Casey's Diner (36 South Ave Natick MA)

Yea its a "diner" as in your typical side of the road out of a restored box car kinda deal, but lets be honest nobody comes here for anything else but their awesome hot dogs and burgers. Who thought a hot dog could be so amazing? Boiled to perfection and slopped together in less than a minute for you, these babies are so good its proven literal torture to try and eat just one. I'm a cheese with everything man, but most days I like to keep it simple as an all-around. I cannot ignore the fact that they do serve a killer burger, though. I had one for the first time a few years ago due to the stellar recommendation from a friend, and was pleasantly surprised by the juicy goodness explosion that occurred in my mouth a moment later. It don't know if I would drive two towns over to get one the way I would their dogs, but it was still very good and worth noting. Thanks for not selling out Casey's, as you will forever have a place as a clogged artery in my heart

The Aztec (2 Waverly St Framingham, MA 01702)

What I liked about this place was that it was legit mexican and no frills. The chips and salsa were awesome. Chips were hot and salsa was fresh. I would have liked a bit more spice in my salsa, but that's just a personal preference. I ordered another chips and salsa and they charged us $2.50 and didn't tell us they would. Not a big deal. The food came out super fast and tasted great. I took a bite of just about everything on my dad's plate and everything tasted awesome. The chile relleno was one of the best I've ever had. Vernon (dad) had a green chile tamale on the side which had the greatest salsa verde ever. All and all not a bad place not bad prices and good drinks so check it out ASAP

Cafe Mangal (555 Washington St Wellesley MA 02481)

The food is amazingly delicious for such a small establishment. Portions are generous, and the food cooked with love!!! I had a slow braised lamb nestled on eggplant - sultans choice... Divine!!!!! Shared 3 appetizers to... Superb! BYOB, the family personally tends to the table. The aromas and flavors are deep and exotic but not overwhelming. It's small and packs a hungry crowd. Make reservations, bring a crisp dry white, rich ashen soiled red, and enjoy a lovingly prepared, exotic and simple meal.

Amarin of Thailand (27 Grove St Wellesley Ma 02481)

The restaurant's decor is really nothing special, but it's down home comfortable with tables and booths. The main dining room is at an odd angle, so people who freak out from MC Escher drawings may be disconcerted. Service here is very good and the folks are generally friendly and accommodating. Prices are surprisingly cheap for some dishes, more expensive for big entrees. Tasty fresh food! Start out with Satay anything and wish that they could make a pool full of their peanut sauce to swim in. Mmmmm peanut sauce pool. The vegetarian rolls are OK, but lack some character, even with the sauce. Maybe they should add some basil to them. Tom Klang soup is my favorite: a lime-ish coconutty affair with tasty chicken and those Thai flavors I love! From there, entrees are your choice and everything is darned good. The thing I like about Amarin is that the food isn't GREASY at all. I leave most Thai restaurants stuffed so full of greasy Pad Thai that I need a stomach pump. However, Amarin's dishes feature light flavorful sauces and fresh meat and veggies. Highly recommended are Lover's Scampi (sexy sexy curry), Chicken and Cashews, and anything with duck. Daffy won't thank you, but your tummy will!

Ten-Ichi Dynamic Kitchen and Bar (1400 Worcester St Natick MA)

The atmosphere is really nice. It's well kept and is nicely decorated. As soon as I walked in, the entire waitstaff seemed really nice and welcoming. The server was fantastic! Super nice and did an amazing job explaining everything (e.g. the sauces, specials). Started off with Japanese Style Friend Chicken. It was nice. A bit pricey at $6 for a relatively small amount. At the end of the day, the food is still good, so no major complaints there. The spicy mayo paired very well with the fried chicken (a bit like dark meat chicken nuggets). The Hot Pot was really nice. An order of a hot pot "meal" includes a noodle or rice, assorted veggies, and your dish (e.g. Surf and Turf). I got the Surf and Turf with lamb. The lamb tasted fresh. The surf portion consisted of three pieces of pretty good fish, three shrimp, three "homemade" fish balls, and some squid. The shrimp had a tender fresh from the ocean taste (in a good way). The squid, however, was a little disappointing. The assorted vegetables were definitely the best part; probably since I enjoy veggies the most. Nice selection. They were not cheap filler veggies like some Chinatown hot pot places. They had a Chilean Sea Bass special. Fantastic. Highly recommended. Overall, no major complains. Great service. Good food. Not a bad place to go.

Hops N Scotch (1306 Beacon St Brookline, MA 02446)

The decor is very different from FINALE (the prior occupant) but the soothing browns and comfy seats are very inviting and welcoming. I can see this place becoming a happening hot spot for drinks and bites to eat to give a run for the other area bars for their money. But they stand alone in their outstanding menu of spirits. The Scotch Egg with the spicy chorizo was amazing! loved it and wanted more! The fried Chicken Livers were delicious (a tad little over cooked) but the accompanying bacon dipping sauce soothed and cooled the saltiness a notch. While the salad was typical with a generous portion of big croutons and greens, it was a smidgeon bit salty for our taste. Pork chop topped with apple-poblano chutney and a side of green beans with cherry tomatoes: excellent. Pork was cooked perfectly (perfect char marks), chutney was delicious, veggies were crisp and flavorful (and seasonal). All in all, I think this place is going to do great because it's in Coolidge Corner, which is starving for places like this. It falls way short when compared to other established beer bars in the area, but that is to be expected.

Watch City Brewing Co ( 256 Moody St Waltham, MA 02453)

They Now Serve Bacon Beer..Most interesting amongst the numerous other bars which are a staple of the Moody Street nightlife, Watch City stands out amongst the rest as you won't be finding any major beers on tap here, as they brew everything themselves instead. And while some of them don't always hit the mark, most are more than decent and are varied enough to catch just about anyone's interest. From stouts and porters, to summer-style, lighter beers and even weirder ones like bacon or spearmint flavored ones. Their menu features daily specials - on Mondays, they have a fisherman's platter for $20 - Tuesdays has spaghetti and meatballs on there, and there's more specials for every day of the week, each handing out generous portions for a pretty good price. But despite all of those, the meal itself I think was pretty forgettable. There was no unique twist, something to let the food standout. While it was good, it just was what you'd find it every other typical bar which isn't always a bad thing... but... not original by any means. Over all Watch City is family-friendly and features some nights for families with kids to dine out. If you're looking for a great fun dinner-and-a-movie location, hit Watch City before a showing at the Embassy next door and you can't lose.

Charlie's Beer Garden (10 Eliot St Cambridge, MA 02238)

Most of the food on Charlie's regular menu is junk food, but it's top-shelf junk food. Their array of fried potato products is stunning, they make a high-value lobster roll, and the draft beer selection is better than average (and, more to the point when it comes to deciding where to have lunch in the Square, better than the draft beer selection at Shay's). Their beer garden may be the coolest thing that's ever happened to Harvard Square. That's a bold statement, but I'm prepared to defend it because in my lifetime almost all of the changes to the Square have sucked. So if you have time and feel like enjoying good beer stop by here and check it out!!

The Bearded Pig (445 Somerville Ave Somerville, MA 02413)

As a barbecue enthusiast, I'm always looking for places around Boston that can do barbecue right. The Bearded Pig does not disappoint. Management clearly gets what barbecue is all about--they're not pandering, or trying to get away with subpar product, even though many other restaurants do that due to the less-than-robust barbecue scene in New England. Amazingly, this place does great pulled pork--they use a good rub, the pork gets good smoke penetration, and they've got a very tasty mustard/vinegar sauce to go along with it. The creamy cole slaw was another highlight, as was the mac and cheese. I also tried the brisket, which was trimmed of enough fat to make it so you're not chowing down on a half inch of gristle, but had enough left so that it didn't dry out too much in the smoker. The Bearded Pig also makes its own banana pudding--the most fitting homemade dessert for a barbecue joint, and it also happens to be a personal favorite. Bananas, custard, NIlla wafers and whipped cream. Heck yes. If you live in the Boston area and you're looking for quality barbecue, look no further and give this place your business it's worth it!!!1

Owen O'leary's (50 Turnpike Rd Southborough, MA 01772)

It's not fancy but Owen O'Leary's is a good place to go for a beer and hang out with friends. I visit occasionally to have a drink and play some pool. The food is okay but nothing special to write home about. The waitstaff and bartenders I've encountered have always friendly and overall the place has a nice atmosphere. There is an outdoor porch area for the summer. What more could you ask for? 25 cent wings! and 99 cent pizzas!

Yoki Japanese Restaurant & Sushi Bar (485 Massachusetts Ave Cambridge, MA 02139)

Yoki's SUSHI MENU features classic sashimi , royal hand rolls (IE. "Tthe Bruins Maki": "a spicy cooked salmon, cucumber, and cream cheese roll topped with salmon, tempura flakes, spicy white tuna, tobiko, scallions, sweet sauce, and spicy mayo"), and a little bit of everything in between, including a whole page of cooked sushi. Yoki also offers traditional JAPANESE STANDARDS (apps like edamame, gyoza, and deep-fried oysters). Entrees include teriyaki...all the usual suspects, hibachi steak, and boiled eel. HINT: Save room for dessert: red bean or green tea tempura FRIED ICE CREAM!

Granary Tavern (170 Milk St Boston, MA 02109)

Downstair bar scene is very cool and chill while upstairs is live and fun with the great views out to the Greenway! Really enjoyed the burger with their own specially made bacon and a egg on top! Lobster roll also excellently prepared, light on the mayo so done just right. Thats all I have to say so get yourself there..

Cast Iron Kitchen (177 Main St Maynard MA)

The food was tasty - not five stars tasty but definitely up there. I had the swordfish puttanesca because I absolutely love pasta puttanesca. (Or things with tons of salty anchovy/caper flavor it it in general. Mmmm..) The swordfish was excellent, as was the puttanesca sauce, and came with really delicious brussel sprouts on the side. It did, however, come on a large bed of so-so white rice which looked nice but could have been more flavorful, or even just a bit smaller. Service was attentive, homey, and very personal - I get the impression that the staff are all pretty invested in the restaurant and are really interested in seeing happy customers and having the place succeed. I hope it does well.

Bullfinchs (730 Boston Post Rd Sudbury MA)

The restaurant itself had a classic upscale irish pub look to it. Food was incredible and the chef prepared all courses in front of us. Very fresh crab cakes and mussels. Filet was great, Creme Brule' outstanding. The overall decor was intimate, cozy, and romantic and it was nice that they had Irish music playing in the background, not too loud but just loud enough that you could still have a conversation with someone and not be shouting to be heard. I really loved the fact that they had these encased glass windows with flames shooting out of some contrapcion, but it was very cool.

P.S. Don't be scared off by the location right on Rte. 20. The ambiance inside (and under the tent, weather permitting) makes you forget that cars are zipping by outside.

Paani Pure Indian Cuisine (621 Boston Post Rd Ma)

been looking forward to trying Paani, which finally opened this week. In short, the food was fabulous! The ingredients were fresh and the sauces surprisingly light, flavorful and complex. The Nan was delicate, served steaming right out of the oven. Malai Kofta (vegetable patties) had a fresh-veggie texture and flavor, and the Vegetable Samosas were tender with a fluffy filling. The portions were on the smaller side: 1 appetizer + 2 entrees was just enough for two people. We ate at the restaurant, which is decorated in vivid color, with an open and modern feeling. The service was gracious, but slow and very disorganized. There was a steady stream of takeout customers too, and some of them had to wait a long time. It seemed like Paani wasn't expecting as much business as they had: they'd already run out of takeout menus, only had white wine (no red), and apparently did not have enough kitchen staff on hand.