Development

LETTER: Patio at La Casa de Pedro at Risk in Athenahealth Plans

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Editor,

The developers of the Athena Health property on Arsenal Street propose to eliminate the patio in front of the west entrance to La Casa de Pedro Restaurant.  This very popular patio fronts a broad vista of sunlit green lawn with a fountain, the Arsenal Center for the Arts, and shade trees on the opposite side. The developers’ plan proposes removing this patio and installing a new patio on the north side of the building, next to heavily trafficked Arsenal Street. What a loss that would be for Watertown! The patio in its current location provides exceptional beauty, comfort and utility, IMO the best outside restaurant seating in the whole of Watertown. There’s a delightful view over the wide green lawn from every patio table.

Around Town

Watertown Farmers Market Opens Soon, See Which Stands Be There

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Watertown Farmers Market opens for its third season on Thursday, June 2 at 2 p.m. in a fresh, highly visible location. Find 20 weekly vendors on the front green of the Arsenal on the Charles, right on Arsenal Street in front of Arsenal Center for the Arts. Favorite vendors from past seasons return, including Red’s Best local seafood straight from Boston’s piers, Lilac Hedge Farm with pastured meats, fresh eggs, and maple syrup, and The Farm School, a teaching farm in central Massachusetts where future farmers grow organic produce, eggs and flowers. Additionally, the market welcomes several new vendors, including Kitchen Garden Farm with gorgeous produce and producers of a specialty sriracha sauce made from their own farm-grown peppers. Jasper Hill Farm also joins the market this year, bringing their award-winning cow’s milk cheese to market every-other week.

Around Town

Learn How to Make Armenian Cuisine at Free Cooking Class

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Live Well Watertown presents a free multicultural cooking class at the Watertown Free Public Library on Thursday, May 26. Would you like to learn how to make some delicious and nutritious
Mediterranean or Middle Eastern dishes? If so, then join us for one or more classes in this program series featuring Watertown community “chefs” who will teach you how to make some of their favorite dishes and share stories about food related traditions. The class features Healthy Eetch and Cold Cucumber Soup. Samples will be served! ARMENIAN CUISINE, Thursday, May 26, 2016, 6:30-7:30 p.m.

Watertown Savings Bank Room Watertown Free Public Library

Sign-up required.

Food

Phantom Gourmet Features a Watertown Restaurant

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The Phantom Gourmet came to town recently to do a feature on The Diner at 11 North Beacon. The piece spotlighted a few of the dishes featured at the Watertown Square diner, including the eggs Benedict stacked with homemade potato cakes, pumpkin pancakes and the Reuben sandwich. See all the dishes the Phantom sampled at The Diner and watch the segment by clicking here.

Business

Workers at New Office Building Will Enjoy Meals Prepared by Strip T’s

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One of Watertown’s newest developments, LINX, will feature prime office space and gourmet food options as Watertown favorite Strip T’s will provide grab-and-go fare. LINX is located at 490 Arsenal Street – the former Verizon facility – and will be have a rear entrance onto Nichols Avenue. While workers can go out to eat at restaurants in Coolidge Square or Arsenal Street, they will have an in-house option, said Jeffrey Heidelberg, project manager for Boylston Properties. “We’ve been working with Paul (Maslow) for a grab-and-go type of eatery,” Heidelberg said. “He does a great job at Strop T’s and I expect he’ll do a great job at LINX.

Food

Watertown Farmers Market Has Job Opening for Market Assistant

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Relish Management seeks energetic, friendly, and organized multitaskers to be part of our Farmers Market Team in Watertown. Watertown Market Assistant:­ 6 hours/week, Thursdays, 1 pm to 7 pm, June 2 to October 27, 2016

Overview: Relish Management has earned a reputation for the most beloved markets in the state. Our markets celebrate the best fresh produce and farm products, introduce top quality specialty food producers and create a vibrant gathering place for residents and visitors. Our Market Staff provide on­site vendor coordination, assist with market promotion and ensure an exceptional experience for market customers. The Market Assistant works along the Market Manager for booth set­up and breakdown, provides information to customers, aids in social media posting, and provides general support.

Arsenal Project

See When the Food Trucks are Returning to the Arsenal Project

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The Arsenal Project is pleased to announce the third consecutive year of the popular weekly food truck program, Food Truck Wednesdays, kicking off May 18. Six of Boston’s best gourmet food trucks will be rolling into the center’s parking lot this spring, summer, and fall. Food Truck Wednesdays at the Arsenal Project will offer a variety of food during lunchtime, providing a convenient, fun and delicious option for those living and working in the area. “We are thrilled to return with this well-received program for a third year,” said William McQuillan, President of Boylston Properties, co-developer of the Arsenal Project. “It is our goal for the Arsenal Project to be a true hub of the Watertown community; that’s why we are so proud of the success of Food Truck Wednesdays.”

The highly visible food trucks will be in the front parking lot of the Arsenal Project from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. every Wednesday; look for the umbrellas and picnic tables.  The series runs from May 18th into September.

Business

New Watertown Restaurant Offers a Mix of Asian Cuisines

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Asian food lovers have a new place to dine in town, where they can satisfy cravings for both Thai food and sushi. 

J. Dee Asian Bistro opened in late March at 92 Main St., in Watertown, the spot formerly occupied by Upper Crust. Owner Tony Hongsamat said his restaurant is a combination of the food from his hometown and of food he learned to make while working for restaurants in the Boston area. “For the Thai food, we know there is a lot of Asian food around here, so we try to make our dishes more like what we have in Thailand,” Hongsamat said. One of the dishes you might not find other places is Moo Na Now, which is BBQ pork shoulder with fresh chili-and-garlic lime sauce. They also offer the traditional Thai curry dishes, as well as favorites such as Pad Thai, which comes regular or country style – as it is prepared in Thailand.