Noreascon Four Restaurant Suggestions

Helmand

Helmand is an excellent Afghan restaurant. It's across the river in Cambridge, but only a short 1.5 mile cab ride away from the Hynes. It features lamb, beef, and excellent vegetarian dishes in a very pleasant atmosphere, with a fireplace and a big open wood-burning oven where they bake their flatbread. And it's not too pricey. Check out their menu here. On my last visit, I discovered the Kaddo Borawni (pan-fried then baked baby pumpkin seasoned with sugar and served on yogurt garlic sauce, topped with ground beef sauce) - very yummy. Reservations recommended.

-- Leslie Turek

Helmand
143 First St., Cambridge
617-492-4646

Mike's Restaurant

This unpretentious diner has surprisingly good food at reasonable prices, especially for Newbury St. Mike's specializes in Greek fare. For the handicapped: the restaurant is crowded, and several steps up from the street.

-- Lisa Hertel

Mike's Restaurant
Corner Newbury & Gloucester Sts - less than 1 block

Shaw's Supermarket

This Shaw's Supermarket opened about 6 months ago. In addition to food you'd have to prepare yourself, it also has a prepared food section (Shaw's La Carte) and deli. They also have a Shop The World Food Hall, where you can find foods from all over the world (including a large selection of British goods and candy). They also have a small Israeli kosher foods section. A word of warning to our Orthodox Jewish friends: although The Shops at Prudential Center, Hynes Convention Center, Shops at Copley Place, and convention hotels are connected by walkways and enclosed by a roof, the Shaw's is NOT - it is across the street from the mall.

-- Debra Cebulski

Shaw's Supermarket
53 Huntington Avenue
www.shaws.com
Hours: 6AM - Midnight 7 days

Prudential Center Food Court

If you're really pressed for time, The Shops at the Prudential Center does have a reasonable Food Court. As of this writing, the shops include Ben & Jerry's, Big Easy Cajun, Boston Chowda, Panda Express, Everything Yogurt, Rebecca's Cafe (a local gourmet food chain with good sandwiches), Sakkio Japan, and Sbarro.

Other chain restaurants/shops within the mall include Au Bon Pain, California Pizza Kitchen, Starbucks (standalone shop and a Barnes & Noble Cafe serving Starbucks), and The Cheesecake Factory.

-- Debra Cebulski

Fast Food/Chain Establishments at The Shops at Prudential Center
www.prudentialcenter.com
Food Court open Monday - Saturday 10:00 AM - 9:00 PM; Sunday 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Chain dining hours vary - most major restaurants open past mall closing

Legal Sea Foods

If you like seafood, this is the place for you! Legal Sea Foods is a Boston institution. Their chowder is world-famous (it's been served at four Presidential Inaugurations). The quality of their seafood is legendary - they take only the top of the catch and test it in their own labs. Their motto: "If it isn't fresh, it isn't Legal." Seafood is not their only offering - they offer reasonable vegetarian options (their salads are to *die* for, and they have several vegetarian entrees). They do offer two steaks during the dinner hour. This place is usually packed - show up early!

--Debra Cebulski

Legal Sea Foods
The Shops at Prudential Center
Boston, MA
www.legalseafoods.com
Entrees range from $13 to $33
Mon-Thu 11:00 am - 10:30 pm
Fri-Sat 11:00 am - 11:30 pm
Sunday Noon - 10:00 pm

Also located at The Shops at Copley Place
Mon-Thu 11:00 am - 10:00 pm
Fri-Sat 11:00 am - 10:30 pm
Sunday Noon - 9:00 pm

Marche Movenpick

This is an unusual concept restaurant - you are handed a "passport" as you walk in. Food is prepared in several "stations". You take a tray and go from station to station, ordering what you want. You watch the food prepared, and then your passport is stamped for each item you pick. You then take a seat in one of several themed seating areas and eat. Food is fresh and good, but expensive. They do have vegetarian options. An 11% service fee is automatically added to each check. Be careful - you may end up spending more than you bargained for! Do NOT lose your passport - you will pay a substantial penalty if you do. If you're not sure, just take a passport and browse. If you don't like what you see, turn in your unstamped passport at the door and leave. Marche does have a take-out outlet called Marchelino if you're in a hurry. There is also a wine bar called Caveau and an international grocery called Take Me! Marche.

-- Debra Cebulski

Marche Movenpick
The Shops at Prudential Center
www.marcheusa.com
Open 11:30 A.M. - Midnight 7 days

Troquet

Troquet (French slang for a wine bar) has a unique menu: 6-7 appetizers and 8-10 main dishes are matched with 3-5 suggested wines, all of which are available by the glass or half-glass. Very good food based on Mediterranean and modern American; menu varies with the season. ~$80 for a complete meal; reservations may be necessary. Lower Boylston St. (~2/3 mile from Hynes)

-- Chip Hitchcock

Troquet
140 Boylston St.
617-695-9463

Fire + Ice

Fire + Ice is Mongolian barbecue after an overhaul by a chef and an efficiency expert. Exact choices vary, but the typical spread has ~8 proteins (e.g. beef, pork, lamb, shrimp, salmon, swordfish, and andouille and Italian sausages), ~13 vegetables (e.g. baby corn, carrots, green beens, olives, spinach, bok choy, button & portobello mushrooms, bean sprouts, white and red onions, black beans, scallions), pastas, and ~12 sauces ranging from mild (honey mustard, house teriyaki) to hot (mesquite barbecue, house fajita) to incendiary. Fill a bowl with your choices and take it to a grill that can cook up to 40 meals simultaneously (so you don't have to wait in line as at typical Mongolian). Also has hamburgers for the unadventurous and steak for a few dollars extra. Full liquor license ("Ice" is the house-specialty margaritas); not quiet (but not too loud for conversation), contemporary decor. All-you-can-eat for $17 (main course only) at dinner; one pass for less at lunch. Berkeley at St. James (~1/2 mile from Hynes)

--Chip Hitchcock

Fire + Ice
205 Berkeley St. (Park Square Building)
617-482-FIRE (3473)

Atlantic Fish Company

Just across Boylston Street is the Atlantic Fish Company. This is a fine alternative to Legal Sea Foods. If you love lobstah this is the place to go to have Lobster Bisque, Lobster Salad, Lobster Pot Pie or Lobster Ravioli. The menu (features change daily) is also full of fresh Atlantic Seafood prepared grilled, broiled, Cajun pan-blackened, steamed, deep-fried, or baked with garlic crumbs or olive oil and lemon...

--Sharon Sbarsky

Atlantic Fish Co.
761 Boylston St
Boston, MA 02116
Fri-Sat 11:30AM-12:00AM
Sun-Thu 11:30AM-11:00PM
Tel: (617) 267-4000
Fax: (617) 267-0755

All major credit cards accepted.

Tapeo

Probably my favorite Boston restaurat is Tapeo, a fine Tapas place on Newbury street, just a block from the Hynes.
It serves a superb tapas menu (it has a regular menu too, but I've never tried it) with forty or fifty appetizer-sized poritons of wonderful Spanish food. We've found that for pretty much any sized party ordering 3 dishes each makes for a fine meal.
I've never had a bad dish there, but some of my personal favorites include the ultra-garlicy potato salad, pork tenderloin w/blue goat cheese and mushrooms, and the roasted duckling in berry sauce -- but I could just as well have named a dozen others.
A Spanish colleague at work tells me it would be considered a good restaurant even by Madrid standards. It tends to be crowded, so get there early or make a reservation.
-- Mark Olson

Tapeo
266 Newbury Street
Boston, MA 02116
617-267-4799