Noreascon Four Restaurant Suggestions

Historical Resaurants in/near Boston

The Union Oyster House bills itself as the oldest restaurant in Boston and the oldest restaurant in continuous service in the U. S. (since 1826).

Jacob Wirth's is the second-oldest restaurant, opened in 1868 by a German immigrant. It still features the original long mahogany bar, although the sawdust on the floor has been removed, a casualty of changing health regulations.

Durgin-Park's slogan is "Your Grandfather & perhaps your Great Grandfather dined with us too". This is a market restaurant featuring traditional foods like Indian pudding, apple pan dowdy, johnny cake, and New England boiled dinners.

A drive out in the suburbs brings you to Longfellow's Wayside Inn, which dates from 1716. Originally a tavern along Boston's Post Road, it passed through several owners, including Henry Ford, and now operates again as a restaurant and inn with overnight accomodations.

--Leslie Turek

The Summer Shack

What trip to Boston is complete without a taste of our regional seafood? While there are many good choices in town, Summer Shack is the most authentic imitation of one of the many summer seafood shanties that used to dot Revere and Nantasket beaches and which still may be found aplenty on Cape Cod. Conveniently located just across the street from the Sheraton hotel and open relatively late Thursday through Saturday nights, it is an ideal fannish meal location. Replete with brown-paper-covered tables, murkey glass lanterns tied with rope, sail-cloth awnings, and rough wood and tin roof setting with great mural work, the setting is compelling. All that is missing is the smell of the salt sea and the roar of the ocean.

The daily menu written on traditional chalkboard lists the long selection of fresh clams and oysters available. There is usually a special for those on diets or watching their cholesterol. The regular menu has some mighty fine selections, too. Lobster in the rough is featured as well as Jasper's pan roasted lobster, a more expensive but reportedly very tasty affair smothered in chervil, chives, and a butter sauce. For the more adventurous are lobster tomalley toasts. The traditional clam bake, including lobster, mussels, clams, corn on the cob, potato, egg and chourico sausage, is also available. One may also order fried fish, Jamaican jerked (spicy) fish, wood-grilled fish, and seafood roll sandwiches. A variety of soups are offered from reliable clam chowder to a jerked bermuda fish and crab chowder to the Native American inspired pumpkin, corn and lobster soup. For your fannish friends who don't care for fish, a variety of salads as well as comfort food chicken, beef and hot dog fare are available as well. The draft beer list is lengthy, and the bar keep makes some amazing margaritas and pina coladas. If there is still room after the meal, soft serve ice cream, homemade pies, bread puddings, indian pudding (a NE traditional dish), and Boston cream pie are available. Despite the generous portions, the prices are very reasonable.

The rest rooms are handicapped-accessible. If anyone wishes a bit of exercise to work off their dinner, an adjoining night-time bowling alley (king pin) complete with black lighting and rock music is available for a perfect finish to the evening. They have bowling shoes to rent out for those who don't come equipped with their own. All in all, this should make for a very fun evening.

--Sally Mayer

Summer Shack
50 Dalton Street
Boston, MA 02115
(617) 867-9955