BostonFoodGuy

Archive for the ‘Lunch’ Category

You’ll drive right  by this local favorite in Tewskbury if you weren’t looking for it.  This place is a classic case of don’t judge a book by its cover.  The item to get here are the soups – most made on the premises while other s – well they are still good even if they aren’t.  They have over 12 at any given time – and that’s what counts.  Even a steak bomb soup… yum.  Yea they offer sandwiches and salads and even some fried clams – but trust us – this dive is worth the drive if you in the mood for some fantastic soup.  It’s just plain good.  The Formica tables and odd benches don’t make for great atmosphere – but the soups speaks for itself.   Check it out.

This one will be short – as I really don’t have many good things to say about the Red Hat.  Our jalapeno poppers were still frozen in the middle – totally gross.  Our service was extremely slow – even though it was at lunch time and maybe 8 other people were in the entire place.  My fries were cold and the pub food – was well – standard pub food.  Nothing special.  Yea I get it – all of you Suffolk and Emerson kids will be all mad that I’m hating on your ‘trivia’ spot with great 10 cent wings… but come on – live a little – go to a better bar with better beer prices with better food.   

Anna’s Taqueria must be one of the most overrated spots in all of Boston.  Everyone claims that this burrito is their favorite – most of the big review sites and shows (some who also take advertising money from the restaurants that they review), all dole out awards to this place.

But why?  Listen, I have gone to Anna’s numerous times.  Everytime I leave full, but unsatisfied.  The tortilla is very thin, soft yes and tasty, but my burrito always falls apart.  If you are going to make a good homemade tortilli make it both soft but sturdy.

Then we get to service.  I know, some of you actually like the fast pasted and NY-style attitude from the lunch goons behind the counter.  But to me, being upset at some old woman in front of me because she doesn’t know if she wants Guac’ or not doesn’t make me happy.  The staff is always rude, and impatient.  I get it, it’s a fast paced lunch crowd that Anna’s makes their money, but jeez other placed can also offer people who smile.

I’ve tried so many different things on the menu – from chicken, to steak to pork, to tacos.  Each time I felt underwhelmed.  To me it’s actually a more bland burrito than …. yes I will say it Boloco.  Anna’s is just a mass produced mess – with ingredients that no longer taste fresh.  Always too much rice, cheese that’s still cold when it’s in my burrito.

Anyway, listen I don’t hate the place but to me I have had a better burrito at a gas station (you know that one across from Mass General) than I have had at Anna’s.

So, what say you?

This fast paced lunch spot in downtown crossing certainly delivers on value.  The selections are vast – with everything from pizza, to tons of different sandwiches.  This place certainly caters to the thousands of cubical workers surrounding the area – be prepared to order quick and know what you want.  The bread with the sandwiches is a great baguette – in which I give it high marks.  The cold cut sandwiches seem fresh and lively, while the hot dishes seem a bit – stale.  Overall a great deal as the sandwiches come up to 20 inches big for a good price (around $7 bucks for the large – $5 for a small).  Stop in – you wont’ be disappointed.

This downtown crossing lunch spot is not a bad spot for a quick bite of Italian food.  Nothing here will wow you, but for the price you get a pretty good deal.  The lines always look intimidating – but they know how to quickly move a crowd.  The baked zita is one of their better items, as well as the chicken parm.  Again, this is Italian food cooked for a large hungry lunch crowd – don’t expect something you’ll get in the North End.  The sitting area is what you’d expect with the basic tables squeezed together – with lots of loud noise from the folks on their lunch break.  The pizza is underwhelming.  But if you need some Italian and find yourself in Downtown Crossing, eh give Rico a shot.

Yes, this place may get packed with a lunch and after-work crowd, but it’s worth it. The menu isn’t extensive, and you can’t get bottles of wine at a table, but the food is quality. The macaroni-and-cheese and burgers are two of the best dishes I’ve had in Boston, and the price isn’t bad either. It’s a small place, so be prepared to wait, but it’s worth it. I would also recommend sharing a few dishes among friends – there’s always enough to go around.

It’s tough to say anything bad about Paramount, (I’ll think of something). I’ve been to the Paramount a few times, both for lunch. I am told that the breakfast is even better, that’s a scary thought because lunch was so good. I have had both the burger and a pastrami sandwich, both wicked good. Remember you’re on Charles street so maybe everything is like a buck or two more than other places, but it’s worth it. Everything is cooked to order, so it will be nice and hot when you get it.

The wait can be long, so be prepared for a long wait and be ready to order quick. It’s a self seating place so good luck. I can’t put this in the Cheap Eats category due to the Beacon Hill prices, but it’s still not as bad as some other places on Charles Street..