Beverages

Latest Articles

Review: Stoddard's Fine Food and Ale

Boston's gastropub world has a new champ
Some of the great ones do it by instinct, but William Ashmore, owner of Stoddard's (and Ivy across the street) appears to be someone given to second thoughts, maybe nots, and serial inspirations.
By ROBERT NADEAU | July 05, 2010

Malt liquor madness

Sipping at the other end of the spectrum
Malt liquor is alternately derided as preying on our nation's poor, as a cheap way for frat boys to get drunk, and as just terrible beer.
By JOSH SMITH | June 30, 2010

Review: Nico

An average North End destination with a sweet ending
The North End can be touristy, it can be posh, it can be authentically Italian, it can be nostalgically Italian-American, it can be snooty white-sauce Italian, and sometimes it can be charmingly (or not so charmingly) vulgar.
By ROBERT NADEAU | June 20, 2010

Bombay Club

A favorite local Indian eatery finds a new home
As we were on our way home from dinner at Bombay Club, Mrs. Nadeau said, "We didn't try any curries — we missed that."
By ROBERT NADEAU | June 09, 2010

Have beer, will travel

Craft beer in a cooler? Can do!
Culture and experience have taught us that beer in a can is of lesser quality. But with several craft brewers' recent foray into the world of canning, it may be time to put this crude stereotype to bed.
By JOSH SMITH | June 02, 2010

Review: Temple Downtown

From graffiti to Gorgonzola
Temple Downtown certainly has gone through changes.
By BILL RODRIGUEZ | June 02, 2010

Foolish dreams

Maine Democratic Party offers a lot of freebies, beer is not one of them
There’s nothing in the Maine Democratic Party’s platform about free beer.
By AL DIAMON | May 26, 2010

Beer on a budget

In defense of expense
The beer industry is generally considered recession-proof, since people are still going to drink beer when times get tough. But has the same been true for more expensive craft beer in the recent recession?
By JOSH SMITH | May 19, 2010

The powerless rise

The danger of the unfocused anger of the Tea Party
I’m an even-tempered guy. I don’t lose my cool more than, maybe, once or twice a day.
By AL DIAMON | May 19, 2010

Old haunts

Blithe Spirit at the Lyric; Hot Mikado at New Rep; August: Osage County at the Colonial
It doesn’t take a crystal ball to predict that Blithe Spirit , that cocktail shaker full of dry martini and ectoplasmic mayhem, will amuse. Playwright Noël Coward diagnosed his own gift as a talent to do just that.
By CAROLYN CLAY | May 11, 2010

By | January 01, 0001

Lee’s Store and Bakery

Another worthy source for one of Boston’s best budget sandwiches
I’ve long relied on Web sites like Chowhound and Yelp for tips on new restaurants.
By MC SLIM JB | May 14, 2010

Russell House Tavern

Tastes good, looks great — no gimmicks necessary
For a place with major, major foot traffic, Harvard Square has proven to be a tricky spot for restaurateurs.
By ROBERT NADEAU | May 12, 2010

Savor the flavor

How to make great beer even better
Whether you only occasionally hoist a craft beer or carry a notepad to rate beer everywhere you go, we can all become better beer drinkers by following a few simple guidelines.
By JOSH SMITH | May 05, 2010

Ten Foot Polecats | I Get Blamed For Everything I Do

Hillgrass Bluebilly (2010)
There ain’t a lotta scrappy-ass electric juke-joint blues comin’ outta Allston, but this dirty trio’s first full-length album makes it seems that the Charles River is a direct tributary of the Mississippi.
By TED DROZDOWSKI | April 21, 2010

Eco-friendly

The second coming of organic beer
Once upon a time, before the heyday of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, all beer was organic. And now organic is back for good.
By JOSH SMITH | April 21, 2010

Woodward at Ames

Ben Franklin meets a supermodel? Go with it — it works.
The Woodward is the slightly quieter upstairs of the Woodward Tavern, a high-concept downtown café-bar based on the idea “Ben Franklin meets a supermodel.”
By ROBERT NADEAU | April 29, 2010

El Pelón Taquería

New home, same winning way with fish tacos
A 2009 fire in the Fenway destroyed an entire block of beloved independent restaurants, including the very popular El Pelón Taquería. It was the second fire in two years to hit this Baja-style joint, prompting my comment, “If there is a God, he’s an angry God, one who probably dines at Applebee’s.”
By MC SLIM JB | April 21, 2010

South End Buttery

From Viennoiserie to veal: a local bakery grows up
South End Buttery started with cupcakes and coffee, but opened up a dining room below street level two summers ago, and has since gradually taken on more serious cheffery.
By ROBERT NADEAU | April 29, 2010

Justified arrogance

Stone Brewing Company comes to Julian’s
Stone is the country’s number one brewer. And they know it.
By JOSH SMITH | April 08, 2010

American Craft

Brewed to perfection
If American Craft was a brand-new restaurant, I still would be an enthusiast. But it’s even better as is, because it’s the end result of a story of hard knocks.
By ROBERT NADEAU | April 07, 2010

Tremont Street Cafe

Just your typical South End deli/bakery/cafe/juice bar/gelateria/organic convenience store
Many budget restaurants I review have a single-item focus: hot dogs, banh mi, zapiekanki. They say, “We do one thing, and do it really well.” Then there are the Swiss army knives.
By MC SLIM JB | April 07, 2010

Barlow’s Restaurant

When in doubt, ask for a second opinion
It’s not unusual for this column to have a different opinion of restaurants than the column in the Boston Globe — I favor a flatter bell curve.
By ROBERT NADEAU | March 31, 2010

Beer Heaven

A pilgrimage to Ebenezer’s Pub
Beer heaven does exist. And it’s in the backwoods of Lovell, Maine.
By JOSH SMITH | March 24, 2010

10 things to do on St. Patty's Day 2010

You don't have to be Irish to score some fun this St. Patrick's Day
Places to go, food to eat, and where to have fun on this Irish holiday.
By BOSTON PHOENIX WEB TEAM | March 18, 2010

Symphony 8 Restaurant & Bar

Time to face the music
Everyone wants to have a gastro-pub with comfort food, but you have to be able to cook a little bit to sustain one. It also helps to draw a clean draught beer, maintain a quality wine list, and sweep the floor.
By ROBERT NADEAU | March 17, 2010