Cheap Eats: Canto 6

Bakeries can be a great choice for delicious meal options, but it often seems that the meal doesn't justify the price. Not so at Canto 6, a small bakery in Jamaica Plain. Their menu boasts some great sandwich combinations, all for under $7. But the real value lies in Canto 6's pies and quiches.

Personal-sized pies and quiches make a quick and easy meal that will definitely fill you up. The scallion, bacon, and cheddar quiche ($3.25) has a fantastic balance between all the different flavors. The crust is especially good - buttery and flaky goodness that surrounds the filling. The peach and berry pie ($3.75) features the same perfect crust, plenty of sweet, fresh fruit, and a tender crumble topping. Pair them together, and you have a huge, delicious meal.

Canto 6 is located at 3346 Washington Street (at Green Street) in Jamaica Plain. They are open Monday-Friday, 7:30am-6:30pm, and Saturday and Sunday, 8am-8pm.

Originally published on Bostonist.

Cheap Eats: La Papusa Guanaca

Who doesn't love melted cheese? La Papusa Guanaca is a small restaurant on Centre Street in Jamaica Plain that focuses on the food of El Salvador, including the delicious, hot and melty papusa. The little crispy corn pancakes ($1.25), about the size of your palm, are stuffed with cheese, cheese and pork, or cheese and beans, and then fried on a griddle. They're really hot, though, when they come out, so save yourself from a burn and wait a minute before eating.

Between the papusas and the other goodies on the menu, it's easy to make a meal for next to nothing. Try the tostada ($1.00), a tiny, perfectly crisp tortilla topped with black beans and a sprinkle of cheese; the empanadas ($1.25), little pockets jammed tight with fillings like shredded chicken; or the fried plantains ($3.50), incredibly sweet, crispy on the outside, and creamy on the inside.

La Papusa Guanaca is located at 378 Centre Street in Jamaica Plain. They are open daily 10am to 11pm and are cash only.

Originally posted on Bostonist.

Bella Luna Blogger's Lounge

Bella Luna, the restaurant over the Milky Way bowling alley in Jamaica Plain, hosted a Blogger's Lounge last night to introduce Boston's blogging community to Bella Luna's new executive chef, Jacob Zachow. Of course, it was also a great chance to meet and chat with other bloggers. I even got my friend Ann to go to her first blogging event!

I've gotta say, I already enjoyed the food at Bella Luna, but from what I saw last night, it's even better now. The fried Bella Moon Mozzarella was tender and light, a far cry from the typical fried mozzarella. The flat breads were full of flavor and topped with unique combinations, like house-made sausage, fennel, and ricotta. The Lemon and Basil Grilled Salmon was well cooked and served with a delicious sauce. And the Key Lime Pie.... just yum! The cocktails were also delicious and well-mixed - I'm a fan of the Martinique now.

So thanks to Bella Luna for the great food and for hosting all the crazy local bloggers!

Bella Luna, Jamaica Plain

When I go out to eat, I don't usually think of going to the bowling alley. But I was meeting my friend Michael for lunch, and he suggested Bella Luna, part of Milky Way Lounge & Lanes in Jamaica Plain, so I was more than happy to give it a try.

For the sake of trying a bunch of different things, we shared a couple of appetizers and a pizza. First, we had the curry fries and the crab cake. The fries, served with a curried mayo, were tasty, but nothing spectacular. The crab cake, though, was fantastic - crispy exterior, moist interior, and plenty of crab. There was very little filler, so it was a rather loose cake (it would have been tasty in a sandwich, but would have fallen apart in seconds). It was served on top of cole slaw and red pepper aioli, all of which went deliciously together.



For our pizza, we ordered the Latin Quarter - chicken, avocado, bacon, cheddar and jalapeno peppers. This was probably the most unique choice on the pizza menu, although you can design your own with any of their ingredients. The chicken was a little dry, but over all, this was an awesome pizza. The flavors were all bold, but not overpowering, and complemented each other nicely. And any time there's bacon on pizza, I'm happy.

Over all, this is much better food than I would have expected at a bowling alley (granted, they are in a separate space, but I couldn't get the bowling aspect out of my head). I can understand why so many people make a night out of the Milky Way.