Where to Eat Now 2010
Daily Dish
Great meals—and deals—for every night of the week. By Jamie Coelho and Brittany Jasnoff
Handmade Strozzapreti at Il Casale. Photograph by Michael Piazza.
Monday: Mistral, Sorellina, and Mooo
Next weekend’s epicurean adventures won’t seem so far away if you kick off the workweek with a $35 three-course dinner at any of these three top restaurants run by chef Jamie Mammano: French-Mediterranean bistro Mistral, upscale Italian joint Sorellina, or steakhouse Mooo. 223 Columbus Ave., Boston, 617-867-9300, mistralbistro.com; One Huntington Ave., Boston, 617-412-4600, sorellinaboston.com; 15 Beacon St., Boston, 617-670-2515, mooorestaurant.com.
Tuesday: T. W. Food
Looking for an international getaway without the plane fare and weather delays? French eatery T. W. Food goes global on Tuesdays, featuring a $49 four-course prix fixe menu that’s built around wines from different countries (rioja and Spanish omelets one week, shiraz and scallops another week, and so on). 377 Walden St., Cambridge, 617-864-4745, twfoodrestaurant.com.
Wednesday: Tavolo
Step away from that pot of spaghetti on the burner—Dorchester favorite Tavolo has got something better cooking. Chow down on polenta with fonduta from Val d’Aosta or agnolotti with veal from Piedmont during Wednesday’s pasta tours, which offer an $18 three-course meal inspired by a specific Italian region. 1918 Dorchester Ave., Dorchester, 617-822-1918, tavolopizza.com.
Thursday: Evoo
Monday through Thursday, this Somerville stalwart dishes up a $70 made-to-order feast of charcuterie, soup, salad, and fish and meat courses, followed by a farmstead cheese plate and dessert. The restaurant will ditch its current digs for a shiny new Kendall Square location next month, so be one of the last to dine at the old place, or plan to help break in the new one. 118 Beacon St., Somerville, 617-661-3866, evoorestaurant.com.
Friday: Clink
Jump-start the weekend at this Liberty Hotel hot spot, which has a happy-hour-into-dinner “TGIF” promo that features a host of appetizers for under $7 between 4 and 9 p.m. Dirt-cheap deals include steamed mussels with lemongrass, ginger, and saffron for $7; veal-and-ricotta meatball sliders for $5; and local oysters for a buck and a half. Liberty Hotel, 215 Charles St., Boston, 617-224-4004, clinkrestaurant.com.
Saturday: Il Casale
Rush-hour traffic jams may make you think twice about venturing to Belmont on weeknights. But weekends—when the roads are clear and you can gather a crowd for a family-style dinner—are a prime time for chef Dante de Magistris’s ethereally good pasta, whole grilled trout, and tiramisu. Depending on your group’s appetite, you can take the Fiat ($45 per person) or the Ferrari ($60 per person) tasting menu for a spin. 50 Leonard St., Belmont, 617-209-4942, ilcasalebelmont.com.
Sunday: Tupelo
Postgame Sundays are when our comfort-food cravings really kick in, which makes Tupelo’s fried chicken and ribs (served from 5 to 9 p.m.) a big winner in our book. For $18, you’ll get a hearty plate of fried chicken, smoked barbecue ribs, grits, and coleslaw. And after loosening your belt a notch, finish up with some brown-butter pecan pie. 1193 Cambridge St., Cambridge, 617-868-0004, tupelo02139.com.