More than Chowder in Boston

Tasca is a lovely, dimly lit--almost too dark to even see what's in front of you--type of restaurant. The seats are closer together, which makes for an almost uncomfortably cozy atmosphere. But all in all, it’s a nice place for a romantic night out for two, or a fun family gathering of 10. The restaurant will make accommodations for almost anyone!

I've been to Tasca often, and I always start with nothing other than a pitcher of sangria. They make theirs very light and loaded with fruit! Rather than getting the bigger dishes, usually I get several tapas dishes, and my dinner mates and I share. We always get the calamares fritos (fried calamari) and sizzling shrimp. Some other faves are the filet mignon, which is cut into tiny, thin slices, and the sausage in puff pastry. Really, the tapas are a way to experiment and have a good time with friends. The dishes range from $4 to $8 a piece and can add up--I recommend getting two to three dishes of tapas/person.

The servers are so lovely and are very willing to recommend the best according to your likes and dislikes. If you don't want to bother with the tapas, I'd say go for the paella! It’s loaded with all kinds of seafood, and is definitely easy to share with another person. If seafood is not your thing, the main menu offers steak and chicken also--I promise, there is something for everyone.

And please don't skip dessert. The prices are the best in town! My favorite is the pastel basque, which is like banana pudding, but so much lighter and more flavorful.

Tasca also has an extensive list of wines; you should find something to suit your needs. And once again, the servers are there to help you make the best selections.

Damoah, which roughly translates into "everyone gather," is a wonderful little Korean/Japanese restaurant right off of Comm Ave. near Boston College. The owner is so nice and welcoming to everyone -- especially college students. The walls of the restaurant are filled with college banners from Harvard, MIT, BU, BC, Northeastern, and even Wellesley College! And there are pictures of tables filled with young students of all colors, enjoying sapporos and sake with some sushi or a steaming Korean soup.

I'd have to say that Damoah offers the best-tasting Korean cuisine for the best price in Boston -- not to rain on Kaya's parade, but no one should ever pay 15 bucks for some kimchee soup. My friends and I usually go "family-style" at Damoah and order several large Korean dishes like ggam-poonggi(deep fried pork in flour batter and spicy sauce), bul-gogi (marinated flank steak), and galbi (marinated short ribs), share some soups like soon-dooboo (spicy tofu soup), and get a large sushi platter. It’s all about mixing up the best of Asian worlds here. If you don't want jap-chae, which are thin wheat noodles mixed in with a sweet sauce, carrots, spinach, fish cake, and beef, get an order of Pad-Thai (Thai flat noodles with chicken, shrimp, bean sprouts, and peanut sauce).

The food here is plentiful, and the options are endless. This is definitely a place to gather for birthdays, anniversaries, or just plain fun. While you wait for your main dishes to come out, have a few sake bombs and munch on the traditional side dishes that can be refilled at your request for free. The owner loves to see her customers satisfied. After one trip, you'll definitely be back!

Located inside the Porter Exchange building, Cafe Mami puts you straight on the streets of Tokyo, where side street restaurants are plentiful. Always crowded, Mami has seating available on a first-come, first-serve basis -- but the customers here know how to eat and run. Basically, Cafe Mami offers meals that are quick to prepare and easy to digest. My favorite is the Tokyo Hamburg steak, which comes with a plate of rice, a bowl of miso soup, some iceburg salad with sesame oil dressing, and a tiny little new potato. The hamburger steak comes in different styles -- you could get Tokyo (which is a ketchup-flavored sauce) or teriyaki, optionally topped with a fried egg and cheese for $.50 or $1 more. Other popular dishes are the rice bowls topped with an egg, onion, chicken omelette, some different meat and rice dishes, and fried chicken curry. None of the dishes are over $8.95, and the food comes out quick -- a great place to eat and run, literally.

When it’s a bit quieter, I like to order a green tea milkshake, which comes out so thick that I recommend sharing with another person or getting it in a to-go cup to take with you. Many students from Tufts, Leslie, and Harvard come around here to eat, and there's also a Japanese grocery store and a little bakery with delicious baked goods right outside of Cafe Mami. This place is definitely worth the effort to sit and eat!

Talk about momma's kitchen! Vinny T's, formerly Vinny Testas, is a large restaurant, ideal for large groups of people. The dishes are made large to share with two (for the per-uno plates) and up to four or five (for the per-due plates).

Vinny T's has an extensive wine list and a full bar, so those of age can sit at the bar when they need to get away from the noisy group they're with and have a calm, relaxing drink while chatting it up with the bartender or watching the latest game.

Like many other Italian restaurants, Vinny T's gives complimentary baskets of bread, which is already seasoned, but to make the flavors come out, they bring out a little bowl with a head of baked garlic sitting in olive oil. Spread a fresh piece of garlic on your bread and drink some wine!

My favorite appetizer here is the fried calamares, which is large enough to feed several people, and the gorgonzola, apple, and walnut salad is excellent. The best main dishes are the Mussels Fra Diavlo, which is loaded with freshly steamed mussels and a spicy, chopped tomato sauce, and the Chicken Marsala, which comes with a large plate of baked chicken in a special wine sauce and a plate filled with veggies.

Because the dishes are so large, I've never had a chance to try dessert, but I'm sure you won't be dissapointed. People looking for quantity AND quality come to Vinny T's.

Stephanie's on Newbury offers down-home cooking for upscale prices. Located on the fashionable Newbury Street, it's hard to miss the green awning and the al fresco seating that awaits you on the outside of the restaurant. Inside, you immediately enter into a dark, warm, leather couch-filled room, lit by a warm fire, which feels like Grandpa's scotch and cigar room.

Be sure to come on an empty stomach, because Stephanie has some heavy Southern offerings. The menu varies among lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch, but my all-time favorite is the over-sized -- and should be illegal -- Stephi Burger. It's a huge sirloin hamburger topped with caramelized onions, juicy mushrooms, greasy bacon, and all the other toppings you could want. Forget the fries -- you'll have trouble finishing the burger alone! For 15 dollars, it's one of the cheaper options. My dinner favorite is the shrimp and scallop carbonara ($29.95) which, I'd have to say, you’ll need good luck finishing! After a large jumbo shrimp and a forkful of the thick carbonara noodles, you'll be stuffed! The scallops on the dish are huge and pan-seared, so if you don't like the burnt look, ask the waiter to tell the chef to not over-sear. Another favorite is the 16 oz. steak that comes with the best baked potato around -- its filled with cream and spinach and is baked perfectly!

Be sure to come on a Saturday or Sunday for their famous brunch. Call ahead to assure beating the long lines of shoppers, tourists, and locals who want to sit under the green awning along Newbury Street. My favorite dish is the Crab Cake benedict ($15) which comes with two crab cakes over english muffins which are topped with a jalapeno hollandaise sause and a mixed green salad on the side. Also good is the ahi tuna tartar (17) which comes ever so lightly cooked on the outside, but beautifully pink on the inside. Its wrapped with cucumber, avocado, sesame chili oil, spicy mayo and wasabi, and topped with crispy wontons and peanuts.

This is certainly not a place you'd want to go to everyday. The prices will leave you with a huge dent in your pocketbook, and the food will leave you with a huge bulge in your belly! Check out the website for more information. They show you all their menus (without the prices to scare you away) and their wine and dessert lists.

For decadent desserts and to satisfy your sweet tooth, come to Finale. There are two locations: one in the back bay area, and the other in Harvard Square on Dunster Street. This is a perfect place for a first date or for a small group of friends.

I've never eaten any of its prelude offerings -- I've only gone for dessert -- but from what I've seen, the salads, gourmet pizzas, and other dishes look very delicious and are well presented.

They have an extensive wine list, and for their desserts, they offer wine pairings that compliment the desserts. If wine is not your thing, they offer various coffees and espressos. The dessert menu varies from season to season, but you can be sure to find something to fit your fancy! My favorite is the creme brulee. It comes in a large portion with fresh berries on top. It’s so pretty that I always hate to crack the top, but after a bite, its worth it! Also another fave is the Molten Chocolate dish which has the gooiest, warmest, most delightful center. The dessert platters run anywhere from $8 to $18.

They also offer desserts to take home -- anything from just a slice of cake to a whole tiramisu cake. Everything here is made to perfection!

Sunset Cantina is a great after-class/work hang out for college students and young professionals. It looks like a hole in the wall when you're at the front door, but once you're in, you'll see a very large seating area with plenty of booths, tables, and bar seating available. There are TVs all around, and it’s heavily decorated with road-trip memorabilia. It’s a fun place for larger groups—birthdays, celebrations, whatever.

I really like the Tex-Mex type of selection they have. The food is fairly cheap and comes in quite large portions. Definitely go for the South of the Border Fiesta Nacho Platter. The half-plate serves two people and costs $8, while the full plate which serves four or more costs $10. It comes heavily topped with chili, cheese, olives, scallions, jalapenos, lettuce, guacamole, and sour cream. It definitely goes well with a shot or two of their wide variety of tequilas, or go for their melon margarita.

Their specialty drinks run from $4.99 to $6.99, their beers run from $2.99 to $4.99, and the shots of tequilas run from $3.99 to $9.99 or more. Their drink menu is chalk full of specialty beers from all over the world and have a list exceeding the 100 mark.

Other appetizers include sweet fries (which are EXCELLENT, and comes with a raspberry vinigrette dipping sauce), coconut shrimp - which is a bit pricier and smaller than the other appetizers, they also have other nacho appetizers, and a salad or two for the health conscious. Also another one of my favorites is the pulled pork quesadilla ($7) and their burgers are always a hearty welcome after a long day at work or in class. They have 1/2 burgers, turkey burgers, and their fish sandwich is delicious. They're all under 7 bucks and come served with chips or fries and loads of tomatoes, lettuce, and whatever else you desire.

It definitely comes highly recommended for a relaxed and loose place to hang out and unwind.

The Figs in Wellesley is located on the main street of the town in a cozy and maybe slightly too-snug building. The open kitchen allows you to see the wonderful oven that bakes your pizza to perfection. That's the only reason to visit Figs--don't bother with the appetizers, paninis, and pasta.

Their salads come in wonderfuly large portions, enough to feed two or three. The mixed green salad is nice, and the dressing is very light. Then order one of their delightful pizzas with the most creative toppings. My personal favorites are calamari pizza, which comes loaded with crispy calamari and mixed greens, and the portobello mushroom pizza, which is a combination of freshly chopped portobello mushrooms, sweet onions, and mushroom puree. Other fun pizzas are bianco and Oliver's.

The pizzas are large enough to feed two or three and run from $14 to $18.95. It's a great place for a date or for a girls' night out, so order a few Stellas or Amstel Lights and have a slice of creativity.

I've been to Sonsie for Saturday brunch several times now, and one thing that keeps me coming back is the quality of the food. Although the service isn't the greatest, the food comes out the same each visit I take.

During the nicer days of spring and summer on Newbury Street, Sonsie opens up their floor-to-ceiling windows, allowing for customers who sit in the "cafe" part of the restaurant to feel like they're actually sitting outdoors. The tables are a bit small and maybe too cozy for some, but for a brunch for two, this place is intimate, yet casual enough for friends or lovers to brunch together.

It may be a bit too heavy for some people to have appetizers, main course, and dessert for brunch - but if you are a big eater, I'd say go for the steamed black mussels or the vietnamese spring rolls. Or if you don't find those appealing, the Asian Spinach Salad is perfect for two to share or one to eat as their main dish. It comes with fresh spinach, carrots, and shiitake nori rolls. The salad runs about 15 dollars and is very tasty.

If salads aren't your thing, go for their hot cubano. Definitely not a sandwich for dieters, but this comes with spicy pork, ham and cheese, and fried plantains that are cut very thinly. This sandwich is greasy but so good and decently priced at about 9 dollars. They have other sandwiches, such as the tuna melt, crabmeat sandwich, and veggie wrap. They also offer pastas and eggs served in almost every imaginable style.

If you're going to have the full brunch with appetizers, main dish, and a mimosa, you'll be spending about 40 bucks for lunch, but once in a while, it's well worth it. Sonsies brunch menu offers much more than some of the others on Newbury Street, such as Stephanie's or Charley's - I highly recommend it. Or make a reservation for dinner sometime and have some quality cosmos while you wait for your table at the bar.

Atlantic Fish Co. is one of the many restaurants owned by the Back Bay Group, which also owns Abe and Louie's, Paparazzi, Charleys, and Joe's American Grill, so you know the service will be up to par and the atmosphere will be woody, dark, and cozy. Before dinner, be sure to try their Back Bay sangria, which costs $8, or their pink sangria, which costs the same. They're served in very large glasses and are very satisfying.

The Atlantic Fish Co. is a seafood restaurant that I prefer over Legal Sea Foods mostly because of their creative drink list and variety in flavors. Their appetizers are much more exciting, with their calamari Milano ($10) and the crab-spinach artichoke dip ($10). They present a lovely twist to all-American dishes. As for their salads, I highly recommend the mixed baby greens salad ($7), which comes topped with caramelized onions, apples, gorgonzola, walnuts, and a vinaigrette dressing. It's the perfect salad for someone who wants something light. If you don't like sweet salads, try the grilled seafood antipasto salad ($17). This salad is quite large and comes with calamari, shrimp, scallops, clams, and vinaigrette.

Skip the steaks and chicken on the menu and go for the pan-seared sea bass ($32). This dish comes with so many sides that you won't know where to start. If that's too heavy for you, try the lobster ravioli ($18), which came with shitake mushrooms and a light sauce. There's certainly something here for every seafood lover.