Boston’s Seven Best Budget Eat Treats
Best Lobster Roll: Kelly’s
410 Revere Beach Boulevard, Revere, (781)284-9129
This one’s a bit of a cheat because it’s about a 30 minute drive from downtown Boston but you won’t be disappointed. They use two lobsters per roll so it’s a wonder they make any money (R16,95 per roll). The roll itself is lightly buttered and toasted, there’s a tiny bit of celery and just the right amount of mayonnaise. We’ve tried lobster roll all over and Kelly’s lobster meat was the juciest, the portion was huge and the price was really competitive. Plus the service at the Revere branch is friendly and fast. Only downside is that it’s takeaway only but it’s located right on the beach so just take your food across the road and enjoy it with a sea view. There are actually four other branches but all are bit of a drive from Boston. It’s a great thing to do on a Saturday or Sunday morning, or if you’re coming in from elsewhere.
Best Ice-cream: Christina’s
1255 Cambridge Street, Cambridge, (617)492-7021
It’s popular, especially at night where the queue snakes out of the door but if you have a chance to go during the day you probably won’t have much of a wait. The great thing about Christina’s is that it’s original and they delve into the exotic spices from the sister shop next door as inspiration. I loved the carrot cake flavor, and the Mexican Chocolate is great too – made with cinnamon, so an unusual take on chocolate. The toppings are irresistible (toasted pistachio is what I always go with) and they have specials every month or so. The current special is fresh mint flavor.
Best Curry and Best Dim Sum: Super 88 Market Food Court
1095 Commonwealth Ave, Boston, (617)787-2285
We consistently get the chicken tikka masala which comes with basmati rice and the portion is so huge we often share it. Being curry fans, we’ve eaten at many other curry restaurants and for tangy, flavorful taste, we haven’t found a place to top the Super 88 food court.
It also served dim sum that is better than anywhere else we’ve tried (except Hong Kong maybe). We go with the shrimp and chives, and vegetable dim sum. The shrimp is plump and juicy and the skin of the dim sum is non-greasy and delicious.
Best Pho: Pho Lemongrass
239 Harvard Street, Brookline, (617)731-8600
There’s a reason this place is constantly voted Best of Boston – it’s cheap, really good and the service is efficient. As far as Pho goes, Lemongrass uses chicken meat that’s leaner than other restaurants I’ve been to, which means it’s better for your waistline and cholesterol too.
Best Sushi: Kotobukiya
Porter Exchange, 1815 Massachusetts Avenue, (617)492-4655
At this counter-seating only shop among about six other Japanese restaurants, they serve lunch specials and sushi-sets. They also have per-piece ordering, which I love, because you can get exactly what you want. The miso soup is good, and so is the green tea.
Best Japanese: Tokyo City
92 Harvard Avenue, Allston, (617)562-8888
Each waitron suspiciously wears the same Japanese nametag but whatever their nationality, they’re friendly and accommodating. The reason I love this place for lunch is because it’s $5,95 plus miso soup for a choice of about five options on your plate. Choose what salad you want, rice (fried/white/Japanese/brown), the agemono or fried dish, the meat or fish (I always go with teriyaki salmon). I love the vegetable tempura too.
Best dessert/bakery: Athan’s European Bakery & CafÃ?©
407 Washington Street, Brighton, (617)783-0313
I was like a child in a toy store when a friend took us here one night. Deciding what to have was excruciating because everything looked so good. It’s a Greek bakery and has many Greek pastries as well as European offerings like the decadent Jamaica, which is dark chocolate truffle studded with sweet dark cherries, sponge, ganache and more cherries. The Panna Cotta and Sarah Bernhardt are delicious too. Have a look at their website at http://athansbakery.com.
