Business

New Watertown Restaurant Brings a Taste of South of the Border

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A trip to Watertown’s newest restaurant will be like taking a trip South of the Border, with authentic Mexican dishes, margaritas and real tiles and decorations from Mexico. 

Ixtapa Mexican Grill & Cantina will take the spot at 18 Mt. Auburn Street in Watertown that was occupied for many years by Verona Restaurant. It is part of a local group of family restaurants that started in Lunenberg in 2005, said Jillian Canavan, director of marketing for Ixtapa Grill. Ixtapa is modeled after a cantina in Guerrero, Mexico, Canavan said, and the experience will be “like walking into a real Mexican hacienda.” “All the recipes, the food, are all homemade, family recipes,” Canavan said.

Business

Find Out When Food Trucks will Return to the Arsenal Project

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May means the return of food trucks to Watertown! Several will be showing up at the Arsenal Project every Wednesday. 

The Arsenal Project sent out the following announcement about the food and other fun coming this year:

The Arsenal Project is pleased to announce the return of the popular weekly food truck program, Food Truck Wednesdays, kicking off May 20. Five 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 be able to bring this well-received program back to the community for another great year,” said William McQuillan, President of Boylston Properties, co-developer of The Arsenal Project.

Business

See When a New Farm-to-Table Restaurant Will Open in Watertown

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Watertown’s newest restaurant will feature farm-to-table food with a New American and French flair. 

Royal has already had a soft opening and it will host its Grand Opening on Saturday, March 7. After several months of renovations Royal will officially open its doors at 45 Lexington St., on the corner of Main and Lexington Streets in Watertown. Executive Chef/Partner, Rachid Kourda who has over 20 years of experience in the
restaurant industry, is serving breakfast, lunch and dinner on from 7 a.m.-11 p.m. and features its full menu. “I am not only a chef, but also an artist. The food I create is ‘sexy food’ with
a unique design to each plate.” Kourda said.

Business

New Restaurant Approved to Go in Arsenal on the Charles

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The Arsenal on the Charles will have a new restaurant with an outdoor eating space, after the Planning Board approved a plan by owners of the complex – athenahealth. The restaurant is described as a beer garden and will go in the space formerly occupied by Watertown Savings Bank, on the back end of Building 312, Todd Morey of Beals Associates told the Planning Board. The building is also home to Panera Bread and Arsenal Center for the Arts. The space is 2,800 square feet, plus a 4,500-square-foot outdoor patio space. Morey said the name of the restaurant has not been revealed, yet.

Business

Watertown Eatery Featured in Boston Globe’s Cheap Eats

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Looking for some take out with an Asian flare, check out one of Watertown’s newest restaurants – Cha Yen Thai Cookery. Located about midway between the Deluxe Town Diner and Sevan Bakery, the eatery opened in Coolidge Square over the summer, and features homestyle Thai cuisine. Cha Yen Thai Cookery and chef Manita Bunnagitkarn made the Boston Globe this week in the Cheap Eats column in the paper’s food section. Bunnagitkarn moved to Boston from Thailand in her teens and attended Johnson & Wales culinary school. The restaurant features a several Thai curries, grilled options, noodle dishes and a wide variety of appetizers.

Business

New Watertown Eatery Features Healthy, Local Food

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The owner of Watertown’s newest eating spot moved to town because it is a town on the rise, food wise. “Renaissance is a good word,” Farmer’s Market Kitchen chef Adam Nazzaro said of Watertown’s changing atmosphere. “You don’t want to take away from everything that happened here with the Marathon, but sometimes that can spark something better than itself. Watertown reminds me of Somerville; I’ve been living in Union Square and it reminds me of that, five or six years ago.”
He sees the city undergoing a transition, as “on the up,” with young professionals and a “hipster crowd” starting to move in, attracted by proximity to Boston and decent public transportation without the exorbitant real estate costs of Newton or Belmont. As the Boston Globe just reported, Watertown was deemed the third-best town in New England to live in, taking taxes, crime, amenities, and commute into account.

Food

Watertown Schools Looking for Tastier Lunch Items

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In an effort to boost sales of school lunches, Watertown’s new Director of Food Services will be introducing some new, hopefully more enticing meals for students. Guy Koppe, the new director, told the School Committee he has already started testing new dishes. “We have done taste testing with students where they can sample the new items and fill out surveys,” Koppe said. “They can also say what they would call it if they had a chance to name it.” The dishes that are popular in the taste testing will slowly be introduced to the menu. Among the dishes Koppe will test are broccoli with garlic and parmesan, shepherd’s pie and lemon oregano chicken.

Entertainment

Watertown Man Wins Contest to Design Next Fenway Frank

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The Fenway Frank is an iconic culinary staple for Red Sox fans, and Watertown’s Peter Anastasi has gone and improved on the original ball park hot dog. 

On July 23, National Hot Dog Day, Kayem announced the winner of the Next Fenway Frank during a celebration at The Landing at Long Wharf. The contest was hosted by Red Sox icons Steve Lyons and Rico Petrocelli, and they crowned Anastasi’s “Greenville Southern Drive Dog” as the top dog. The award winner adds warm, smoky pulled pork and creamy coleslaw to add some crunch to the grilled Kayem Frenway Frank. “Peter was able to add a twist to the traditional taste of a grilled Fenway Frank by adding a couple simple, yet intriguing toppings that made his hot dog creation out of the park delicious,” said Bob Kufferman, Kayem Senior Brand Manager. Fenway Park will begin serving Anastasi’s creation at the Red Sox game on Monday, July 28 against the Toronto Blue Jays and will continue for the rest of the season.