DINING OUT
This Week's Review
XO CAFE
Hugs and kisses for a Providence cafe
By Alison Arnett, Globe Staff, 05/04/00
The view out the bay window of the XO Cafe: a dark street scene, rain slanting in wind-driven sheets, awnings flapping, couples forsaking dignity to run pell-mell through the downpour. The picture inside: The room is filling up, the noise level rising as tables of four and six people laugh and talk and waiters recite their list of specials. There's a blur of activity at the open kitchen, where pizzas are being shoved into a big wood-fired oven. The artwork - nudes formed out of black mesh, scribbled drawings, a striking mural above the bar, light sconces fancifully formed of copper - seems almost alive, it's so much part of the action. The exuberantly styled plates go sailing by, and we crane our necks to see what the table next to the table next to us is having.
Recent Reviews
THE B-SIDE LOUNGE
A very cool lounge, a hot dining spot
By Alison Arnett, Globe Staff, 04/27/00
There was a time when a bar was a bar and a restaurant a restaurant, one to drink in, one for dining. That held true especially in Boston, where the supper club idea never reached the apex that it did in New York. But a new generation, unimpressed by old rules of dining out and with money and an unquenchable avidity for pink cocktails, is cheerfully mixing up the two.
FLORA, ISABELLA, LYCEUM BAR & GRILL
Urban chich, at home in the suburbs
By Julie Riven, 04/13/00
There are times when the thought of driving into the city, fighting traffic, and endlessly circling for parking seem overwhelming. Thankfully, Boston's suburbs have seen a small but noticeable influx of young trained chefs. They're looking for real estate that allows them to serve meals at a reasonable price, in stylish settings. Apparently that suits patrons, too, because many of the restaurants are brimming all the time.
MATTEOS
Italian, updated and celebrated
By Alison Arnett, Globe Staff, 04/06/00
In my first years of reviewing, in the early to mid-1990s, there were so many new Italian restaurants that it became difficult to find something to say.
BLACKSTONES
A lively spot for a once-dormant square
By Alison Arnett, Globe Staff, 03/30/00
After a first visit to Blackstone's, one of my dinner companions sent a note saying that she remembers only a few years ago when her advisers at Northeastern University warned students specifically away from this part of Washington Street. ``How times change,'' she said.
GUST0
Classic Italian puts Roslindale on map
By Alison Arnett, Globe Staff, 03/23/00
Even on a Tuesday night, GustO is packed at 7. We find our companions, who've already been seated as one of them is on crutches. They're across from Boston Mayor Thomas Menino, who's dining with Suffolk County DA Ralph Martin. We mention this to our waiter as he brings menus. "Oh, he's come several times," the waiter says with a nonchalant shrug. "Last week, the governor came in."
THE FEDERALIST
Waiting game over, it's a winning bet
By Alison Arnett, Globe Staff, 03/16/00
Anticipation is a dangerous thing. Almost all of last year, dining enthusiasts seemed to be collectively holding their breath, waiting for the oft-delayed Federalist to open. After a few years of big restaurant debuts, '99 was quieter, focusing the spotlight, making the suspense palpable. Several reports jumped the gun, praising the restaurant before it had even opened.
HARVEST & TRUC
What new chefs have cooked up for Harvest and Truc
By Alison Arnett, Globe Staff, 03/09/00
In a world that changes rapidly, it's no wonder that restaurants change, too. That often catches diners off guard, though. So from time to time, I return to places, reviewed in the past, that have a new chef or have taken a new direction. Two of these are the Harvest in Harvard Square and Truc in the South End, both restaurants where a new chef signals a change in style and tone rather than a revolution.
Dining Out is a review of upscale restaurants where most entrees are over $12.
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