Stars
Push through the porthole-windowed door, and you'll swear you've walked into the design equivalent of that old "Sprockets" routine from Saturday Night Live. Everything here is in ridiculous conflict: Stately black tiles cover the floor and lower half of the walls, while bright and modernistic yellow paint finishes the job. The mirror above the starkly modern circular water basin (it really is a basin) is wedged into the corner, breaking your reflection into a surreal, fun-house. And the aural struggle between the television in the corner and the radio speaker in the ceiling is kind of funny: imagine Marvin Gaye doing play-by-play for a Red Sox game. But as men's rooms go, this one wins for being as conversation-inducing as that aforementioned German talk-show skit. 393 Huntington Ave., Boston, MA .
Jumbo Seafood Restaurant
On any given night you'll find some of the city's top chefs here after work with chopsticks waving. The eight water tanks filled with live seafood make fish and shellfish obvious choices. Crispy calamari with jalapeño peppers go down like popcorn. And whole fish in a sweet and spicy sauce may cause you to look left, then right, then lick the plate if no one's looking. They're all stellar examples of fresh and delicious Hong Kong-style cuisine, but the kitchen also soars with pork chops, garlic-laden fresh pea tendrils, and eggplant. Added bonus: Jumbo stays open into the wee hours of the morning. 5 Hudson St., Boston, MA jumboseafoodrestaurant.net.
Hi-Rise Bread Company
Baked right on the premises with organic whole wheat, rye, and corn flours, Hi-Rise bread does a body good. In addition to more than a dozen breads offered on the menu, different specialty breads take turns haring the spotlight as bread of the day, seven days a week. The cell-phone-free environment, which is strictly enforced, ensures a wondrous, relaxing visit. Ingredients necessary: a good book, a cup of java, and a slice of some cinnamon-raising bread. 208 Concord Avenue, Cambridge, MA hi-risebread.com.
Jumbo Seafood
It stands to reason that seafood is the speciality of the house at this bright little spot near the Chinatown gate. To wit: The restaurant is decorated with tanks of live fish, lobsters, eels, crabs, and shrimp. The atmosphere itself is delightful, including a huge mural of Hong Kong adorning one wall, and the constant chatter of both Chinese and English filling the air. Favorite dishes: crispy orange shrimp and calamari with mixed green vegetables; lobster sauteed with ginger and scallions; Hunan-style crispy whole fish. All meals finish with chocolate-dipped fortune cookies. Jumbo Seafood is open seven days a week until 2 am. 5-9 Hudson Street, Boston, MA newjumboseafoodrestaurant.com.
Byron Dafoe
He's not the only reason the Bruins have climbed out of their 1997 hole. But he's the biggest one and damn near the goaltender in hockey.
Smokehouse Inc.
After a three-year apprenticeship with a fine-sausage maker in Germany, Dave Nosiglia returned to Boston and started stuffing and smoking his own. By now, his clients include the restaurants, wholesalers, and gourmet retailers around. Look for his chicken sausage with fresh rosemary and brown sugar (or with Marsala and mushrooms); or the smoked prosciutto, provolone, and pepper sausage—then stoke up the grill. 15 Coventry St., Roxbury, MA .
The New England Soup Factory
These unassuming storefronts take their motto—Feed Your Body Well—to heart, with some 75 alternating choices, all wholesome and flavorful. We slurped lentil; sweet and sour cabbage with fresh dill, white bean, and tomato; numerous chowders; and hearty chilis. Iced soups include banana, honey, and almond; blueberry and peach; and the old, spicy standard, gazpacho. And the Factory makes a matzoh-ball soup to make a Jewish grandmother proud. Our only complaint is that there isn't a Soup Factory in every neighborhood. 2-4 Brookline Place, Brookline, MA .
Anna's Taqueria
Sick of hearing the yammering of burrito snobs putting down the local variety? Take them to Anna's and shove one of these foil-wrapped fat boys in their mouths. Chances are, they'll change their minds. Anna's got the whole thing down: the rice, the frijoles, refritos, the guacamole, and the salsa are just like your mother used to make — that is, if your mother happened to be born south of the border. 1412 Beacon St., Brookline, MA .
Koreana
"Bibimbop" yourself to where every stone pot runneth over with savory dishes starring rice, fish, the freshest veggies, or practically the whole darn cow (from tongue to blood to feet). Novices can find Korean food inedibly strange, but Koreana's savory dishes make it easy to learn to like the cuisine. 154 Prospect St., Cambridge, MA .
Buff's Pub
It would be a shame if this unpretentious little bar near turnpike exit 17 got too trendy. The honey hot Buffalo wings are worth the few years off your life you risk by dipping them in bleu cheese for an unlikely taste sensation. But cholesterolically speaking, what's the difference? A satisfying supply of about 10 wings goes for $2.75 (less at lunch). Buff's Pale Ale, made by Boston Beer Works, is a nice accompaniment. 317 Washington St., Newton Corner, MA .
Baja Betty's
Pardon the pun, but this was one of the most hotly contested categories this year. Happily for burrito lovers, the city has several delicious options; sadly, only one can become the best. This Brookline newcomer, a spin-off of a cheerful little hole-in-the-wall in New York, specializes in the Tex-Mex variety: rice, beans, pico de gallo, and your choice of fillings, such as carne asada (marinated charbroiled steak), chili colorado (lean pork in a spicy guajillo-chili-pepper suace), or pollo (chicken in a red moule sauce)—all rolled in a fresh-flour tortilla. 3 Harvard Square, Brookline Village, MA .
Mistral
This beautiful space—with its soaring vaulted ceilings, off-kilter, oversize chandeliers, rattan seats, and sandstone walls—is the place to be seen these days. The big, comfy seating areas in the front are the perfect place to hang out with a few friends while you wait for a table; the bar is wall-to-wall action and buzz; and the dining room is open and spacious without swallowing you whole. 221 Columbus Ave., Boston, MA .
Goodale Orchards
The antique stone barn displays all kinds of produce, but apples are the specialty here—more than a dozen varieties. They appear whole, in tasty pies, doughnuts, pressed into cider; the dry hard cider is a find. 123 Argilla Road, Ipswich, MA .
Julien Bar at the Hotel Meridien
There's no more appropriate place to seal the deal than in the Julien Bar, once the reception room for the governors of the Federal Reserve Bank and now the financial district's most appealing watering hole. But keep it clean: N. C. Wyeth's murals depicting Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, and Alexander Hamilton set a lofty tone. 250 Franklin St., Boston, MA .
David Boley at Hamilton Riding Club
In the rarified world of A-circuit equestrian and competition, the choice of an instructor is as personal as the selection of one's custom-made boots. At the European-style Hamilton Riding Club, master trainer David Boley and his staff fervently pursue show-jumping excellence, while his two-legged charges still have a whole lot of fun. 354 Highland St., Hamilton, MA .