Rusty Can Byfield

Rusty Can in Byfield is situated just before Newburyport at exit 55, and it's not that long of a drive from home, but good grief does Rte 95 become boring after the split. No menu on the website, but they post their specials on FB.

They have a big parking lot, but it fills up quickly.

2 minutes later the front room was filled up, and they started to seat people in the back dining room. I managed to snag one of the two hightops near the windows. Best seat in the house.

The 1lb Smoked Prime Rib with one side (26) is usually only available after 5PM, so when it was available at lunch today, I jumped on it. None of the sides really went with prime rib, so fries it was, and they were OK. The prime rib was fantastic, tender and juicy, and it even had a smoke ring. I asked for as rare as possible and was very happy with this. Did I mention that it was tender? I think my New Years resolution will be to get here more often. They do BBQ right.

Address 6 Fruit Street Byfield, MA 01922 Phone (978) 462-1204

Tequila's Wakefield

It's not exactly Taco Tuesday, but I was in the mood for something Mexican, so I headed out to Tequila's Mexican Cantina in Wakefield. So far the food has been delicious here.

Yes, this was the day we are having today, but it's in the low 40, and we didn't get any snow this morning.

The inside is bright and very pleasant. There is a bar on the other side of the partition.

The chips still feel stale, but the salsas keep on improving. The Chipotle Crema now had chipotle in it. The Tomatilla was tasty and tart. The Tomato was delicious and flavorful. I wish they changed the chips.

Since it wasn't Taco Tuesday, I went with the Enfrijoladas (9) from the lunch menu. "Two torillas stuffed with tinga, covered in creamy pureed beans, topped with chorizo, crema, cilantro, queso fresco and avocado slices (served with rice)". Cut and paste from the online menu. The avocado slices didn't make it. The chorizo was Mexican and really good. The Enfrijoladas was excellent with a ton of tender chicken that had just a trace of tomato sauce. The rice is excellent, and I don't often say that in a Mexican restaurant. I was surprised to get the refried beans on the side since the menu said just rice, but I'm not complaining, I like refried beans. Another excellent lunch here with tasty food and plenty of it.

Address: 979 Main St, Wakefield, MA 01880 Phone: (978) 710-5512

Toraya Arlington

Toraya in Arlington is really THE place for sushi and Japanese dishes in Arlington. It fills up quickly for both lunch and dinner. I got here at 11:45 and got the last seat at the sushi bar.

They have parking behind the restaurant and also on the side street.

It's small and seats about 24, and that includes the sushi bar. One sushi chef and one waitress. This could be anywhere in Japan.

You get green tea and Miso Soup. No spoon. The bowl was ice cold, so the soup quickly became cold. When warm the miso soup is actually OK.

Today's choice was a Bento Box with Pork Katsu ($11.95). I really like the salad dressing here, and the molded rice is tasty. The apps section had some cold cooked salmon, fish cake, marinated shitake mushrooms, egg pancake, gyoza (cold), edamame and some Tatsuta-age (deep fried chicken also cold). All of it was delicious and well prepared. The pork katsu was cooked perfectly, and come with some hot mustard, tonkatsu sauce and a slice of lemon, and this is exactly how this dish traditionally should be served.

Chef Shinji Muraki is breaking down a whole loin of tuna. Doesn't get any fresher than this.

Address 890 Massachusetts Ave, Arlington, MA 02476 Phone number (781) 641-7477

Fresco's Malden

What's better than a Lobster Roll for Christmas Eve lunch? A gigantic Lobster Roll from Fresco's Roast Beef & Seafood in Malden of course!

It has gone up a couple of dollars to $23.50. It comes with nicely cooked fries. Just mayo and some scallions and that's it. There were at least five half tails in there plus a big claw. This is one great Lobster Roll.

Address: 775 Eastern Ave, Malden, MA 02148 Phone: (781) 605-3531

Summer Shack Cambridge

The Summer Shack in Cambridge is located at the Alewife station. Just to date myself I have to disclose that I went to Jasper Whites original restaurant on the waterfront for his pan-roasted lobster.

Plenty of parking and it's easy to get in and out.

I like it much better this way. I really disliked the wooden tables and communal seating.

A couple of pieces of cornbread arrives promptly.

The staple dishes are listed online, but the rest of the menu changes daily. I started with a cup of bermuda fish & crab chowder with dark rum (7). This was one tasty and flavorful dish. It was really well seasoned and bordered on spicy. The croutons were stale and rock hard.

I took a chance and ordered the chicken & waffles (13). "2 pc fried chicken, scrambled eggs, brunch potatoes". I also got a fruit cup and a Frisée salad that is hiding behind the chicken. I ordered all dark and was informed that it could take 15 minutes to prepare. Not a problem. The chicken came out piping hot and was absolutely delicious. Crispy on the outside and moist and tender on the inside. The scrambled eggs were soft scrambled. the waffle was just a waffle, and the maple syrup was tasty. The brunch potatoes were lukewarm, had the skins left on and was unseasoned. Since I really like honeydew melon, those pieces were unripe. I'll be back for that chicken! Service was friendly.

Address: 149 Alewife Brook Pkwy, Cambridge, MA 02140 Phone: (617) 520-9500

The Bancroft Burlington

It was time for my yearly burger visit to The Bancroft in Burlington.

Plenty of parking and I found out that you can take the entrance to the bank and the Bancroft is right there.

I like to take a booth in the bar. It's a very pleasant restaurant with top-notch service.

Everything is of good quality even the cute steak knife.

The Bancroft Burger ($15). "Cave Aged Cheddar, Brioche Bun and Fries". The burger used to be only available at lunch, but now it's on the bar menu, and the bar menu is available anywhere anytime. The first burger comes out half medium and half medium well, so back it went. The second attempt was actually rare. It was a loosely packed patty that was well seasoned and tasty. The cheese on top was nice and sharp. The crunchy onion strings are a nice addition. The bun was very light and nicely toasted. The fries were good and had been seasoned when they come out of the fryolator. The pickles are way too sweet for me. The ketchup is made in-house and is super tasty. I never use ketchup on my fries, except here. The service is always pleasant.

Address: 15 3rd Ave, Burlington, MA 01803 Phone: (781) 221-2100

Brodie's Pub Peabody

Brodie's Pub in Peabody posted a picture on IG of their Haddock Wrap, and it looked really good.

They are not moving.

This was the calm before the storm. They got really busy a little bit later.

Lunch Golden Fried Haddock Wrap ($11.99). "Lettuce, tomato, tartar sauce, sliced pickles, melted mixed cheddar, grilled flour tortilla". This doesn't really resemble that other picture. It was tasty, and the fish was cooked really well. The fries were terrible and so greasy that I had to leave them. I have had their steak fries before, and they have always been perfectly cooked, so I'm not sure what happened today. Maybe the oil wasn't up to temp.

Address: 10 1/2 Lowell St, Peabody, MA 01960 Phone: (978) 977-9988

3 Country Bistro Woburn

As the name implies 3 Country Bistro in Woburn are serving Thai, Japanese and Korean food. This is another restaurant that doesn't have a website, but the menu can be found here. Doing it this way doesn't show their lunch specials. The lunch menu seemed to be identical to the dinner menu with lower prices and a few added lunch specials.

They are on Main Street in Woburn so parking can be sparse. There is a big communal lot behind the restaurant.

The inside is small but was impeccably clean, and the heat was on.

Lunch comes with a miso soup that was actually tasty. It also comes with a big metal soup spoon.

I started with the Asharhi Cucumber Appetizer ($7.95). "Tuna, salmon, yellowtail and avocado, rolled in thinly-sliced cucumbers and served with ponzu sauce". The cucumber wasn't that thinly sliced, but it was a nice dish, and the ponzu sauce was good.

Next was the Okdol Bi Bim Bab ($10.95). "Assorted seasoned veggies and your choice of meat with cooked egg on top. Served with miso soup and rice". Half of the egg was overcooked, and the other half was raw. The chicken was dry. The Gochujang was tasty without being too spicy. The rest of the dish was fine with nicely cooked veggies and properly cooked rice. The trick here is to mix everything together except the bottom layer of rice.

When the socarrat has formed on the bottom, scrape up all the rice and mix it into the dish. Now you have nice crispy bits available.

The chairs have been taped up, and the paneling is scratched as are the walls. The service was very friendly, and the waitress had everything under control even when they got really busy. I have had their Chirashi ($16.95), and it was excellent and a good value.

Address: 379 Main St, Woburn, MA 01801 Phone: (781) 376-8030

Khao Hom Billerica

On last weeks visit to Khao Hom in Billerica, Lek told us that there is a couple of specials in the works and both Treb and I volunteered to be guinea pigs for the dishes.

They are normally closed on Mondays but will be open both on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve.

One new dish is the Spicy Crispy Chicken (10.95), and that's available now. This can be served with either noodles or rice. This was a very tasty dish even if the chicken was on the drier side. The spicy part soaked into the noodles nicely.

The Beef Lemongrass (10.95) is a work in progress. The beef was tender, and the lettuce on the bottom added a nice texture. It was tasty but needed more lemongrass to live up to its name. Yes, fresh chiles were involved in both dishes.

Address 258 Salem Rd, Billerica, MA 01821 Phone 978-362-8269

Joe's Bistro Billerica

Joe's Bistro in Billerica is part of the Valley Cooperative, and it's open to the public. They are serving Breakfast starting at 7:00 AM and Lunch from 11:00 to 01:00. The monthly menu is available on the website. You can also get your car detailed here for a very reasonable price, and that's how I first heard about them.

They are tucked away a bit from Middlesex Turnpike. A turnpike with no tolls? How did that happen? You don't need to sign in, and you don't need a drivers license.

This is cafeteria style. Grab a tray inside the door and proceed down the line. Sandwiches are made to order. Yep, that's Joe himself serving up the special.

The dining room is very utilitarian.

Today's special was Ziti with Meatballs & Fresh Bread. All this was a whopping $3 plus 20¢ in tax. The meatballs were really tasty and light as was the tomato sauce. The ziti was a tad overcooked for me, but it was not ruined. The bread was super fresh. How can you beat this for three bucks? Soup of the day is $1.50, but it was broccoli-cheddar today, so I passed.

The full menu. Look at those prices!

Address: 40 Linnell Circle Billerica, MA 01821 Phone: 978-528-7800

Urban Hearth Cambridge

I was really unsure if I was going to be able to find a seat at Urban Hearth in Cambridge for brunch. Their Prix Fixe 3 & 5-course dinner has received a lot of accolades.

They are located on Mass Ave before Porter Square. Metered on-street parking only. I found a spot just outside, and that was like a Miracle on Mass Ave.

Much to my surprise, there was plenty of seating available and I got a prime seat at the counter so I could bother the chef with questions. He seemed happy to answer them. There is a communal table to the left.

The inside is very inviting. Max seating is 24 inside and 9 outside.

I have never had a SHAKSHUKA (14) before. "Two eggs coddled in smoky tomato & pepper stew | feta | simple greens or roasted roots". I went with the simple greens, and they were super fresh with a very light dressing. This version of Shakshuka originated in Tunisia. This was an excellent dish with perfectly cooked eggs and a very intense sauce. The sauce was very tomatoey without the tomato overpowering the dish. It was also seasoned remarkably well, and I really enjoyed the meal. The bread is, of course, from Iggy's. Enough said. The chorizo for the breakfast tacos is made in-house. It always amazes me how small the kitchen area is.

Address: 2263 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02140 Phone: (617) 682-7295

Bon Me Fresh Pond

I was in the area and decided to stop at Bon Me in Fresh Pond for lunch today.

Wonder what happened to the big sign? There is parking, but it's a very busy plaza.

The inside is bright with a few tables and also window seating. The chairs are not very comfortable, but they probably want you out of there as quickly as possible.

This is now called the namesake (7.5). "Our take on the vietnamese banh mi // toasted baguette stuffed with char siu BBQ pork, pickled carrots & daikon, cucumber, red onion, cilantro, pork pate, and spicy mayo". I also added sliced jalapenos (free). The bread was fresh, and you could taste both the pate and the mayo. Most of the pork was dry and doesn't really qualify for char siu since there was no glaze nor had it been BBQed. However, it was a very tasty sandwich.

Address 201 Alewife Brook Parkway, Cambridge, MA 02138 Tel: (617)-945-2822

Mr. Mac's Tyngsboro

Technically Mr. Mac's are in Tyngsboro, but practically they are in South Nashua. You can see them from the road but not from the plaza itself.

They are facing DWH. There is plenty of parking. They are next door to Trader Joe's previous location.

The inside is nice and bright. I grabbed a high top next to the windows. The food is brought to your table when it's ready.

They had three monthly specials, and I was tempted by the Swedish Meatball one until I saw that it had sour cream in the sauce. There is no sour cream in the Swedish version. Instead, I went with the Bacon Cheddar Mac ($9.49). "A timeless combination of freshly shredded Cabot Sharp and Mild Cheddars cheese, with crispy bacon adding a smoky flavor and finished with a Mozzarella topping. Simple and scrumptious". The food came out reasonably fast and was piping hot. They have three sizes of skillets, and this was the small one. It was excellent with properly cooked macaroni and plenty of evenly distributed bacon. Who doesn't love Mac & Cheese? This was unheard of when I was growing up in Sweden. We just had macaroni with a bechamel sauce.

Address: 440 Middlesex Rd, Tyngsborough, MA 01879 Phone: (978) 939-6227