Middle Eastern food

She rarely returns to restaurants, but will make an exception for Garlic and Lemons in Allston

By adamg - 7/28/11 - 9:03 am

A Small Boston Kitchen reviews the Middle Eastern hole in the wall on Harvard Ave., can't stop thinking about the food:

[N]ot to be missed is the spicy chicken. A neat pile of delicately slivered meat with spiced up ends makes it hard for you to want to try anything else. But please do.

Deep Ellum gets permission to tacoize; Brighton Ave. place gets OK to go kabob-bob-bobbing along at night

By adamg - 7/1/11 - 11:45 am

The Boston Licensing Board yesterday voted to let Deep Ellum, 477 Cambridge St., take over the space next door to open a Texas-style taco place called Lone Star Taco Bar.

The board also gave Boston Kabob Co., 164 Brighton Ave., permission to stay open until 1 a.m., Thursday through Saturday. The kaboberia had asked for permission to keep the lights on until 2 a.m. those days.

The King is dead?

By adamg - 9/25/10 - 1:01 pm

Dead King?

The King on Centre Street in West Roxbury was shut tight at lunch today. Plus, it has a small sign in the window advertising the impending arrival of what just sounds like a Chinese restaurant. So no more good, cheap Middle Eastern food on Centre? Oh, well, there's always Al Wadi on the VFW Parkway (which is very good, but not cheap).

If you like Middle Eastern food and live anywhere near West Roxbury, you'll want to try Al Wadi

By adamg - 8/24/10 - 2:35 pm

Al Wadi

Al Wadi, the replacement for the old Spring Blossom at 1249 VFW Parkway, opened last week. The kidlet and I stopped by for lunch today and concluded it looks to be perfect for those nights when you want somebody to serve you your Middle Eastern food (specifically, Lebanese) at a table, instead of just picking something up at the King.

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Allston kabob place: Muslim cab drivers need a place to eat late at night

By adamg - 3/10/10 - 11:27 am

Web site might need revising tomorrow.Web site might need revising tomorrow.Azama Grill on Harvard Avenue today sought city permission to extend its closing time to 3 a.m., citing the dietary needs of the area's growing Muslim population in general and Muslim cab drivers in particular.

"There are no other halal establishments in the Allston/Brighton area," restaurant lawyer Stephen Greenbaum told the Boston Licensing Board, referring to the kosher-like dietary laws devout Muslims follow.

But board Chairman Daniel Pokaski was having none of it, asking what would stop somebody from coming in next week and demanding a late-night license because "the Italians want to come in and they want a slice of pizza?"

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Kebab place that advertises 3 a.m. closing discovers you need city permission to close at 3 a.m.

By adamg - 3/3/10 - 6:01 pm

Azama Grill, which advertises it's open until 3 a.m. at 54 Harvard Ave., goes before the Boston Licensing Board on Wednesday to seek formal permission to actually stay open that late. It's currently licensed only until 1 a.m.

Now, you'd think if there's any place in the city were 3 a.m. closings would not only be allowed but encouraged would be Harvard Avenue (especially with Redneck's open until then), but a couple months back, the board set 2 a.m. as closing time for the Kelly's going into the old Marty's.

Scottish pub in JP, Lebanese restaurant in West Roxbury get city approvals

By adamg - 1/29/10 - 10:29 am

The Boston Licensing Board yesterday voted to grant a beer-and-wine license to Wee Angel, a Scottish bistro proposed for the site of the old Zon's in Hyde Square. The pub is also seeking a license from a separate city board for acoustic music. More on Wee Angel.

Also yesterday, the board granted a beer and wine license to 660 Al-Wadi, a Lebanese restaurant under construction at the site of the old Spring Blossom on VFW Parkway in West Roxbury. The board set a closing time of midnight Sunday through Thursday and 1 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Owner Ghassan Samaha originally proposed a 2 a.m. closing time on weekends, but the three residents who live right next to the location objected at a hearing on Wednesday.

Sami's finally ready to wrap 'n' roll in Jamaica Plain

By adamg - 1/20/10 - 3:51 pm

Sami's, which has been teasing JP with window signs for falafel, wraps and breakfast for almost forever now at 654 Centre St., finally got the last city permit it needs today, will do some touch-up work this weekend and, barring any last-minute mishaps, actually open next week. At least, that's what they said when I stopped in - I was thanked profusely for being so interested in their food.

It's owned by Sami himself, the guy who's been dishing up falafel and wraps in the medical district since 1979.

Late-night Middle Eastern fare on tap for VFW Parkway in West Roxbury

By adamg - 1/20/10 - 1:14 pm

The Boston Licensing Board holds a hearing on Jan. 27 on a request for a beer and wine license for the Lebanese restaurant going in where Spring Blossom used to be - 1249 VFW Parkway. Owner Ghassan Samaha, who already operates Nicole's in the South End, wants to stay open until 2 a.m., according to his application.