Burtons Burlington

Burtons Grill & Bar in Burlington are located in the same plaza as the big Market Basket.

The parking and the traffic is a small nightmare here, but their corner lot was nice.

I took a booth next to the windows in the very pleasant bar area.

You get a piece of warm Foccacia with an interesting dipping oil. Apart from olive oil, it also has some pesto and parmesan cheese. Linen napkins and good cutlery.

I had confirmed with them that they use brisket in their Reuben ($15.95). "Angus corned beef, local sauerkraut, imported swiss, russian dressing, griddled marble rye. Served with fresh cut french fries.". I ordered extra dressing. This was one of the better Reubens I have had. The corned beef was tender and very tasty. The sauerkraut was crunchy and tangy. The dressing was also very good. The marble rye actually tasted of rye. The french fries were excellent. The service was pleasant. Complaints? None.

They also have a very pleasant dining room with an open kitchen in the back.

Address: Middlesex Commons, 43 Middlesex Turnpike #10b, Burlington, MA 01803 Phone: (781) 221-2281

Frank Pepe Burlington Mall

I have had their White Clam Pizza from Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana both in Chestnut Hill and here in the Burlington Mall. Both times the clams were so overcooked that they weren't edible. Time for something else.

The something else turned out to be a small ($11.50) Original Tomato Pie w/ Mozzarella. I added Bacon (+2), Meatballs (+2) and fresh Garlic (+.50). The crust was black and overcooked. There was plenty of bacon and meatballs. I didn't know that meatballs were flat. The garlic was just chunks of raw garlic, and I'll skip that if I ever go back. Apart from the raw garlic, it was a tasty pie. Service was OK but fast food it isn't.

They have two smallish dining rooms, with the kitchen in between. The napkins were minuscule. Why can't they give you a decent napkin even if it just a paper one?

Luna Rossa Tewksbury

Luna Rossa in Tewksbury is located in a small plaza just off Rte 93, and it has been quite a while since I last paid them a visit, but I had business nearby today.

There is plenty of parking, even if anything nearby is claimed by other businesses.

The inside is nice and bright with good furniture. This is the bar area with the open kitchen in the back.

You get super fresh bread with an interesting dipping oil.

I couldn't decide on what pasta I wanted so my waitress graded the four I was interested in. The Orecchiette ($13.99) won but she warned me that you have to like broccoli rabe and I do. "Pasta ears with sausage, broccoli rabe and sundried tomato, garlic, extra virgin olive oil and red pepper flakes". The pasta was perfectly cooked, and the sauce was delicious with a hint of heat. Plenty of sausages. Some of the sundried tomatoes were still a bit dried out. I have always been pleased with my lunches here. The service was courteous and friendly.

Address 1699 Shawsheen St, Tewksbury, MA 01876 Phone number (978) 851-9282

K Restaurant Peabody

It was a good day for something hot and bubbling, so I headed out to K Restaurant in Peabody.

They are located in a small plaza, so parking is tight. It really looks dark from the outside, and not very inviting.

However, the inside is nice and bright. They renovated a while ago, and have good quality furniture. You order and pay upfront. Complimentary water and tea are available in the corner.

Kimchi stew ($11.95). "Homemade kimchi based stew with pork, tofu, sliced rice cake, and veggies". This is an excellent dish that is very tasty. I started with some rice in the spoon and then added some wicked hot broth. Neither the kimchi or the soup is really spicy but very tasty. The thinly sliced pork was on the drier side. They are really busy at lunchtime.

Address: 100 Lynn St, Peabody, MA 01960 Phone: (978) 595-1889

Black & Orange Woburn

Black & Orange Bar and Grill in Woburn opened not that long ago and replaced a very mediocre Indian restaurant. I have been here before on a Tuesday, only to find out that Taco Tuesday has gone the way of the dodo.

They are located on Main Street with free on-street parking, and there is also the new communal lot across the street.

The inside is nice and bright with good quality furniture.

Mondays still have the half-priced burgers deal. Cheese Burgers "Half pound, hand packed served on a brioche roll with fries and coleslaw". Here is the DOUBLE CLASSIC (16). "Two, eight ounce hand-formed patties, cheese". From the five choices of cheese, I picked the jalapeno-jack. The burgers were ordered medium rare, and that's how they arrived. This is a rarity and seldom happens to me. The burgers were also a true half-pound. I swapped the tomato slice for onions. The slaw was excellent, crunchy and with just the right amount of dressing. The thin fries were also cooked perfectly. For once, I have nothing to complain about. Linen napkins and good quality cutlery. And all this for $8 plus a tip on the original amount. The suggested tip is also calculated pre-tax as it should be, The service was friendly.

I asked the waitress what cut of beef they used in their Reuben, and her response was "Corned beef". She then checked with the kitchen, and their response was "Red". Luckily the owner was at a nearby table, and his response was "Red Brisket". He then brought out a sample of their Corned Beef Hash that was excellent and seasoned and made with the brisket. The corned beef hash is available as a side for breakfast. A corned beef burger, sandwich and hot dog at lunch. I'll be back for the corned beef burger next Monday.

Address: 474 Main St, Woburn, MA 01801 Phone: (339) 214-9900

Boloco Lynnfield

Boloco in Lynnfield is located in the Market Street complex.

No snow left on the ground and a mild day before the big chill arrives.

The inside is pleasant, and you order and customize your food as it moves towards the checkout.

I went with the "modern mexican" in original bowl size. "fresh pico de gallo, signature boloco sauce, slow cooked pinto beans, melted jack/cheddar cheese, lime infused boloco rice". I also ordered extra carnitas and added pickled onion and guacamole at no extra charge. The carnitas was excellent, and the boloco sauce had a bit of heat and a lot of taste. This was a lot of food for just over $10. Thanks to Nift, my bill was 70¢ that was waived. "Don't worry about it".

Address: 425 Market St, Lynnfield, MA 01940 Phone: (781) 334-3706

15 Walnut Hamilton

Today's lunch happened at 15 Walnut in Hamilton.

No outside picture today since it was raining small animals. Plenty of parking.

I like to grab a high-top in the bar so I can keep an eye on everything. I really like this place, good food, and friendly staff.

They had a deal with a soup and a full sandwich for $16. I picked the FRENCH ONION ($9) +2 since it only comes in one size. "Caramelized onions, croutons, Gruyere, thyme". Of course it was served at the same time as my sandwich, so I had to decide what dish would get cold. The soup lost. The soup was rich, and the cheese was Gruyere. It had a very strong taste of something that was almost sweet, and it wasn't the onions.

The sandwich was the HADDOCK BURRITO ($15) served open-faced. "Fried haddock, pico​ ​de gallo, coleslaw, guacamole". Look how nicely the tortilla had been grilled! The fish had been cooked perfectly and was even seasoned. The batter was crunchy and very light. The slaw and the pico de gallo was very tasty, and I really enjoyed this dish. I didn't realize that there were no fries included, and they are excellent and were sorely missed. Linen napkins, of course, and good silverware. Service was so so, I had to ask for water refill. Guess where the name comes from?

Address 15 Walnut Road, Hamilton, MA 01982 Phone number (978) 468-2434

Brothers Taverna Salem

Brothers Taverna in Salem has a new chef and is now announcing themselves as a Portuguese restaurant. I also feel that the long-needed name change is in the works.

I went on a Sunday, so metered parking is free, but the parking garages are more expensive.

Going on a Sunday noon wasn't my brightest idea since everybody and his brother were having breakfast, and the kitchen was backed up.

With the Portuguese dishes, you get a daily soup that today was kale and carrots. The soup was very good and seasoned well. You also get super fresh bread.

I picked the Carne de Porco Alentejana ($20). "Pan fried pork loin cubes, little neck clams, cubed fried potatoes". This was an excellent dish with pork that I could cut with a fork and soft lightly fried potatoes. The trick is to lightly crush the potatoes, so they can soak up the broth. The clams were cooked well, all four of them. The broth was fantastic, rich and well seasoned. The bread was put to good use here. I was really happy with this. The service was good and pleasant. I completely forgot about the 20% off with a Yelp check-in.

Address 283 Derby Street, Salem, MA 01970 Phone number (978) 741-4648

Scoreboard Woburn

This is my first visit to Scoreboard Sports Bar and Grill in Woburn.

They are located next to a hotel, so there is plenty of parking.

It's a big place that was just renovated.

I started with the Boston Chili (Cup $4.99). "Specially seasoned ground beef, beans, chopped onions and peppers, pureed and diced tomatoes. Topped with melted cheddar and Jack cheese, served with warm tortilla chips". The chips were very good, but they were served cold. The chili tasted of chili but was very mild. The ground beef was ground very fine, so the chili lacked texture apart from a few beans.

This was followed by Classic Reuben ($11.99). "Corned beef brisket, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese & Thousand Island dressing on thick cut grilled marble rye". I do believe it was brisket even if it was thinly sliced, and it was a generous serving of tender meat. Of course the dressing was mostly absent, but I got some on the side. "What kind would you like"? The fries were excellent, seasoned and salted, and they were light and fluffy. Too bad they were just lukewarm. The service was mostly absent, with no water refills, and it took a while to get the bill. I couldn't figure out why some people got popcorn and others didn't. Turns out that if you want popcorn, you have to ask for it.

Address: 15 Middlesex Canal Park Dr, Woburn, MA 01801 Phone: 781-897-4000

Love at first Bite Lexington

Love at first Bite Lexington opened earlier this year in Lexington Center. They already have a location in North Andover, Lots of Eats.

There is only metered parking, except where I park.

The inside is modern and bright with nice furniture.

I tried their Spicy Basil Fried Rice🌶️($11.00). "Stir-fried jasmine berry rice with ground chicken, onion, bell pepper, and fresh hot chili". Despite the menu stating chicken, the waitress asked if I wanted chicken or beef (+2). Of the promised "fresh hot chili" there was no trace. There was some dried chili and the dish was just mildly spicy. It was tasty with plenty of basil, some were still in clusters. You really want me to eat four leaves and the steam at once? The peppers and the onions were cooked nicely, but the chunks were too big to eat with the rice. The dish was also greasy. Their lunch prices are just slightly lower than their dinner prices. The service was pleasant, and they were really busy at lunch.

Address: 1710 Massachusetts Ave, Lexington, MA 02420 Phone: (781) 862-5888

Tequila's Wakefield

Last time I had lunch at Tequila's Mexican Cantina in Wakefield the food was so terrible I didn't even blog about it, hoping that it was a one-off.

Plenty of parking. Don't park here unless you are visiting a business, they are vicious about towing.

The inside is nice. Not exactly busy at lunch today.

You get chips (warm) that were a bit stale. I really like the tomatillo salsa and the tomato one. Linen napkins with good quality silverware.

I ordered the same dish from the lunch menu as the last time, Pork Carnitas Tacos (10) that comes with rice and beans even if the menu fails to mention this. "Melted jack cheese, slow cooked pork, pico de gallo, escabeche red onions, queso fresco." It was two good-sized tacos with plenty of tender pork. The jack cheese was absent. I really like the thin soft corn tortillas. The rice was very good and seasoned nicely. The refried beans were also very good, tasty and they had a nice texture. The pork this time was cooked properly and was tender. Service was good.

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

Madras Grill Chelmsford

I went to Madras Grill in Chelmsford a couple of years ago for their lunch buffet. Everything was well seasoned but all the dishes were cold. Time for another try.

They are located in a small plaza with plenty of parking.

The inside is nice and bright with good quality furniture.

You get fresh nan that was very light and good. You also get a crispy (empty) dosa.

First trip to the lunch buffet ($10.95). Starting at the top we have warm and fresh Tandoori chicken. Next are cold, old and dried out fish. The Egg Curry was at least lukewarm and very tasty. However, the egg was seriously overcooked with the dreaded green ring around the yolk. It had also been sitting out so long it had developed a second shell. The Potato Poriyal was cold. The Soy Bean Manjurian? was cold, old and dried out. Both of the two veg curries was cold. Best dish was the Tandoori chicken.

The eggs had skins that you could peel off. The Mutton Biryani was lukewarm and had bone fragments left in it.

The containers for scraps and the dirty dish was conveniently placed next to the dining room. It wasn't exactly service with a smile either.

Address 7 Summer Street, Unit 31, Chelmsford, MA 01824 Phone number (978) 330-5133

Popeyes Chelmsford

I have now seen too many pictures on IG to be able to ignore the Chicken Sandwich from Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, so I headed up to their location in Chelmsford.

The place was not clean. The soda machine was gross. There was no salt or pepper available. There were no trays available. The Chicken Sandwich ($3.99) was pretty good even if the sauce was applied very unevenly and there was only one pickle on top. It was crunchy and juicy. I have always liked their mashed with gravy ($2.29). The serving of the mash was very small. It was also like pulling teeth when ordering.
-Do you want the combo?
-No, just the sandwich.
- so you don't want the combo?
-No.
- I also want a side of mashed.
-So you want the combo?
-No.
- You don't want the drink?
-No.
All of this was conducted in English with a very heavy Indian accent. To top it off, they took the receipt back when I picked up my order, sans tray. Now I can't give feedback and get free food.

Cracker Barrel Tewksbury

I decided to give the Friday Fish Fry another chance at Cracker Barrel in Tewksbury. They now do Country Fried Chicken every day.

They have plenty of parking and are located just off Rte 495.

It's a big place with a country store upfront, and they weren't really busy today at lunch.

Here is the aforementioned Friday Fish Fry (10.99). "Starting at 11 AM, we serve four Cod fillets, hand-dipped in our own special batter and fried. We suggest enjoying them with Homestyle Fries and Cole Slaw". I have always been served the whole fish filet. I went with mashed potatoes and coleslaw. The mashed is made from real potatoes and benefitted from getting some butter mixed in. The fish was on the drier side, but the batter was excellent and well seasoned. My waiter asked if I wanted gravy with my mashed, and I ended up getting it on the side. With salt and lots of pepper, it was OK. Service was enjoyable, and my waiter wrote down my order and then repeated it back to me to make sure it was correct.

Address 1795 Andover St, Tewksbury, MA 01876 Phone number (978) 858-3717