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.

More photos:

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.

More photos:

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.

More photos:

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.

More photos:

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.

More photos: