is hard to beat.
•Exploring the South End is a great activity during the first few weeks of living in Boston. Invite your friends to stroll around the pretty streets lined with brownstones before settling into Toro for tapas. In a city where so many "fun" restaurants can quickly become the domain of drunken college students, Toro is a sophisticated yet lively restaurant for adults.
•No less an authority than Ming Tsai has called Oishii Boston the area's best-kept secret. Thrill to chef Ting San's inventive take on sushi and savor what seems like a miracle: a quiet restaurant on Washington Street.

Have a question about Boston dining that's burning you up inside? Ask us!

Dinegift
Sel De La Terre [Official Site]
Toro [MenuPages]
Oishii Boston [Official Site]

A recent email from a reader...

Dear MenuPages
I was wondering if you have been to Mamma Maria in the North End. A friend of mine got me a gift certificate from DineGift and I saw that it was on the list. Also, if you have any suggestions for other restaurants I should try on that list, I'd appreciate it. I have $100 to spend.
-Jerry, Boston

Gift certificates, especially the sort that work at a finite variety of restaurants, can be a sticky situation. On the one hand, yay free dinner! On the other hand, boo for limited choices. We've never been to Mamma Maria, but we've heard good things. Mamma Maria seems like a good choice, but there are a few other restaurants on the list that we find mighty tempting. To wit:

•Davio's is justly renowned for its stellar wine list, but the food is excellent as well, especially the pasta selection. With $100, you could treat yourself to the chef's five course tasting menu.
•Harvest boasts some of our favorite local and seasonal cuisine, not to mention a truly great patio. Use your gift certificate to treat yourself to the $42 roasted veal chop with morels, fava beans, "chubby carrots" and horseradish rosti.
•There are not enough restaurants in the Boston area serving great Alsatian cuisine, so we're very thankful for Sandrine's Bistro. The restaurant offers a five course tasting menu with wine pairings for $100. Sounds like a pretty great fit to us!

Have a question about Boston dining that's burning you up inside? Ask us!

dinegift [Official Site]
Mamma Maria [Official Site]
Davio's [Official Site]
Harvest [Official Site]
Sandrine's Bistro [Official Site]

A reader writes in...

Dear MenuPages,
My dad is stopping in Boston next week and wants to have dinner. Can you think of any place(s) easily walkable from South Station, relatively traditional but not too boring, where a guy could buy his daughter a nicer dinner than she could afford by herself?
-Frances, Providence

Dinner with parents is a great opportunity to vastly expand your restaurant repertoire. Odds are that your parents aren't trying to pay rent and eat on an assistant's salary (or worse yet, as a student) and they generally want to give you a little treat. Although the South Station area isn't necessarily regarded as a food destination, there are lots of great parent-friendly eats nearby.

•Trattoria II Panino serves up eminently reliable Italian food a cut above the typical red sauce joint. Go for the excellent pappardelle al ragu and marvel at the the sauce's mindblowingly rich combination of four meats.
•Show your pops that you're a sophisticate at Les Zygomates, a wine bar with stellar food. Go for the butter-poached lobster because there is but one thing in this world that can improve upon the natural deliciousness of lobster and that is poaching it in butter.
•Indulge in the seasonal perfection of Pigalle's bitter greens salad: a sort of frisee aux lardons packed with pickled ramps and other goodies.
•The food at Avila is basic enough to appeal to a cautious eater but adventurous enough to satisfy a foodie. Go for the superlative hand-rolled potato gnocchi.

Have a question about Boston dining that's burning you up inside? Ask us!

Trattoria II Panino [MenuPages]
Les Zygomates [Official Site]
Pigalle [Official Site]
Avila [Official Site]

[Photo: A View on Cities]

Laurel from last week has another burning question...

Dear MenuPages,
I work in the Back Bay, near the Public Garden. I am a vegan. I am averse to spending more than, say, $8 on lunch. if you make a Venn diagram combining those three attributes, you will draw the logical conclusion that I must bring my own lunch to work nearly every single day, and once in a very rare while might go to Cafe Jaffa, Finagle A Bagel, or Finale (one of two sandwiches, hold the cheese.) Can you suggest any other options?
-Laurel, Cambridge

We're about as far from a vegan as you can imagine, but we do have sympathy for those of our friends who choose not to eat the meat or the dairy. Unfortunately, being vegan and on a budget does limit your options to (mostly) sandwiches to go, but, fear not, there are more choices than the three you mentioned!

•The Southwestern veggie burger at b.good comes topped with avocado, tomato, and chipotle salsa...not so bad for a mere $5.95.
•At Boloco, any of the six dollar burritos can be filled with tofu. The barbecue burger comes with barbecue sauce, roasted corn, caramelized onions and rice on a whole wheat tortilla and is really big enough for two meals.
•We're big Tealuxe fans, especially now that it's warm enough to resume our addiction to their iced tea. Pick up a cup of said tea and a bell pepper and hummus sandwich ($6.95) and enjoy it on a Newbury Street bench. People watching and fine food...what could be more perfectly summery?
•If you're in the mood for something a little more substantial, check out the panzanella at Caffe Bella Vita. It's a Tusan bread salad composed of tomato, cucumber, and lovely mushy bread, all dressed with a very nice olive oil and it's hearty without being heavy.

Have a question about Boston dining that's burning you up inside? Ask us!

b.good [Official Site]
Boloco [Official Site]
Tealuxe [Official Site]
Caffe Bella Vita [MenuPages]

A reader writes in...

Dear MenuPages,
Where to get a tasty but not exorbitant bite to eat before a movie at the Kendall Square Cinema? So far my best answer is Mulan on Broadway, but surely -- surely! there must be other options SOMEWHERE in the area. The whole neighborhood can't really be as industrial/post-apocalyptic as it looks.
-Laurel, Cambridge

Laurel, you are absolutely correct. Kendall Square is nowhere near as industrial/post-apocalyptic as it looks. In fact, despite the biotech firms that dominate the area, it can actually be quite a good destination for the Cantabridgian foodie, worth investigating even if you aren't seeing a foreign film or shopping at The Garment District. Here are a few of your best options for pre-movie bites that won't cost you a small fortune.

•Emma's Pizza serves up some of the best pizza in the Boston area just a quick walk up Hampshire Street from the Cinema. We're particularly fond of the make-your-own pizza, which can be customized with three types of sauce, six kinds of cheese, and over thirty toppings.
•Sometimes, you need a little fortification before a very serious movie. If that's the case, check out the Cambridge Brewing Company. We've heard good things about the pizza, but the real star is their superlative beer.
•If you're craving atmosphere without too much expense, head over to One Kendall Square and check out Shine or The Blue Room. Both restaurants have very pricey entrees, but fairly inexpensive salads and appetizers, which are plenty large enough to make a meal...especially if you'll be following it up with movie candy.

Have a question about Boston dining that's burning you up inside? Ask us.

Mulan [Official Site]
Emma's Pizza [Official Site]
Cambridge Brewing Company [Official Site]
Shine [Official Site]
The Blue Room [Official Site]

A friend emailed us the other day with a query. She had gotten a larger-than-expected bonus and wanted to celebrate at a restaurant that would normally be out of her budget. Where would we suggest?

One thought sprang immediately to mind. Rialto has always been our go-to grandparents-in-town-so-we're-not-paying splurge. Start off with the Soupe De Poissons, which manages through some miracle of alchemy to be both cheesy and light at the same time. Order the Grilled Wolfe's Neck Sirloin Steak for a main. The side salad is great, but the real attraction is the steak. Butter-soft and garnished only with a few shavings of Parmagiano Reggiano and a drizzle of truffle oil, it may be our favorite dish served anywhere in Boston. If you still have a little room in your stomach after the fish and meat onslaught, go for the selection of cheeses, which comes with almond stuffed dates.

On the other hand, maybe you should celebrate by eating your fabulous meal at an extravagant time of night. Why not try Miel, the new(ish) restaurant in the Intercontinental Boston hotel? In shocking turn of events for our Puritan City, it's open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. I'd stick to the honey-based dishes inspired by the restaurant's sweet name, starting with the Scallop and Roquette Salad, which is tossed with an acacia honey vinaigrette. Move along to the Duck Magret, which is roasted with lavender honey, and finish off the meal with the Creme Brûlée with its tantalizing hints of orange honey.

Really, since that bonus is so big, you should probably just take us with you.

Rialto [MenuPages]
Rialto [Official Site]
Miel [MenuPages]
Miel [Official Site]