Boston Restaurant Tips by Tijavi

Ciao Bella: A good Italian fix

Just like Sonsie across the street, Ciao Bella is said to attract an interesting crowd of the sports and minor celebrity variety. Too bad I didn't get the chance to spot Tom Brady and his supermodel wife Gisele Bunchen dine there.

Still, the restaurant is worth visiting for a good Italian fix. My dinner there consisted portobello mushroom for starters, and filleto di manzo (beef fillet) with mashed potato. The mushrooms were seasoned well, and the olive oil used was clearly topnotch. The beef was done to my liking - medium rare, although it could have used some more seasoning. Perhaps to satisfy their supermodel-figure conscious patrons, the mashed potato was a bit lighter than what I have wanted. True to the Italian theme, Chianti was the wine of the evening.

Service was attentive and friendly, even to non-supermodel and non-sport-hero patrons.

Address: 240 Newbury St., #A

Comparison: more expensive than average

Price: US$41 and up

Rating: 3

Theme: Italian

Chau Chow City: Dimsum, dimsum, dimsum!

If you've been to a dimsum restaurant in the Far East, or any in Chinatown in almost any major city, you'll be familiar with the drill at this Boston institution: ladies go around with their dimsum carts and if you happen to like what's on it, you take it. Everything is pretty much delicious - and mainly Cantonese/Hong Kong style - if you are a big dimsum fan. The only caveat is the tendency to over indulge. This is easily solved by drinking copious amounts of Chinese tea, which is said to aid digestion.

Address: 83 Essex St

Comparison: about average

Directions: Essex St is a major road within Boston's Chinatown and Theater District.

Price: US$21-30

Rating: 3

Theme: Chinese/Dim Sum

Quincy Market food stalls: Lots of cheap eats

Quincy Market is more than a tourist attraction. It is a good place to grab a quick and cheap bite while in the downtown area. The menu spans across the continents from the region's pride New England clam chowder to Far East's fresh sushi.

Comparison: about average

Price: US$11-20

Rating: 3

Theme: Eclectic/International

Sonsie: Good food, more interesting diners Sonsie Review

Sonsie is Newbury St institution, quite popular for its eclectic menu and place-to-be-seen reputation - in equal measure. I was there for the former, and I can report back that the food is indeed good. I had clam chowder (this is New England after all, and it was my first meal there) and Cubano roast pork sandwich with plantain washed down by Ghost Pines chardonnay.

The clam chowder had the right consistency, not so thick nor watery, albeit they could have been more generous with the mollusks. The pork roast sandwich was delicious and filling and HUGE. I liked how the pickles tickled the taste buds providing a counterbalance to the fatty but delicious pork roast. The chardonnay was exquisite.

But who would have thought that such good food would be accompanied by an amusing tale. OK, I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but I couldn't help it. I was seated right next to two lone diners - a senior gentleman (probably in his 60s) and a middle-aged woman. After some initial exchange of pleasantries and where-are-you-froms and what-do-you-do-heres, both engaged in a lively conversation ranging from Ralph Waldo Emerson (both are from the field of literature) and the Arizona desert to the daily Boston grind. When the lady took the gentleman's leave, he hinted on wanting to meet up again. The lady, while being polite, didn't really want to, based on the tone of her voice.

The fun part was when the lady left. The man called a friend and expressed that he met an attractive lady and that he wanted to see her again and that he needs to get laid - badly! For all the other diners to hear! Soft chuckles everywhere....

Address: 327 Newbury St., Boston, MA 02115-2710

Comparison: more expensive than average

Directions: Back Bay area

Phone: 617-351-2500

Price: US$31-40

Rating: 3

Theme: Eclectic/International

Bangkok Blue: Where my Asian palate is at home

I have an Asian palate and Bangkok Blue satisfies that - two visits (quite rare when I travel) is proof of that. The fact that it is conveniently located adjacent to the hotel I stayed in also helped.

The restaurant has a largely Asian menu (duh!) with a biased slant towards Thai dishes (duh 2x!), and some Chinese staples thrown in. I liked their soft shell crab (got a soft heart for soft shell crabs!) in basil sauce, albeit it was a bit spicier than expected. The use of basil in the dish was exquisite, never overpowering the crab, which was fresh. Their wanton soup was hearty and filling - quite what I needed on a cold autumn day, although the wanton's freshness was a bit suspect.

The ironic part of feasting in Asian restaurant was enjoying a non-Asian dessert - which stood out as the highlight of the meals. On both visits I had their spumoni wedge - homemade rum ice cream blended with maraschino cherries and almonds surrounded with generous scoops of chocolate and pistachio ice cream. Writing this description made my mouth water!

Address: Boylston St., Back Bay

Comparison: about average

Directions: Across the Boston Public Library, beside the Charlesmark Hotel. The restaurant is very popular with Back Bay's office lunch crowd, with a small queue spilling over to the sidewalk during lunchtime.

Price: US$21-30

Rating: 4

Theme: Pan-Asian and Pacific Rim