The Bostonian Review

2011-12-13T08:01:00.000-08:00

RIP

Kelly's Roast Beef, 1227 Commonwealth Avenue, Allston, MA

*****

According to the Boston Globe, the local branch of Kelly's Roast Beef will be closing this week. The chain did not meet sales requirements in order to stay open-- probably because there is a McDonalds right across the street that serves equally salty meat dishes for half the price of Kelly's. Most employees will be transferring to other branches of the chain, while about 20 employees will be losing their jobs.

Kelly's Roast Beef is a local company that started at Revere Beach and has expanded to Danvers, Medford, Natick, Saugus, and ~~Allston~~. The branch has only been open for a year and a half.

2011-12-09T16:50:00.000-08:00

MBTA: Green & Blue Lines

*****

Boston's holiday gift to it's people: cell phone service on the Green and Blue lines of the T! Later this month, Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile will provide underground service on the T. Furthermore, the Red Line, which already has operational cell phone service between Kendall and Andrew stations, will upgrade to complete cell phone service in 2012, according to the MBTA.

Apparently this project has been in the works for the past six years, but will become a reality this month. The company that is heading the project, InSite, says construction on the T is difficult due to the "operating schedule of the trains." This is hard to believe since the T stops running so early...

Regardless, Bostonians will now be able to have their annoying cell phone conversations or pass the time on the Internet while riding underground on the T.

2011-12-06T10:51:00.000-08:00

174 Brighton Ave Allston, MA

*****

What's better than delicious Chinese food? Cheap and delicious Chinese Food. Teriyaki Joe's just opened in Allston and offers affordable asian cuisine. With most dishes costing around $6.00, the value Teriyaki Joe's offers is hard to beat. These dishes and sides include favorites like orange chicken, pad thai, drunken noodles, crab rangoon, and spring rolls. The restaurant itself is a tiny hole in the wall on the corner of Park Vale Avenue and Brighton Avenue, but it's the perfect place to order take-out from. Even though the establishment just opened, the food is great, employees are friendly, and the service is of great convenience. Next time you don't feel like cooking or don't have the time, order from Teriyaki Joe's.

My favorite dish is the orange chicken rice bowl. It is served with white or brown rice, scallions, mandarin oranges, a sweet & spicy orange sauce, and all white meat chicken. There are no strange pieces of meat like you may find from other restaurants. I frequently get the combo meal which includes two crab rangoon and a can of soda for around $8.00. Delicious!

The orange chicken rice bowl

2011-11-29T19:02:00.000-08:00

246 Tremont St, Boston MA

*****

Cure Lounge hosted a friend's company launch party the other night. Free admission? Yea, I'll be there.

Cure Lounge dubs itself "Boston's sexiest new lounge." The interior of the club is swanky with soft lights and ultra white furniture. It has a unique entrance down a set of elegant stairs into the main room where there are VIP couches, the dance floor, and a bar that stretches across the far end of the room. This night, Kanye West's DJ was spinning the beats in the lounge. Cure is definitely a cool place to be, but cool comes with a price tag.

The VIP sections have juice and mixers ready for that bottle of Grey Goose they want you to order. But make sure you don't sit in the VIP without paying a few hundred first, don't expect to wipe your hands unless you leave a dollar tip, and expect to pay $13.00 for a watered down mixed drink of Absolut Vodka. You didn't pay enough for top-of-the-line vodka tonight. Maybe Cure is just trying to make up for that lawsuit?

Pregame before going to this swanky club and maybe you'll see some cool celebs or meet a wealthy significant other. I wonder what admission costs on the weekends?

The main room at Cure Lounge

2011-11-29T18:04:00.000-08:00

Ivy Sushi

Harvard Avenue

Allston, MA

*****

nomnomnom

Sushi is a delicious and healthy meal that many people in Boston enjoy, as there are countless sushi restaurants throughout the city; however, a lot of these restaurants are expensive. If you’re looking for a cheap place to get a few sushi rolls for less than ten dollars—look no further! Ivy Sushi located on Brighton Avenue in Allston has an unheard of lunch deal where customers can order two maki sushi rolls and miso soup for $8.50.

Ivy Sushi serves quality and delicious sushi rolls. Customers can choose from a wide variety of maki such as the California, Philadelphia, or vegetarian rolls. The deal excludes fancier rolls like tempura; however, the lunch deal is still a wise option for sushi lovers because it is so cheap. In addition to the two rolls, Ivy seals the deal with a cup delicious of miso soup. The amount of food served in this lunch deal is a perfect portion—it will leave your tummy happy, yet not too full.

Customers can eat in the cozy belowground restaurant on Harvard Ave, or call fifteen minutes before arriving and get the lunch to go. The restaurant only has a few tables, but is never too crowded. The servers at Ivy are friendly and make sure all your needs are met, for example, they often offer to separate checks for your party. The Ivy lunch deal is a convenient and wallet-friendly solution for the sushi lovers of Boston.

Don’t spend too much for your next sushi meal and go to Ivy Sushi located at 185 Harvard Avenue in Allston, between Glenville Ave & Commonwealth Ave. Or, call ahead for your quick, delicious, and most importantly, cheap, sushi meal at (617) 202-3808.

2011-10-25T21:38:00.000-07:00

My roommate showed me this cool blog called Bless this Stuff. It pretty much has the coolest things from all over the world with descriptions, pictures, videos, and sometimes a price tag if it's for sale. It even has a real life Bat Mobile!

Halloween is this weekend.

2011-10-25T14:47:00.000-07:00

Portugal. The Man @ Paradise Rock Club

October 11, 2011

*****

Portugal. The Man came to Boston this past Saturday and performed an amazing show at the Paradise Rock Club. For those who don't know:

"Portugal. The Man is an experimental indie rock four-piece centered on frontman John Baldwin Gourley’s abstract musical approach and corresponding upbringing. He was raised in a sort of technological isolation: his log cabin home in the winter wasteland of the fringes of Wasilla, Alaska was powered by a generator and had no telephone. Both of his parents helped completely immerse him in the unique lifestyle that comes with a land of seasonal darkness and perpetual cold with their jobs as dog sled mushers. Gourley’s innate curiosity and individual spirit combined with a fascination with science fiction and experiences of homelessness create a distinctly transcendent sound that is always open to interpretation and change."

Here is a shotty video I captured of "All Your Light" from their new album, "In the Mountain, In the Cloud". The video does not do their stage presence or quality music justice. Check out their website for they are a truly incredible band that creates amazing music.

A shotty video of "All Your Light"

2011-10-16T10:17:00.000-07:00

916 Commonwealth Avenue
Boston, MA 02215 - (617) 731-8646

Hours: Sun 11–2am; Mon-Fri 11:30–2am; Sat 11:30–1:00am

*****

Sunset Cantina has a bar, indoor and outdoor tables, and doesn’t get too crowded. It is a comfortable bar because there is plenty of room to stretch out. Sunset Cantina has 112 tequilas and 38 beers on tap, which gives you a whole lot to chose from!

I suggest you put the lime in the coconut with Sunset’s Coconut-Lime Margarita. Even if you don’t like tequila, you’re gonna wanna try this drink. It comes on the rocks or blended with ice, salt on the rim, and garnished with a lime. Sunset's Coconut-Lime Margarita tastes like a combination of a pina colada and an original margarita put together—genius. The drink comes in a cool cactus and is priced at a reasonable $6.99.

Cheers!

2011-10-16T09:56:00.000-07:00

Inside CVS/Pharmacy
36 White St. Cambridge, MA, 02140-1449

Mon – Fri 8:00am to 7:00pm
Sat 9:00am to 5:30pm
Sun 10:00am to 5:30pm

*****

Did you wake up a monster today like me? Then go to CVS/Pharmacy's Minute Clinic where seven days a week there is no appointment necessary. Nurse practitioners access your medical situation and prescribe or recommend medications to treat you-- just as your doctor would! Trust, this is a quick, affordable, and convenient alternative to the doc.

Feel better after going to the Minute Clinic~*

2011-10-02T14:05:00.000-07:00

I'd like to take a moment to reflect on the demise of the honey bbq chicken supermelt. It is to my knowledge that Massachusetts-born Friendly's is likely to go out of business and with it goes this delicious sandwich. Run to your local Friendly's Express located at 295 Harvard Street in Coolidge Corner and savor one of these bad boys right quick before it's too late...

2011-09-30T08:43:00.000-07:00

920 Commonwealth Avenue - Brookline, MA 02446 - 617-208-4555

Monday- Friday 5:00AM-11:00PM

Saturday & Sunday 7:00AM-10:00PM

*****

Need to get ripped for Spring Break? Don’t live or want to work out on campus? Don’t want to give your paycheck and soul to Boston Sports Club? Then join GymIt in Brookline near Boston University. GymIt just opened this year and it is perfect for college students because it is affordable and relaxed. The gym has no commitments, which means a no-fee-cancellation at any time for when you move out of the area. Not to mention the membership only costs nineteen dollars a month. The gym comes equipped with brand spankin’ new iPod friendly equipment, an arsenal of flat screen televisions playing all your favorite shows, and a friendly weight room. GymIt is a smart gym for college students, which means there are mostly younger faces working out in the gym. Hello, eye candy.

Scrawny boys and girls welcome!

Some of the 100 pieces of cardio equipment

2011-09-27T09:20:00.000-07:00

160 Brighton Avenue - Allston, MA 02134 - 617.782.0882

Sun-Tues 11:00AM-1:00AM

Wed-Sat 11:00-2:00AM

*****

#3: 2 Slices of Sicilian w/ Soda: $5.00

Mike is the owner of Allston's Bravo Pizzeria and he proudly boasts his Sicilian cheese pizza as "unbeatable". I agree with Mike as I am a frequent customer for his Sicilian pizza. Mike's Sicilian secret is that the pie "has twice the amount of cheese and dough" than the thin crust pizza. The sauce used on Bravo's Sicilian is unique because it has "a lot more herbs and spices" so that it makes a more zesty pizza. Bravo Pizzeria is my go-to pizza joint not only because of the quality Sicilian, but also because of the way Mike treats his customers-- like friends.

Combo meals at Bravo Pizzeria

My roommates, friends, and family frequent Bravo Pizzeria and feel welcomed by the jolly and personable owner. Once I was too clumsy after the bar to hold on to my slice and when it dropped to the floor Mike handed me another. Not to mention every now and then Mike will give my roommates and I free pizza or something off the menu to try for free. When family comes to visit we go to Bravo to order a pie and Mike always comes to the table to meet his new customers. Every time we go into Bravo pizza we have friendly conversation and for this reason Bravo Pizzeria is a staple establishment in the pizza-eating community.

My roomie pretending to rob Mike w/ the Big Buck Hunter shotgun...