Cheap Eats: Pizzeria Dante

Sometimes a restaurant's decor can be misleading. We've all been to places that seem fancy but serve up mediocre food. In the case of Pizzeria Dante in Coolidge Corner, the exact opposite is true - it may look like any other brightly lit pizzeria, but the food choices prove that there's more going on in the kitchen.

Dante's pizza is built on basics: a chewy dough with just enough crunch on the bottom, a tomatoey tomato sauce, and plenty of cheese that's not too greasy. Unusual toppings only add to the fantastic basics. The Rabe pizza is topped with bitter broccoli rabe, sweet Italian sausage, and roasted red peppers. The LA pizza is covered in thin slices of potato, bacon, and scallions (although why it's named LA is beyond us). And the Bianco features black olives, breaded eggplant slices, and some of the creamiest, sweetest ricotta we've had.

Pizzeria Dante also offers other tasty Italian dishes. This Bostonist really loved their arancini, homemade rice balls mixed with peas, shredded carrots, ground beef, and plenty of mozzarella cheese. For $5, the serving of arancini was huge and filling and sated our need for warm comfort food. To end your meal, try a scoop of gelato, piled high in little tubs next to the register, just like in Italy (or the North End).

Pizzeria Dante is located at 1398 Beacon Street in Brookline. They are open Monday through Saturday, 11:30am to 10pm, and Sunday, noon to 9pm.

Originally published on Bostonist.

Cheap Eats: Burtons Grill

If the thought of huge holiday meals has you looking for smaller dishes to tide you over between parties, Burtons Grill has a new bar menu to keep your stomach and your wallet full. Each plate is priced at $4.95 and holds a generous serving. Two plates would definitely make a decent meal.

Although there are only five choices on Burtons' Small Plates menu, the options are diverse enough that anyone could find something to like. The warm goat cheese salad was this Bostonist's favorite - two disks of cheese, coated in crunchy panko breadcrumbs, and a well-dressed spinach and bacon salad. We also enjoyed the scallop crostini (above) - thin slices of warm scallop on crispy bread with a drizzle of lemon cream sauce. The buttermilk-battered fried feta was the most decadent of the bunch - who eats 8 or so ounces of feta at one time? - but if you're looking for a salty, crispy treat, this is the one to order. The BLT was on the small side (although well constructed), but the huge pile of onion strings on the side more than made up for its size. Finally, the firecracker shrimp were a little too spicy for us, but boasted well-cooked shrimp, a crispy exterior, and plenty of hot Buffalo sauce.

Burtons Grill offers their Small Plates menu everyday from 3pm until close (10pm Sundays, 11pm every other day). They are located at 1363 Boylston Street, near Fenway Park.

Originally published on Bostonist.

Cheap Eats: Daily Grill

A restaurant called Daily Grill sounds nothing if a little generic. Luckily, their food is anything but. While the Daily Grill is a popular chain on the West Coast, it's rather new to the East, and the Daily Grill in the Prudential Center is their only New England outpost.

The best deal at the Daily Grill is their Social Hour menu, offered weekdays 4-7pm, Saturday 12-5pm, and all day Sunday. The page-long menu features small plates for only $2.95 (a hot dog, hummus plate, beef sliders, meatloaf sliders, a chicken quesadilla, fried calamari, and mac and cheese) and $3.95 (spinach artichoke dip, crab cake sliders, tuna sashimi, and chicken pot pie). Order a drink and you get your first plate free. Bostonist enjoyed the calamari, some of the most tender we've had, and the sliders, which could be paired with another dish to make a full meal. The chicken pot pie, though, was the real standout, and probably the best deal. For only $4, you get a big bowl heaped with chicken, carrots, peas, onions, and mushrooms in a cream sauce and topped with flaky puff pastry, a perfect antidote for the cold days that are sure to come.

If you're willing to spend a little more money but still want a good deal, try the Daily Grill's Supper Menu. For $28, you get a choice of any salad on the menu, one of five main courses (such as filet mignon with a bleu cheese crust, ala cart at $25), and your choice of a dessert or a glass of wine. That's basically three courses for the price of one - not a bad deal in our books.

Daily Grill is located at 111 Huntington Avenue, at street level below the Prudential mall. They are open Monday-Thursday, 11:30am-10pm, Friday and Saturday, 11am-11pm, and Sunday 11am-10pm.

Cheap Eats: Cafe Mami

Porter Exchange, located in Porter Square, is filled with Japanese food stalls and restaurants. Take your pick from noodles and rice bowls to pastries. Cafe Mami is just one of the small stalls where you can get great food for cheap.

With nothing on the menu over $9, Cafe Mami offers hearty meals that will warm you up as our days get colder. The Tokyo Hamburg and the Curry are some of the most popular dishes, and they both come with a side salad and miso soup. For real value, though, go to Cafe Mami during lunch (Monday-Friday, 11:45am-2:00pm) and take advantage of the lunch specials for only $5. The Yaki Don (above), slices of beef and onion in a spicy sauce and served over rice, is just one of the five choices (the others are curry, a milder beef, chicken and egg, and veggie and egg). The ingredients are fresh and delicious, and the meals are satisfying and will keep you full for a while. The lunches come with miso soup to warm you up.

Cafe Mami is tiny, with only 12 seats, so you'll probably be sitting with someone you don't know. If there's no room, you can always order take-out. Cafe Mami is located at 1815 Massachusetts Ave in Porter Square, and their hours are 11:45am-8:45pm. Cash only.



Originally published on Bostonist.

Cheap Eats: Mr. Crepe

Smack dab in the middle of Davis Square sits Mr. Crepe, a comfortable space with delicious and cheap food. Part coffee shop, part gourmet take out shop, Mr. Crepe offers sweet and savory crepes in traditional and unique flavor combinations.

Simple crepes start at $3.75 and are as big as a dinner plate (and that's after they've been folded). A cheese crepe for $3.85 is like a grilled cheese sandwich, wrapped up for travel, and a crepe with sugar and butter ($3.75) or Nutella ($4.75) is like a cheaper alternative to that vacation in France.

Sure, the specialty crepes on the menu are pricier ($8.25-$9.25), but they're huge and filled with interested ingredients like roasted carrots, merguez sausage, caramelized onions, and shaved fennel. If none of the supercrepes (the French equivalent of the super burrito?) strike your fancy, you can cobble together your own ideal crepe from the long list of ingredients.

Mr. Crepe is located at 51 Davis Square, right next to the Somerville Theatre. They are open weekdays, 7am-11pm, Saturday 8am-11pm, and Sunday 9am-10pm.

Originally published on Bostonist.

Cheap Eats: Morse Fish Company

Yesterday may have been the official start to Fall, but Bostonist isn't ready to let go of the summer just yet. And what's more summery than eating fried seafood while sitting on plastic chairs? Luckily, the Morse Fish Company in the South End serves up fresh fish in a clam shack-like environment year-round. The nautical decor, highlighted by a giant mural of fishermen on one wall, might even make you feel like you're by the beach.

Morse Fish is part fishmonger and part fast food joint. You can pick up fresh fish to take home and cook or order that same fish cooked for you in just a few minutes. The sandwiches ($5.95-$13.95) and the lunch plates ($5.95-$11.95), both served with french fries, are great deals and big enough to keep you full for quite a while. For fried seafood, the breading is light and doesn't overpower the flavor of the fish itself. You can also order seafood broiled for an extra dollar.

Morse Fish is also great if you're looking for a little seafood snack. Fish cakes ($.75 each), crab cakes ($1.75 each), shrimp cocktail ($5.95), stuffed clams ($2.50 each), and small side orders of things like calamari ($4.95) are priced just right to be a quick bite to tide you over.

Morse Fish Company is located at 1401 Washington Street in the South End. They are open Monday-Thursday, 11am-8pm, Friday 11am-9pm, Saturday 11am-8pm, and Sunday noon-8pm.

Originally published on Bostonist.

Cheap Eats: Tacos Lupita

It may be a little more out of the way than many taquerias around town, but Tacos Lupita in Somerville definitely has food to warrant the trek. Serving both standard Mexican fare as well as Salvadorean treats, and with nothing on the menu over $9.50 (although most run closer to $5), Tacos Lupita is a delicious cheap eat.

As the name implies, tacos ($2.50 each) are an excellent choice. Two corn tortillas come piled high with ingredients, and the tomatoes, onions, and cilantro on top make every bite burst with fresh flavor. Choose from steak, pork, chicken, or chorizo to top the taco off. The tacos are served with a spicy green salsa, but you can also ask for a mild or a spicy and smoky red salsa. You can also order a taco plate for $8, which includes three tacos as well as rice and beans.

But there's more to the menu than just tacos. Burritos, quesadillas, tortas, gorditas, mulitas... there's plenty to keep your taste buds busy. Bostonist recommends the Salvadorean pupusas, which are like corn-flour pancakes stuffed with cheese and pork and served with a tangy pickled vegetable slaw. While this version is a little on the greasy side, the combination of the cheese, meat, and slaw are phenomenal, and at $2, worth a try.

Tacos Lupita is located at 13 Elm Street in Somerville. They are open from 11am to 9pm daily. It's not a fancy place, so while the weather is still nice, get your order to go and eat in one of the nearby parks.

Originally posted on Bostonist.

Cheap Eats: Zing Pizza

There are plenty of pizza shops out there, vying for your pizza dollars. That's when something a little different can really stand out from the crowd. Zing Pizza in Porter Square offers up that something different with fresh, creative pizzas and salads.

Zing's pizzas are oblong, meaning that slices are not the standard pie shape. Instead, they're long slices that overhang the plate. Zing also only offers five choices at a time, although they offer them all by the slice or whole. How many places offer five choices by the slice?! Slices run $2.50 to $3.50, while whole pizzas are $14.50 to $19.50. Some, like the John Dough and the Holy Pepperoni, are always available, but the other flavor combinations change as they see fit. This Bostonist really enjoyed the Dracula's Dilemma (packed with, yep, garlic, as well as mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, caramelized onions, and pomegranate syrup), but other intriguing combos include the Blue October (with butternut squash sauce, spinach, and blue cheese) and the You Say Potato (with rosemary red bliss potatoes, sun-dried tomato pesto, and ricotta). You can always make your own pizza, too, but they only have the ingredients needed to make their five choices, so you'll have to stick to those ingredients. And for those with a gluten-intolerance, Zing also offers gluten-free dough (available for whole pies only) from local company Glutenus Minimus.

Zing Pizza is a tiny space facing Mass Ave, but it's kept cheery and bright thanks to bright walls, tables, and chairs, and plenty of sunlight. Zing is open Monday through Wednesday, 11am to 9pm, Thursday through Saturday, 11am to 10pm, and Sunday, noon to 9pm. They are located at 1925 Massachusetts Avenue, right next to the Dunkin Donuts.

Originally posted on Bostonist.

Cheap Eats: Dante

The Royal Sonesta near the Cambridgeside Galleria and the Museum of Science may seem like an odd place to go for food, but once you realize that it is the home of chef Dante deMagistris' first restaurant, Dante, the destination doesn't seem so odd. The restaurant overlooks the river, making it a quiet escape in a traffic-harried area. And while Dante's regular menu runs $35 for 3 courses, you can take advantage of Buzz Hour, a menu of special sfizi (whimsies), for only $1 each.

The $1 sfizi menu is available weekdays from 4-7pm in the bar area. With six different choices, you can order them all and still be spending short money. Bostonist recommends the arancini (above), delicately fried risotto balls drizzled with honey. The best value is in the olives and the hummus, both rather large servings considering the price tag. Smaller, but more interesting ingredient-wise, are the fresh ricotta bruschetta and the pepe imbottiti, small peppers stuffed with meat and cheese. Oysters are also available at $1 a piece.

Whether you're looking for a post-shopping rest or a pre-IMAX bite, Dante's Buzz Hour delivers delicious food quickly and cheaply. Even the cocktails are reasonably priced (on Boston's standards, at least). Dante is located at 40 Edwin Land Boulevard in Cambridge, and Buzz Hour is available from 4-7pm weekdays.

Originally published on Bostonist.

Cheap Eats: Moody's Falafel Palace

Moody's Falafel Palace may not look like much - cramped quarters with little sitting room in a building that looks like a shack - but the food more than makes up for the lack of ambiance. Whether you're looking for a fresh lunch or a late night meal to sop up all that excess booze, Moody's will deliver your food cheap.

As the name suggests, Moody's specializes in Middle Eastern fare. Roll-ups cost between $3.99 and $4.99 and are the perfect meal to eat on the go. This Bostonist favors the lamb shawarma (below), filled with lettuce, onion, tomato, pickles, tahini sauce, and crispy and juicy shavings of meat. Plates, heaping meals that are sure to fill you up, cost between $5.75 and $8.99.

On a hot summer day, though, there's almost nothing better than a salad that is both refreshing and filling (often a tall order). Bostonist recommends the Mazza salad (top). It's a heavenly mixture of freshly-fried pita chips, crunchy cucumbers, soft tomatoes, and plenty of flavor, thanks to a boatload of herbs and a lemony dressing. The serving is huge, and for only $4.75, is an excellent value.

Moody's Falafel Palace is located at 25 Central Square, about half a block down Western Ave from Mass Ave. They are open daily from 11am to midnight and extend their hours until 3am on Friday and Saturday. There's a minimum credit charge of $15, so make sure to bring some cash (unless, of course, you want to pay for everyone in there). And because there are only a few people working there, it may take some time to get your food - you can always order a slice of baklava to tide you over!

Originally published on Bostonist.

Cheap Eats: Dorado Tacos & Cemitas

Brookline is certainly not lacking in Mexican food, and with the opening of Dorado Tacos & Cemitas one week ago, the pool of offerings has gotten richer, not more crowded. The restaurant, located in JFK Crossing on Harvard Ave, is bright and sunny, with a focus on high quality ingredients and eco-friendly materials.

The menu at Dorado is heavily focused on tacos. They offer a variety of types, including 4 different fish tacos, all with their own combination of proteins and condiments. The salsas, guacamole, and veggies are all fresh, making each bite shine with flavor. The tacos run about $2.50 each, which is a little high, but the quality of all the ingredients makes you forget the price tag. Three tacos would be enough for a meal, or try the taco plate for $6, with your choice of two tacos, perfectly cooked black beans, Mexican rice, and a whole charred jalapeno. This Bostonist recommends the shrimp taco, heaped with beer-battered shrimp, thin slices of jicama, orange salsa, and Baja crema.


The menu is filled with other options as well. The cemitas, Mexican sandwiches for $6, combine your choice of protein (chorizo, pork Milanesa, and portabella mushroom are just some of the options) with black beans, chipotles en adobo, avocado, Oaxaca cheese, and cilantro on a sesame seed roll. Take out a whole rotisserie chicken, with a nine spice and citrus marinade, for $10, or enjoy a half rotisserie chicken plate, with black beans, rice, and corn tortillas for $7. Dorado also offers salads (Caesar or chopped chicken), definitely big enough for a meal. And don't forget to order a side of elote - grilled corn with mayo, ancho chile, lime, and cotija cheese. It's not quite as transcendent as the version at Toro, but it's definitely a fantastic side dish or snack.

Dorado Tacos & Cemitas is located at 401 Harvard Street in Brookline. They are open daily from 11am to 10pm.

Originally published on Bostonist.

Cheap Eats: Stix

Hot and muggy summer days call for cool and light food, and there's nothing like a raw bar to leave you feeling virtuous yet well-fed. But seafood is not usually the cheap option. At Stix, however, you can enjoy a variety of raw bar offerings for only $1 a piece.

Stix' raw bar includes oysters, littleneck clams, shrimp, scallops, and crab legs. "Raw" bar may be a bit of a stretch here - oysters and clams come raw, on the half shell, but all the other choices come cooked and chilled. Selection varies, so make sure to call ahead if there's something specific you're looking for. There are a variety of condiments to accompany the seafood - traditional cocktail sauce, a spicy sriracha sauce, and a smoky aioli - which lend bite to the offerings.

Stix also offers some great drink deals if you'd like something to sip along with your oysters. Frozen mojitos, like liquor in slushie form, are only $5, or choose to add a flavor like mango or coconut for $6. And all bottles of wine are currently half off.

Stix is located at 35 Stanhope Street. The raw bar deal is available Tuesday through Friday, 5-7pm, in the bar and on the patio. Drink specials are available Tuesday through Saturday, 5pm-2am.

Originally published on Bostonist.

Cheap Eats: The Hen House

For the longest time, I thought chicken and waffles sounded like the weirdest combination of foods there could be. But after one taste, it was clear why this is a favorite meal of so many people. Crispy and gooey, salty and sweet, chicken and waffles are perfect for when you can't decide if you want breakfast or dinner. Luckily, Boston has it's very own source for chicken waffles in The Hen House, where $7.49 buys you a full plate of warm, gooey, crispy deliciousness.

The instructions for the chicken and waffles meal takes up a full page of the menu - choose your waffle (buttermilk, multigrain, cornbread), your butter (homemade whipped, 5 herb, cajun), your syrup (maple, clove honey, maple BBQ), your chicken (tenders, wings, or whole pieces), and your sauce (with over 12 choices). The syrups and sauces are self-serve, meaning you can try as many as you like - half the fun, in fact, is sampling them all. The Teradactal (a soy-based bbq sauce) and the Apricot Chipotle (which tastes, um, exactly like it sounds) are two particularly strong choices. This is definitely a meal where finding that perfect bite is up to you, and while figuring out which list of ingredients is right for you is a little time-consuming, the reward is well worth it.

If you're still not sure about the sweet and savory combo, The Hen House has plenty of other offerings to keep you full. Fried chicken in just about any form you could want, ribs, sandwiches, salads, and plenty of Southern-style sides make up the rest of the menu. And for dessert? The waffle ice cream sandwich is your only choice, but really, is there any other way to finish off this meal?

The Hen House is located at 1033 Mass. Ave. in Roxbury. They are open Sunday 11am-8pm, Monday through Thursday 11am-10pm, and Friday and Saturday 11am-4am.

Originally published on Bostonist.

Cheap Eats: Rocca

It seems that happy hour is truly back in Boston. No, bars still can't offer drink specials like in so many other states, but they can offer a close second with cheap and delicious food. Rocca is one of the many Boston restaurants that has picked up on this trend, and their 5@5 deal is one of the best around. Two choices would definitely be big enough for a meal, or order them all and share with friends.

Take a seat at the bar at Rocca Monday through Friday from 5 until 6:30 to take advantage of their special menu. They offer some of their regular appetizers at basically half price. The corn and tomato pizzetta (above) is a satisfying, crunchy pizza, with something closer to cracker for a crust than the usual dough. The calamari (below) with red pepper aioli, served in a pile larger than you'd think for $5, is light and crisp, a delight compared to so many bad versions of the dish that are available out there. The farinata, a type of flatbread made with chickpea flour and mixed with mushrooms and caramelized onions, is crunchy and dense - a full meal by itself. The zucchini fritti features long spears of squash with the same crispy exterior as the calamari, and it is served with a garlicky yogurt and a tomato relish. Oh, and a lobster slider? Served with fennel mayo, pancetta, tomato, and arugula, it's hard to say no.

Rocca is located at 500 Harrison Boulevard in the South End, and they offer free parking in the lot next to their building. The 5@5 bar menu is available Monday-Friday, 5:00-6:30. Rocca also offers a three-course dinner Sundays and Mondays, 5:30-10:00pm, for $22, for those looking for a slightly more expensive cheap eat.

Originally published on Bostonist.

Cheap Eats: Pho Republique

Another week, another great bar deal. But, while many establishments don't venture much past fries and wings, Pho Republique in the South End offers tasty treats for $2 a pop. Their dim sum bar menu has eight varied options - choose one for a snack along with your drink, or they them all for a meal or to share.

All of the choices are tasty (even the crispy tofu, considering that this Bostonist is not a fan of the tofu), but there are a few real standouts in the bunch. The candied garlic spare ribs, 2 per order, are sweet and savory, with a crispy caramelized exterior and meat that falls right off the bone. The veggie rangoon, which looks more like an eggroll, is filled with cream cheese and tender shredded vegetables. And the edamame gyoza are crunchy envelopes stuffed with pureed edamame, an excellent combination of crispy and smooth textures.

Pho Republique is located at 1415 Washington Street in the South End. The Dim Sum Bar Menu is offered Monday through Thursday, 5:30-7:00pm at the bar.

Originally published on Bostonist.

Cheap Eats: Penguin Pizza

It's hard to imagine one slice of pizza being enough for an entire meal, but at Penguin Pizza in Brigham Circle, one slice can definitely fill you up for only around $3. Each slice is roughly the size of a dinner plate, or two good-sized slices anywhere else. In fact, the slice is much easier to eat if you just cut it in half to begin with. Penguin offers four types of pizza by the slice daily: cheese, pepperoni, and two changing flavors.

Penguin's toppings are also different than those at most other pizza shops. You can still get the basics, but Penguin really shines with its more gourmet offerings. The Bird, pictured above, is topped with a homemade sweet and smoky barbeque sauce, caramelized onions, and pulled chicken. The Caribbean Jerk Shrimp pizza is a white pizza, topped with jerk shrimp and a fresh mango pineapple salsa. This Bostonist loves The Seasonal, featuring sweet butternut squash puree, tangy goat cheese, braised leeks, and crispy fried sage leaves - a perfect pizza for the rainy weather we've been enjoying this week.

Penguin Pizza also offers a variety of pastas, sandwiches, and salads, as well as a wide range of interesting beers. They are located at 735 Huntington Ave in Boston and are open Monday through Friday, 11am-1am, and Saturday and Sunday, noon-1am.

Originally published on Bostonist.

Cheap Eats: Sage

Sage, formerly of the North End, now of the South End, doesn't seem like the best spot for cheap eats. Pastas hover around the $20 mark, and entrees run between $20 and $35. But between the hours of 5:00pm and 7:30pm on Monday through Friday, only $10 will buy you a heap of food in the form of delicious little bar bites.

The stuzzi menu is part of the dinner menu, but don't be afraid to make them your whole meal. For your $10, pick any three of the dishes. Everything is great for sharing - or you could just selfishly keep them all for yourself. Sage's short rib arancini (below), crispy little rice balls stuffed with savory meat, are an excellent choice, as are the hearty potato panzeroti with fontina cheese, the meatballs (polpetti - either with meat or veggies), the chickpea caponata (a lovely light salad with plenty of chickpeas and pickled eggplant), or the lightly fried zucchini (above). Depending on how hungry you are, the stuzzi could make up your entire meal or could just start your night out right. The menu on the restaurant's website is a little out of date - there were 22 choices available when this Bostonist visited.

Sage also offers pizzas for $10 each. They offer a traditional Margherita with tomato, mozzarella, and basil, as well as a white pizza with spinach and mozzarella. With a crisp crust and served on a wooden board, these pizzas are big enough for a meal, or you could split a pizza and 3 stuzzi with a friend.

Sage is located at 1395 Washington Street in the South End. The 3 for $10 stuzzi deal is available from 5:00-7:30pm Monday through Friday.

Originally published on Bostonist.

Cheap Eats: 163 Vietnamese Sandwiches

It's hard to pay $7-8 dollars for a sandwich when one of the best sandwiches around costs a mere $3. 163 Vietnamese Sandwiches in Chinatown offers fresh, warm, filling, and delicious banh mi sandwiches on the cheap.

Clearly, 163 Vietnamese Sandwiches is used to serving a wide array of hungry people. They whip out those sandwiches in about a minute, prepared to order. Pay attention to the sign at the counter that lists all the ingredients - if there's something you don't like, they'll be happy to leave it off. Choose from tofu, chicken, beef, or cold cuts, which are then piled high along with cilantro, cucumber, pickled carrots and daikon, spicy peppers, mayo, and fish sauce, all wrapped in a crunchy baguette. But be careful when you're eating - that baguette is delicious but also a mess. With the weather getting nice, you may want to save yourself the vacuuming and eat one of these outside.

163 Vietnamese Sandwiches is located at 66 Harrison Ave. in Chinatown. They are open from 7:30am to 7:30pm.

Originally published on Bostonist.

Cheap Eats: 33 Restaurant & Lounge

Drinks and snacks at the bar are a great way to unwind at the end of the day, but the food and drinks can add up fast. Many restaurants in Boston take this into account and have developed special bar menus for these economic times. 33 Restaurant & Lounge's $3 Menu is just one delicious example.

33's new menu features a wide range of snacks and heartier dishes. It's easy to cobble together a full meal from these plates for under $10. Pictured above are the grilled lamb chops, three perfectly cooked lollipops with barely any fat on 'em, with a savory cheese fondue. Other 3 for $3 choices include crostini (one each of olive, mushroom and caprese), pita with dips (baba ganoush, hummus and tzatziki), and sliders (which are huge and definitely a great value). Avoid the tomato, basil, and mozzarella stacks - it's not tomato season, so try something else. Other choices on the menu include a standard side or Caesar salad, truffle French fries (crispy, salty, and addicting, and unctuous, filling mac & cheese.


The 3 for $3 menu is available on Wednesday and Thursday from 5pm to 7pm (at the bar and high tops in the back of the room) and Friday and Saturday from 8pm to 11pm (in the lounge). 33 Restaurant & Lounge is at 33 Stanhope Street, right by the Back Bay Station.

Originally posted on Bostonist.

Cheap Eats: Gourmet Dumpling House

This past weekend, Chinatown was abuzz with preparations for Chinese New Year, which begins today. Tables were set up on the sidewalks, selling flowers and paper lanterns, the line to get into Eastern Live Poultry was down the block, and large family groups were grabbing tables at the Gourmet Dumpling House.

Gourmet Dumpling House offers a wide array of homemade Chinese dishes, but as the name implies, the dumplings (and buns) are a particular strong point. The Mini Steamed Buns with Pork ($6.25) are also known as soup dumplings (or Xiao Long Bao, or just XLB), and are filled with a mixture of pork, vegetables, and yes, soup. Be forewarned that eating soup dumplings is not the neatest of processes, nor the quietest, as you're bound to end up with soup on your chin and clothes as you slurp it out of the dumplings. The broth is rich and flavorful, and the filling and dough make this a filling and substantial dish. Another wonder on the menu is the Scallion Pancakes ($3.95) - every Chinese restaurant makes them, but these are near perfection. Gourmet Dumpling House has managed to produce the lightest and flakiest scallion pancake that this Bostonist has ever seen. For more cheap eats, visit any day of the week before 4pm for the lunch specials, all priced at $7.25, for a full plate of food, including rice and soup.

Gourmet Dumpling House is located at 52 Beach Street, between Harrison Ave and Oxford St. They will be closed today and tomorrow to celebrate the New Year, but will be open again on Wednesday. Chinatown will be celebrating the New Year on Saturday with a lion dance parade, so if you're in the neighborhood, give Gourmet Dumpling House a try.

Originally posted on Bostonist.