Maya Sol (2 Dine For Boston)

First, let’s get this out of your system. Make sure no one’s around. Say “Maya Sol” five times fast, out loud. Giggle for a bit. Ok, moving along…

After our disappointment at Aguacate Verde, the Mexican restaurant that has replaced our beloved Tacos Lupita, we were back in the market for a new taco spot. Someone recommended another Somerville place, Maya Sol, to Joel, and unable to stop laughing at the name, he decided that he desperately wanted to try out Maya Sol.

Expecting a takeout joint, we were pleasantly surprised to find that Maya Sol was rather large and charming; although you order at the counter and see your food prepared at a buffet-style line, there are plenty of tables and chairs and pleasant decor for dining in. (Not to mention the fantastic Mexican soap operas playing on the large television.) From brightly colored tiles to hanging bronze suns, the interior was warm and cheerful.

Read my full "she said" review, along with Joel's "he said" review, at 2 Dine For Boston.

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Cho Cho's (2 Dine For Boston)

Porter Square’s “Little Japan,” the Porter Exchange, is full of delightful Japanese food stalls, small counters and restaurants serving everything from steaming bowls of ramen to fresh sushi to bubble tea. As it’s part of the Lesley campus, it can get quite busy during peak times, particularly weekends during lunch. The biggest lines are typically at Cafe Mami, which specializes in curry and donburi. It’s one of our favorites, but the long line will often drive us elsewhere.

One recent afternoon, Cafe Mami and our other preferred spot, Ittyo, were both packed, so we ended up at Cho Cho’s, which has one of the largest seating areas. It was also almost entirely empty, as it usually is. We’ve been there before, and it’s certainly not bad, but it never seems to draw the same crowds as most of the other parts of Porter Exchange.

Read my full "she said" review, along with Joel's "he said" review, at 2 Dine For Boston.

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A Taste of Church (2 Dine For Boston)

Joel and I were recently invited to try out the new spring menu at one of our favorite spots on the other side of the river, Church. We've always enjoyed the food as well as the music venue, where we've both played and seen many shows.

Joel wrote about the tasting on 2 Dine For Boston; check out his review and my photos.

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Aguacate Verde (2 Dine For Boston)

Walking into Aguacate Verde is like walking into the Twilight Zone. For years – decades, even, I think – this spot was Tacos Lupita, the most delicious place in our neighborhood. It would frequently derail trips to Shaw’s. Why shop and cook when we can just stop right here and eat amazing, cheap tacos and burritos? But alas, it seems the owners of Tacos Lupita sold the Somerville spot to focus on a few other locations. I know of one in Lynn and a brand new one in Gloucester. How could they leave us?

When they left, a new owner came in with high hopes of connecting with the community and providing healthy Latin American food. Silvia is a lovely woman (and apparently a black belt in karate), and I want so badly to enjoy Aguacate Verde as much as I did Tacos Lupita, but something has felt off on each visit. While the menu looks largely the same, the prices have crept up ever so slightly while the portion size and taste have both decreased. The spot has been renovated, but I find it hard to appreciate the extraordinarily bright orange and bright green exterior (complete with a gigantic smiling avocado). The website even features a dancing avocado-man hybrid, and my browser requests that I download a plug-in I’ve never heard of.

Read my full "she said" review, along with Joel's "he said" review, at 2 Dine For Boston.

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Oasis (2 Dine For Boston)

I’m the type of person who gets worked up over logistics that probably seem minimal to other people. If I’m riding a bus in an unfamiliar city, for example: Do I need exact change? Can I pay at the back door or just at the front? Will they announce the stops clearly? Do I need to request my stop? Panic! The first day at a new job is full of little logistical details along these lines. Of particular relevance to me (and my bottomless appetite) is the lunch culture. Do people go out? Can I use this microwave? Is it OK to eat at my desk?

On the first day at a new job a few months ago, I grabbed a drink and a bag of mixed nuts from Starbucks on the way to the office, and then I sat at my desk the entire day, not leaving for lunch, partly because I was absorbing all of the new things I’d be doing, but partly because no one else seemed to be leaving for food. By the time I rode the crowded bus home that evening, my head was spinning from work instructions and hunger. I told Joel I wanted to go out for dinner, but I was starving and didn’t have the energy to figure anything out. When he suggested Brazilian food, I immediately agreed, imagining giant meat skewers. Perfect.

Read my full "she said" review, along with Joel's "he said" review, at 2 Dine For Boston.

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Media Tasting at Jumpin' Jay's Fish Cafe in Portsmouth (2 Dine For Boston)

When Joel and I were invited to experience Portsmouth's Restaurant Week at Jumpin' Jay's Fish Cafe, it was hard to resist an excuse for a change of scenery. Portsmouth's a lovely little city, and neither of us had been there in awhile, so it was a fun quick trip. We really enjoyed the seafood, particularly the perfectly cooked scallops.

Check out Joel's review and my photos from the dinner on 2 Dine For Boston.

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Roast Beast (2 Dine For Boston)

When I was a kid, my parents and I would often go out for delicious roast beef sandwiches at the now-defunct Mur-Mac’s Roast Beef, a dark and grungy yet beloved institution in Stoughton, MA that also featured fries and soft-serve ice cream. (It was even one of my first drives after getting my learner’s permit.) Somewhere along the way, we started calling roast beef “roast beast.” I’m not sure where we picked up the phrase, although apparently a “roast beast” makes an appearance in How the Grinch Stole Christmas, so maybe we read it there.

When a new restaurant called Roast Beast opened in Allston, it triggered immediate nostalgia, and I knew I had to try it out. One strangely warm afternoon in January – warm enough that Joel biked over from Somerville – we met our editor, Kevin, at Roast Beast for a roast beef feast. Turns out we’d just missed dynamic blogging and catering duo The Skinny Beet, made up of Katie (The Small Boston Kitchen) and Richard (Boston Burger Blog). It was a bloggerific day at the Beast!

Read my full "she said" review, along with Joel's "he said" review, at 2 Dine For Boston.

3 Little Figs (2 Dine For Boston)

It’s hard to review a particular visit to 3 Little Figs because it’s one of the few places where we really feel like regulars; since it’s five minutes from my door – and I love it – I’m there quite often. For the purposes of this post, though, I’ll focus on a morning we brought by Joel’s old roommate, Andy, who abandoned us (and our folk band) last summer to attend med school in Pennsylvania. I mean, I guess saving lives is more important than our dreams of eternal folk music glory, but we definitely miss him (and his fantastic bass playing and vocal harmonies).

After ordering at the counter, we were able to snag the coveted corner table, bright white and low and accented by an intriguing overhead lamp. The cafe is in fact bright all over, mostly white with brilliant blue accents and large windows.

Read my full "she said" review, along with Joel's "he said" review, at 2 Dine For Boston.

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Trina's Starlite Lounge (2 Dine For Boston)

Hot dogs! Cocktails! I return to Trina’s again and again: a comforting late night snack after a frustrating day, a meeting spot for drinks with friends, an embarrassingly early dinner with my parents. Trina’s does comfort food well, classing it up with a snazzy cocktail list; it occupies the same chamber of my heart and stomach as Highland Kitchen.

The hot dogs are the best I’ve had, taking the key characteristics of my favorite childhood hot dog (Bliss Dairy, Sharon, Massachusetts – no burn marks, please!) and improving upon them. The bun is the classic New England style, white on the sides and golden-brown along the edges. Buttered and lightly toasted, of course. The dogs are incredibly juicy, split end to end for the easy addition of condiments, if you choose. No condiments for me; I don’t practice safe hot dogging. The plain griddled dog is just $3; pair it with an order of fries or onion rings (both delicious and a good size for sharing with one or two others). I often accompany mine with an Arugula and Spinach Salad, a mountain of greens garnished with goat cheese, pepitas, and balsamic. Simple and wonderful.

Read my full "she said" review, along with Joel's "he said" review, at 2 Dine For Boston.

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Taste the Insanity: Rattlesnake's Ghost Chili Margarita (2 Dine For Boston)

The night before I left for Austin, Joel and I headed over to Poe's Kitchen at the Rattlesnake so that he could torture himself with the ghost chili margarita challenge. Did he conquer it? Read his write-up over on 2 Dine For Boston to find out if he finished drinking it...and whether the floor of the Rattlesnake men's room is clean enough to lie on...

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Zoe's Gourmet Chinese Cuisine (2 Dine For Boston)

It took Joel and me a while to discover Zoe’s, even though it’s walking distance from us. I saw a stray Yelp or Chowhound mention of it one day, noticed words like “authentic” and “amazing,” and realized the proximity and potential awesomeness. On our first visit, the Chinese restaurant was nearly empty; a few people picked up takeout orders, but we pretty much had the place to ourselves. This seemed like a bad sign, but on the contrary, we quickly realized that we would become regulars. I can’t believe we didn’t find this place earlier.

On a subsequent visit, several old roommates were in town who had also never realized that Zoe’s existed. We had a fantastic feast, all the while eyeing a very intriguing dish at a nearby table. It appeared to be a gigantic bowl full of chili peppers, and the two diners were scooping broth and something else out of the bowl. We had to know. The waitress told us that it was fish fillet with hot chili sauce, and we made a mental note to try it the next time. It’s on the Sichuan-style portion of the menu, which is full of spicy, authentic Chinese dishes. There is also a similarly spicy Hunan-style portion, as well as a large number of dishes more familiar to American diners.

Read my full "she said" review, along with Joel's "he said" review, at 2 Dine For Boston.

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A Tasting at 80 Thoreau (2 Dine For Boston)

Last week, Joel and I attended a blogger dinner at the beautiful 80 Thoreau in Concord. Check out his write-up of the event over on 2 Dine For Boston.

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Buca di Beppo (2 Dine For Boston)

I’ll admit that I have an anti-chain bias, so when Joel and I found ourselves out with my parents at an Italian(ish) chain restaurant, Buca di Beppo, I was pleasantly surprised to actually enjoy dinner. Buca di Beppo has nearly 100 locations across the United States, plus a few abroad. Sure, I’d rather go to a locally-owned place, but as far as chains go, this one provided a decent night out.

It was the day after Christmas, and we declared it a “grandmother visit” day; Joel’s is in Canton, and mine’s a town over in Sharon. We ended up with my parents for dinner, and Dedham was a logical dining destination so that no one was too far from home. Not in the mood to do much research, we settled on Buca di Beppo; my parents had been there before and enjoyed it. It took over the former space of a giant Vinny Testa’s location; both restaurants are known for their gigantic family portions of American-Italian classics.

Read my full "she said" review, along with Joel's "he said" review, at 2 Dine For Boston.

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ArtBar (2 Dine For Boston)

I’m often hesitant to dine at hotel restaurants, both in my own city and when traveling. More often than not, they aren’t a good representation of what the city has to offer…or they’re just not good. On a recent night, though, I had a coupon for a free reservation through Savored.com, which basically amounts to a free 40% off coupon for the food portion of the bill at participating restaurants, so Joel and I scanned the options and settled on ArtBar at the Royal Sonesta in Cambridge, a fairly easy drive from our part of Somerville. The menu looked enticing as well. I’m always a fan of trying restaurants with seasonal menus that showcase locally sourced ingredients.

I should disclose up front that we received free food at this meal–an appetizer and two ridiculously large desserts. We haven’t experienced this too often, but bringing a camera to a meal can apparently be a magnet for special treatment, even though dining rooms must be overrun by bloggers and Yelpers and other assorted hobbyist photographers at this point. While on one hand, it’s nice to receive freebies now and then, it can easily be overbearing and awkward. Our server was uncomfortably enthusiastic, checking in much too often, and we definitely didn’t have room for two giant desserts. I appreciate the gesture, but what was supposed to be a quiet date night turned into somewhat of a gluttonous farce. I did, however, enjoy most of the food, and ArtBar exceeded my expectations of hotel restaurants.

Read my full "she said" review, along with Joel's "he said" review, at 2 Dine For Boston.

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Armando's Pizza (2 Dine For Boston)

Joel is a pizza snob through and through, as I’m sure he’ll tell you in his own review. This can be frustrating at times, like when I brought him to my childhood favorite pizza spot, Town Spa in Stoughton (Bacon. Extra crispy). Admittedly, it seems to have gone downhill slightly over the years, but he was not at all impressed. You see, Joel refuses to give equal consideration to types of pizza outside of the New York/Connecticut style he grew up eating; I, on the other hand, might be equally satisfied by Italian, Greek, pub, or deep dish pizza, depending on my mood.

As you might imagine, finding a Boston pizza that Joel actually enjoys is an exciting challenge. For a while, the reigning champion was Newtowne Grill, a Porter Square (Cambridge) dive with ridiculously cheap pitcher-and-pizza deals for all of your sports game needs. Now, we’ve found another contender.

Read my full "she said" review, along with Joel's "he said" review, at 2 Dine For Boston.

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Chinese New Year Party at Dumpling Cafe (2 Dine For Boston)

For the past two years, I've attended a Chinese New Year party at Dumpling Cafe in Chinatown; this year, Joel got to come along. There were dumplings galore, other tasty treats, and a dancing dragon. The Dumpling Cafe soup dumplings are downright addictive. Check out Joel's recap and my photos of this year's party on 2 Dine For Boston.

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Introducing 2 Dine For Boston

For the last two and a half years, Joel has been a good sport, not only tolerating but really embracing my food blogging. (Perhaps it has something to do with the free food perks that he often enjoys without having to worry about actually writing anything?) Not only does he wait patiently while our food gets cold as I photograph it, but he helps with lighting and styling. And tasting the things that I don't want to eat. And providing feedback ranging from vulgar to sarcastic to legitimately helpful. And doing most of the cooking. He's even written a few guest posts here on Fork it over, Boston!

Back in August, we met a new member of the Boston Food Bloggers community, Kevin (The Mighty Rib), a recent transplant from Houston. We got to know him through a variety of blogger events and get-togethers, and after a few months, he told us about a Houston-based food website called 2 Dine For, where he is the Director of Communication. They were looking for duos in other cities to expand the "he said, she said" restaurant review concept, and Boston was on the short list. We loved the idea and the design of the site, and we jumped onboard.

Fast forward to today, the launch of 2 Dine For Boston. Now Joel gets to join in the fun more than ever as we both get equal say about our favorite (and not-so-favorite) restaurants in and around Boston. We'll be posting new reviews weekly as well as participating in some other features on the site, such as product reviews (fEATures) and event recaps (Around Town). As I do for my other external writing gigs, I'll publish excerpts of new posts here with a link to the full post on 2 Dine For Boston. You can also keep track of us in the following ways:

• Like us on Facebook
• Follow us on Twitter
• Subscribe to our RSS feed
• Subscribe to The Weekly Bite

Have a recommendation for a place we should check out? Comments, criticism, etc.? Send an email to our official 2 Dine For email addresses: Rachel and Joel.

(I'll still be blogging over here as well.)

Thanks for following us, and we look forward to sharing our food adventures with you!

Photos by David W. Aquilina.