Edgar's Review

China Buffet ***

As I entered the personality-lacking dining area over done in marble, it was nice enough to not distract me from food and conversation. Unfortunately, probably because they were closing in an hour, the waitress continuouly pushed the buffet offering a 10% and later and 20% discount to order the buffet special.

From the street, Jack's Ristorante is un-assuming, but inside there is a romantic restaurant serving some well-made Italian standards - request them to your liking. A friendly wait staff is sure to make you feel at home. Take your significant other out and enjoy the dim lighting with dark and rich mediterranean colors scattered through out the dining and bar areas with décor reminiscent of Italy.

Being on a committee that used to have its meetings at a different location every couple of months has its perks. One such place is family-owned Old Tyme Cuisine. Somewhat romantic, this place is quite hidden although it's on a main street. It has only the parking sign (see picture) with its name on it.

Same owners, new name, Nick & Tony's Saltwater Café is now Grassfields. Altering their menu to include more American food. I tried the Cordon Blue, which I found a bit small. I liked it, but did not love it. The chicken parmigiana was better and bigger. The dining room design has not changed much, except for the new bar. As you can see in the picture, the marquee is much bolder with its colors and size - very good!

Going retro here. I know it's not in the Boston area, but on my last trip to Miami, my cousin took me to an Argentinean steak house. I must say, there is NO steak in New England that compares to this. The gaucho (cowboy) dates back centuries before the American cowboy and is responsible for the best tasting steak on the planet!

A landmark in downtown Salem, Beer Works offers a great variety of beer and food. Featuring an outside deck and a micro-brewery, SBW's brick walls lined with photos and local memorabilia. They offer a couple of pool tables, but get in line. We went there for lunch to avoid the night crowd.

I had passed by Renzo's a few times thinking "it looks new and expensive", until I took a menu and saw they are reasonably priced. I was pleasantly surprised. It faces Revere Beach and on a nice summer night, eating out on their sidewalk is probably quite nice.

Your downtown Chinese restaurant - literally. Hong Kong is your "go to" restaurant for your American-Chinese fill when you're running late, too tired to cook, or just want to a place to go with your friends or significant other for a quick and pleasant dinner.

"At the intersection of Rt. 114 and 1A, across the street from Salem State College"

This is a quick and affordable place for local students to dine. If Wi-Fi is offered, you might not get them to leave. For everyone else, the décor needs work... plenty of potential here!

Right on the ocean, Tides is better known for its typical New England entrees, i.e. clam chowder, scallops, etc. Enjoy your dinner best on a clear, summer night while eating out on their deck while overlooking the waters of Nahant Beach.
Great for sports events!

Turn on your GPS and FIND this family owned hideaway! A bit out of the way, but only a block from the beach, Alia "stay as long as you want" policy is a great way to slow things down and enjoy the food and present company. Unassuming, romantic and Moroccan-born Said Lahyani and his Italian-American wife bring you delicious dishes with a feel for Mom's cooking!

A nice dinner with friends and family; we popped in and I'm glad we did. Small, romantic and perfectly presented candlelit tables add to this upscale, yet affordable hidden jewel. First thing I thought of was, "What a nice place for a date!", with its candlelit tables and well-presented entrees.

Well established, Thai Place Restaurant serves typical "Americanized" Thai dishes, such as the Sesame Chicken and Rainbow Fried Rice; I went with a sampler that was mediocre at best... most everything unfortunately is fried. With green awnings and Christmas lights over the bar, it takes the word "tacky" to a whole new level.

This isolated restaurant appears on the south bound side of Route 1-A, awkward to get to, especially if you're coming from the south. It rests in an inlet with water on the backside and next to a Dunkin' Donuts. Although its appeal is pretty neutral, it does offer a unique combination of Italian and seafood dishes.

The latest addition to Danvers Square, this Thai restaurant is immaculate in appearance and full of budget conscious entrees. Sawasdee, meaning "hello" and "goodbye" according to the hostess/waitree is soothing to the eyes, one can not help but to relax to the beautiful Asian decor and sweet aroma coming from the kitchen

Tavern in the Square is suppose to be your typical sports bar, minus the less than tasty food. Located in downtown Salem on the corner of the old Salem Evening News building, a location that can't be beat, its open "L" shaped floor plan just about lets everyone dining have a window view and when the weather is warm, the large panel windows are kept opened providing near outdoor experience!

Located right on the water at Pickering Wharf, Salem, Victoria Station (VS) makes it possible to enjoy a great meal while still being affordable. Whether you decide to eat inside or out on the boardwalk overlooking the water and all the beautiful boats, there is always a good time to be had at Salem's staple restaurant VS.

Yes, I know, two Irish restaurants in a row. I thought this would be slightly more upscale being in downtown Salem, but I was wrong. The waitress was nice, but inexperienced, the wall decorations reminded you of all things Irish, but that's about it. The menu only had a two or three Irish dishes and the best ones, if that's what you call them, were Italian-American or Mexican!

As Irish as it gets, Fibber's offers a noticable step-up in service and quality from its nearby rivals the second you walk through the doors. Like other surrounding restaurants, the fight for local students' patronage is obvious, and were I to choose, this bar & grill is thus far my favorite in the Beverly area as far as bar and grills go.

From its inception in Harvard Square, Border Cafe has slowly grown to only three local and two out-of-state locations. Other in-state locations include Burlington and Saugus. Food is based on legendary Jose Creole's food from his tiny restaurant in Louisiana during the Great Depression.

A great local hangout for the young and lively while attending local colleges, I enjoy their .15 Tuesday check wing special. With no host, it's a free for all grab at the next available table, so have your eyes peeled.

I admit to not being up to speed with Indian Asian cuisine, but the waiters were more than kind to point out the differences and suggest food in accordance to my taste...last time I had Indian food was in London years ago. Try the Chicken Tikka Masala (delicious!) or the Lamb/Beef Curry… can’t go wrong.

Located just blocks from Faneuil Hall and directly across the street from the Holocaust Monument, surrounded by perpetual streams of twenty-somethings for a night on the town...

Here it is, the awaited P.F. Chang review. I can’t compare to Boston’s or any other location, but I can tell you good things about this one.

I tried the Chicken Lettuce Wrap, Spring Roll, Calamari, Lemon Scallop and Mongolian Beef, and I must say, all were great and delicious!

I know this is a breakfast diner, but I had to make an exception to only rating places you could bring a date to, it's just that good! I had the banana pancakes, tried the chocolate pancakes and ate two eggs with raisin bread toast.

This is by far the best breakfast food I have had - ever! It only can compare to mom's food. You can easily eat for two until tummies are full for under $20 easily.

A friend of mine turned me on to Sam & Joe's - and he was right! It's great! Sam & Joe's offers typical Italian-American cuisine with a price that might be average in Danvers (if you know what I mean), but also: large portions!

This little hole in the wall specializes in sandwich wraps. Anything from Cuban to Middle Eastern styled wraps make for a variety that is sure to please everyone and anyone that enters their doors. I ate the Turkey Wrap, my date had the Turkey Cranberry Wrap - the latter was tastier, the Turkey Wrap was spicier. I also enjoy El Cubano.

Quite the experience in ambience! I found everything from the bar to waiting area welcoming and friendly. They offer everything from sushi to Spanish tapas...

When the O'Fado, Peabody's longtime established restaurant, closed, the Trackside picked up the slack. Located near downtown Peabody, this cozy place is home to some mediterranean plates for your enjoyment.

A quaint sports bar in Wyoma Square, Rolly's Tavern is a great place for small groups of friends to get together for a quick bite or to enjoy conversation over the sport memorabilia splattered over the walls.

Last night I had dinner at SugarCane and was a pleseantly surprised. Calming atmosphere, professional wait staff and good food, yet very affordable. Great food, great prices. I enjoyed my dinner and everything else about SugarCane AND they deliver!

I must admit, I've been to The Barnacle many times before over the years. I find it to be a peaceful hole in the wall where you can get good seafood at a decent price. Granted, the menu is slightly limited for my taste, but they have just enough to make it work and please most people!

I remember back in 1993, when I went to the City of Peabody Council to get approval to start my livery service. I was only 23, but I still remember the Council hearing the petition to open Su - Chang's in the same location as the Proctor House was. Believe it or not, until now, I had never gone to Su - Chang's.

Woodman's of Essex ***

I had an interesting Mother's Day. My brothers and I took my Mom and Grandmother to Woodman's up in Ipswich. Although it's not the kind of restaurant we usually take them to, they seemed to have enjoyed the more casual atmosphere.

Tonight I ate dinner at the I Pazzi Italian Mediterranean Cuisine in Danvers. A bit empty, but then again, it's a Monday night and they just opened on Saturday. Now under new management, I Pazzi was formly Luciano's. My understanding is they are producing their own line of wine to go with their creations! Can't wait!

The Cheesecake Factory ****

New North Shore Mall location.

I had the Lemon-Herb Roasted Chicken, my date had the Pasta Da Vinci. We topped it off by sharing a Vanilla Bean cheesecake - and man was it delicious!! This new location offers top service, reasonable prices and great atmosphere!

A recent revisit, has definitely prompted further elaboration and recommendation of this well-kept secret. Contrary to its prior owner and incarnation, ambience versus value is much improved. No longer slightly out of reach for the average person, this restaurant now features affordability without scrimping on the finer points of dining.

A great little sports restaurant and pub, a definite to watch all major sports events or have just a good ol' time! Good food, good service, good for an early dinner or casual night out.

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