Doing the DDD thing in the Boston area



As I was searching for the next DDD adventure, I looked at a number of cities that I could do on my two days off.  I decided that a quick two night trip to Boston would be the way to go.  I flew up on a morning flight from Dulles to Boston.  After getting a car I headed into the city to get the adventure going.  My first stop was a very cool joint called "Mike's City Diner".  The owner-chef is Jay, a native of Lebanon, who runs an All-American Diner with the specialty of roasting turkeys.  I arrived before the lunch menu so I ordered some Corned Beef Hash (a favorite meal of Guy on DDD) and got to chatting with my server about my DDD adventures.  They were pretty amazed with all the places I had been to and it was a great conversation.  I told her that I would lie to get my book signed so she got Jay to come out and we had a great chat and I told him that I was interested in their "Pilgrim Turkey Sandwich" but it was too early.  A few moments later my server cam over and told me to stop eating and took my meal away, jay was making me something special.  A few moments later I was presented with a plate of both Corned Beef Hash and Turkey Hash and it was very good.  Jay made the meal himself and told me that  he never uses left overs of turkey for anything but hast because the day old turnkey is not too good on sandwiches.  A great meal and a wonderful staff, what a way to start a trip!

Turkey and Corned Beef Hash at Mikes

Mikes City Diner in Boston

Charlies Diner in Spencer, MA

From Mikes I was headed west to a small town outside Worcester called Spencer.  The drive took about an hour and I will tell you that Massachusetts drivers are VERY AGGRESSIVE!.  Spencer is in a very rural  area and when I arrived it was not too busy.  "Charlie's Diner" is a family run place and has a menu that changes day to day.  I tried one of the dishes that was presented on DDD which is called American Chop Suey, a pasta meal that is laced with hearty tomato sauce and spicy sausage, very good.  I got to meet Charlie, the son of the man who opened the diner in the 1930's.  Charlie is over 80 and now him and his son run the place.  he told me that they have only been in Spencer for less than 20 years, when they lost their land lease in Worcester, they picked the place up, put it on some wheel bases and moved it to where they are today!  The building was built ion the 30's bu the Worcester Lunch Car Company and although hundreds were built very few exist today.  Charlie told me that because of it's location he sees the same patrons each day so he has to change his menu daily for his local patrons. 

I drove back to the Boston area to another fairly rural area and popular vacation area not too far off the water to a places called "J.T. Farnhams Clams".  This shack like building is cranking out all types of friend seafood and it is very fresh, usually all the seafood served was caught either the day before or that same day.  I tried their famous Fried Clam boat.  They are famous for serving only "Full Belly" Clams, never Clam Strips.  the Clams are large and very tasty.  Although it was very busy, the ENTIRE staff signed my book on their featured page.  From their it was off to the town of Salem (home of the historic Witch Trials, there is even a statue in the town's center square).  I was off to "The Lobster Shanty" just off the town square.  Although on DDD they featured barbecue, I just can;t go to a pace called Lobster Shanty and get barbecue, so I decided to try the Lobster Mac and Cheese along with a side of Clam Chowder.  The Chowder was phenomenal and the Mac and Cheese was good.  I liked the place but it seemed too "Yuppie" for me.

Must of been an off day, my server wasn't cranky at all!



My second and last day in Boston started with another place that was housed in a 1930's Worcester Lunch Car building.  "The Little Depot Diner" in Peabody (pronounced P-biddy) is decorated with a model train chugging around the upper perimeter of the building and the ceiling is painted to recreate a sunny day with blue skies and white puffy clouds.  I had to try the pork spread sandwich which is unique to the Little Depot (at least in Massachusetts), it's called Corton (pronounced kuh-Tuh-n), sort of like tuna and very tasty.  The staff there was great!  Then it was off to Sommerville and a classic diner called "Kelly's Diner".  It is the classic Jersey style diner with a full menu and my server was named Dolly, how classic is that!  Then it was off to Cambridge near Harvard and a neat little joint called "The Greek Corner".  The place is decorated inside with huger murals depicting the Greek Mediterranean Island scenes and photos of Greece.  I got the Spinach Pie and it was hot and tasty.  

The Little Depot Diner Toy Train



My last meal in Boston was in a word - INCREDIBLE!!!...I saved the best for last!  I ended up in an East Boston neighborhood not too far from Logan Airport.  You would know that thee was a restaurant here amongst all the row houses if there were no sign, but "Rino's Place" is a real treasure.  The great staff chats with everyone as if they were life long friends.  This small place always has a wait and after eating there I know why, by the time I left the wait was over 2 hours, I waited abut 30 minutes.  There was only one thing for me to get, the meal featured on DDD, the Lobster Ravioli!  The meal begins with a small but tasty salad and some of the best bread I have ever had!  The large plat of ravioli is topped with a vodka-tomato sauce infused with chunks of lobster meat.  The raviolis are huge with big chunks of lobster, as I write this I want to go back and get another plate!  The chef cam out of his busy kitchen to meet me and sign my book, nice guy and wonderful chef!  I couldn't have had a better meal and now I am to sure if I want lobster any other way.





Lobster Ravioli - AWESOME!!



I flew home with great memories and my DDD count at 172