If you open up the Waltham phonebook to the restaurant listing you will see at least two dozen Chinese places. The names range from Chang's Kitchen to Chow's Chow. But how do you know which one to try? My girlfriend and I used a time-tested scientific method and selected the first one on the list, Absolutely Asia. In the end, this turned out to be a good choice.

As we walked into the restaurant, I was surprised by how small it was. Apparently, I was not the only one. The nine year old boy with the family behind me exclaimed, "Dad, this place is super tiny." The mother quickly quieted her child and told him not to judge by size. Wise woman. Lucky husband.

Even though it's on the smaller side, we were quickly seated after the host had dispensed of three take out orders. For most of the evening there was brisk take out business, which is always a good sign. The decor is an interesting blend of contemporary light fixtures, yellow-orange walls, a well stocked bar, and a drop ceiling. The owner's attempt at modernizing this slightly dated building has been mostly successful. However, the drop ceiling does little to absorb sound. We overheard the three college girls behind me discussing a recent dance and an older Asian lady seated behind my girlfriend discussing a past love affair. Who knew that dinner came with a free show?

However, we did not come here to eavesdrop, we came here to eat. We started with two appetizers, Vietnamese Spring Rolls ($3.95) and Scallion Pancakes ($3.50). It was a split decision on the appetizers. The Scallion Pancakes had a delightful golden crispy shell and a soft chewy inside. When topped with the dipping sauce they were the perfect, salty appetizer. The spring rolls, however were far from perfect. Instead of golden brown, they were just brown from over-frying. Also, the vegetarian stuffing of the spring rolls had a strange bitter flavor that could not be drowned out by spoonfuls of sweet and sour sauce. Spring rolls aside, the remainder of our meal was excellent.

Our two main dishes were Sechuan Chicken ($8.50) and Sauteed Spicy Green Beans ($7.95). My girlfriend has been fixated on and addicted to spicy green beans for the past two years. Absolutely Asia's green beans did not disappoint. They were mildly spicy and tangy with a hint of sweetness. The Sechuan Chicken was a mix of cubed chicken, green peppers, peanuts, and other assorted vegetables covered, but not drowned, in a not too spicy sauce. Both entrees were reasonably sized.

As I snapped open my fortune cookie at the end of the meal, I saw the family of the three with the wise cracking nine year old head for the door. The host asked the father how his meal had been and he responded, "Absolutely perfect. Do you deliver?"

When TV sitcom writers are looking for the prototypical diner location, they come to the Arcadia Restaurant on Main Street in Waltham. It is everything you would expect a diner to be. Is that good? Bad? Well, that depends on what you're looking for. Me, I think it's mostly good.

Breakfast and brunch fare is tasty, hearty food. Eggs (Egg Beaters available), pancakes, buttered toast, hash, and French toast are all served up hot and fresh. The omelettes and hash are particularly good. The home fries are a little less tasty, but nothing that a healthy dose of ketchup can't fix. The coffee is decent, and you can expect a warm-up every time there's more than an inch of ceramic showing on the inside of the mug.

The service at Arcadia ranges from polite to downright friendly, depending on what you make of it. They are very efficient and usually just as busy. Prices are extremely affordable--you can get brunch, coffee, juice and tip for under $8.

If I could sum it up in one sentence: Arcadia Restaurant is the sort of place where you wouldn't be surprised if you heard Flo say, "Mel, kiss my grits!" before your meal was done. I give it three and a half stomach pumps (out of five).

Excellent Sushi, with Japanese beer available. We enjoy this restaurant when we want Sushi, but don't want to leave Waltham. The prices are reasonable, the service is excellent, the Sushi chefs are very talented, and the restaurant is located right on the corner of Moody and Crescent with full windows that give the place an open feel.

My family and myself ate at this restaurant for the first time yesterday after hearing it was an excellent place to eat. We love Asian food, especially sushi. We had never been in an establishment where we were treated so badly! We didn't see eye to eye with our waitress on our food. After that, the service went down hill from there. We were never asked if everything else was ok, if she could bring us more to drink/ eat or anything else. We sat there with our glasses empty while we watched her tend to and serve everyone else around us. She never said another word or waited on us further for the remaining of the meal. Regardless, we still tipped appropriately but mentioned to her how we felt her service was rude and unnecessary. My husband and I go out to eat probably more than any other couple in the area. We will be sure not to spend our money in this establishment again.

I went to this restaurant with a family friend who's originally from China. She ordered in Chinese and we had a fantastic meal. The service was excellent. I went back by myself and the service was a bit spotty, but the food was still great. I had the Moo Shi Pork, which had the best pancakes I've ever had. I also tried the Scallion Pancakes for the first time and thought they were also very tasty, even cold later that night. The prices seemed average for a typical chinese restuarant ($7.50 - $15.00).

My three suitemates and I frequent Beijing Star, and love their authentic cuisine and menu. The Yu Hsiang anything is fantastic, and the tea served when you sit down adds to the atmosphere. I am graduating, and felt that I should pass on a bit off knowledge to show for the four years I spent in Waltham. Dinner at Beijing Star is optimal, and always fantastic. You cannot go wrong with a dinner at Beijing Star; the lunch specials, although a larger portion, did not seem to us as high quality as the dinners. This is probably due more to count for the delicious nature of the dinner than the failings of the lunch menu.

Inspite of us being 4 and a baby, they still seated us on a small table which could barely fit 4 people. When we asked to be seated on a bigger table, the waiter (I think his name was Deepak - he is a buy guy with a moustache and a deep voice) said that those tables we reserved. For the entire 1 1/2 hour that we were there, nobody occupied any of the 3 bigger tables, and when we were about to leave, there were just 15 mins before the restaurant would close. I doubt anybody would have come and occupied those tables in that time. No sooner had we ordered appetizers than the waiter made us order the main course (without even the appetizers having come). When the main courses came, we found that they were far too spicy for our taste. Please stay away from the Bos Naan in particular. To give you an idea about how spicy the Boss Naan was, consider this : The couple with us were from Andhra Pradesh .. arguably the culture with the spiciest food in India. After eating the Boss Naan they too had tears in their eyes. Please note that we did NOT specify that the food be made spicy. You think this was it..but oh no!..My baby was causing a commotion so to distract her I took her over to an empty table, and Deepak immediately came over and sprayed disinfectant on the table right in my 11 month-old's face. So when we were all done, we asked them to pack up the food and give us a few mins to decide on dessert..But he didn't even give us 2 mins, as he came with a check. And guess what!! Inspite of there being 3 entrees and naans and rice leftover, all he packed was the rice and the so-spicy-you'll-die naan!!

Pros None

Cons Inhospitable waiter, very spicy food, most kid UNfriendly

The Bottom Line Stay away...the food and the service are both loathesome.

Can you please add my experience at Bombay Mahal as well ..I agree 100% with your review. I had never heard any thing good about this place from any Indian friends; only BAD; when we lived in Waltham 12 years back. Being Indian I tried this restaurant once ..12 years back..food was horrible. After a Groupon deal I went again ..food and service was even worse. They also argued on groupon deal and did not give us the deal we bought ( We bought $35 for dinner of 4 worth $83.89 - The guy came with the Bill deducted only $35 ..then we said this is groupon deal and 4 specialty dinner are for this groupon value. He mocked at us and said he can only give us $70 back) So he took extra money from us. Really how come so many give even 2 star to this place ..I saw another family screaming at the waiter for water not being served for 15 minutes ..Same with us. Waiter came 3 times to check our soup order and then got the wrong ones ...one soup was smelling horrible. We returned all 3..as 4th never came. Please save your money and agony. Please check with your Indian friend before going to this place. this place is THE worst food I had in any Indian Joint ever. Stay away from Meat ..it is stale and old.

Looks like they transplanted this roadhouse straight from Austin. A wagon wheel out front, and cozy wooden booths inside. There's smoky ribs, messy pulled pork sandwiches, burgers, and student-friendly prices. Plenty of veggie and fish selections, too. Open for breakfast, lunch, dinner and after. Very good for kids. I liked the atmosphere, but the food was good, especially for the price.

Some distance from the Moody Street restaurant area, and nearby parking is scarce. Open since the summer of 2001, tasteful but not ostentatious, with an upscale feel. 3 separate levels of dining rooms for a quiet dining experience. Antipasti $5 - $10, Insulate $7, Pasta entrees $10-18, Other entrees, Carne e Pasce, $14 to veal for $28. Bruschetta, $5, simple and good. Caesar Salad ($7) with a creamy dressing and a single anchovie atop. House Chardonnay, $5. Special of the night swordfish $22 with a chopped tomato sauce similar to that on the bruschetta. Veal Parmigiana, $15.

A recent visit to Casa Mia was disappointing. The rooms were more crowded than expected, service was spotty, and meal quality was not what we anticipated. The wait of about 20 minutes was reasonable, considering that we visited on a Saturday night without a reservation. We were seated at a table in the upper room. All wines by the glass are now $6, and we ordered the Pino Grigio and a Chianti, both of which were reasonable. A caesar salad was crisp, with a nice dressing, but it would have been better if we didn't have to flag down our waitress to get some fresh pepper for it. A chicken breast with pasta was well-cooked, but could have had a bit more spice. A rack of New Zealand lamb with mashed potato and green beans ($24) was cooked as ordered, but the chops were fatty. The once airy rooms now seem a bit claustrophobic; the wait staff actually had to take circuitous routes to reach some of the tables. The service was friendly, but our waitress did not get to our table very often. A long delay in receiving ordered entrees was attributed to a new chef. All in all, we felt that the quality of our dining experience did not equal the $60 before tip tab. We'd be happy if the crowding were reduced, and we hope the new chef gets up to speed.

Ciro's is a large restaurant on the first floor of the Cronin's Landing building on Moody Street. The decor is black and white with red trim on the chairs and lights. Jennifer started with the Salad Insulata de Ciro ($2.50), which she generally enjoyed, but could have done with a little less of the mushrooms, and more lettuce. I had a glass of the house wine, a nice Trebbiano d'a Bruzzo ($3.50). For dinner Jennifer had the grilled chicken with white wine sauce and lemon, with mushrooms, scallions, tomatoes, and peppers over fetuccini ($11.95). This proved to be delicious. I had salmon with pesto and plum tomatoes over linguini ($13.95). The salmon was cooked just right, and the sauce was good, but I could have stood a little less pesto. I'd recommend this, however. We've heard reports of sporadic service at Ciro's, but we've been seated promptly on several visits, and the staff has been attentive. This summer the outside patio opened, where you can dine overlooking the Charles River.

I'd like to make a brief remark about Ciro's. I have been to the location in Waltham as well as the one in Maynard. While their food is tasty, they are not very sanitary. In Maynard, my Mother had a fly in her drink. In Waltham, I had chipped pieces of glass in my drink. I have been turned off of them every since. Just thought it might be useful information.

Except for the decoupaged tables, the decor of this new breakfast and lunch venue is much the same as when it was "Sam's Deli". It is open 7 days a week, and the menu features breakfasts from $2.50 to $6.95 and lunches from $2.50 to $7.95. One of us had the stack of pancakes, home fries, and bacon, and the other a western omelette with home fries and toast. The pancakes and home fries were rated good, but the bacon could have been better. The omelette was just right, but the toast was overdone. This is a new place, and we suspect the meals will become more consistent in time. The coffee was very good, and refilled frequently. Service was very attentive, but there were only a few diners present.

It's difficult not to be impressed with Erawan of Siam as soon you enter. We were greeted by two elegantly dressed waiters, a multi-armed, brightly colored religious statue, and beautiful Thai wood carvings. As the waiter showed us to our table, I thought to myself, "How much money do I have in wallet? Can I afford this place?"

My worries vanished as soon as I opened the menu. The majority of the entrees are reasonably priced between $10 and $14. Judging on the just the price of the food and the fantastic ambiance, I knew that I found a great date location. Good thing too, because it was Valentines Day. It also seemed that ever other cheap romantic had had the same idea. The place was packed.

Fortunately, I had reserved special seats located in the middle of the restaurant. These seats are perfect for a quiet intimate meal. Before I entered the area were I would be eating dinner, I was asked to take off my shoes. Luckily, my socks didn't have any holes.

For appetizers we had, Thai roles, E.T, and Silver soup. The Thai roles ($4.75), are thin crispy spring rolls filled with meat and vegetables. They are fried until golden brown and served with spicy sweet and sour sauce. Our second appetizer, E.T.($4.75), was my favorite. It seemed to be Thai cuisine's answer to the Indian Samosa, except smaller. The dish has seven small triangles, that are stuffed with potato and other assorted vegetables and Thai herbs. It is crispy and lightly delicately spicy. I think that E.T. stands for extra tasty. Finally, we washed down our appetizers with a bowl of silver soup ($2.95), a shrimp broth with snow peas, and glass noodles. The broth was a little bland for my liking by my girlfriend enjoyed it.

Our main course, however, was far from bland. I had Ginger Chicken ($8.95) with mushrooms, peppers, onions, carrots and scallions. The chicken was tender and spicy and the vegetables were perfectly cooked, crispy but not raw. My girlfriend, started with two dishes, Rama Garden ($8.95) and Shrimp with pineapple. Rama Garden is assorted steam vegetables, with a peanut sauce served on the side. Neither my girlfriend or I liked the Rama Garden. The vegetables had no seasoning, and the peanut sauce tasted like melted peanut butter. Who goes to a restaurant for plain steamed vegetables and peanut butter? Not me. The Shrimp with Pineapple, however, more than made up for the Rama Garden. The shrimp were perfectly cooked and the pineapple was sweet and tender.

As we polished off the last of our generous portions, the bill arrived. I opened it up and smiled because inside was my perfect valentine, an cheap check.

Pizza. What do you think of when you hear that word? Do you think gourmet treat or greasy, cheap, fast-food ? Unfortunately, most of us probably think the latter. There is one place, however, that takes the time to remind us, that when done correctly, pizza is one of the greatest foods ever. The place is Franca's.

Located off of Moody Street in Waltham, next to the Charles River, is the small brick oven pizzeria known as Franca's. I first went there three years ago on my brother's recommendation. It was love at first bite. The pizza was greaseless, crispy and covered in a rich tomato sauce and stringy mozzarella. It was perfection. Mysteriously, however, about a year ago, Franca's closed down. It seemed as if my dream pizza shop was out of business. How could of this happened? I blamed myself. I should have eaten there at least 3 times a week. It was all my fault. "Please don't leave me Franca! Come back," I thought to myself. Alas, it seemed as if Franca's was out of my life forever.

However, a few months ago, I heard that Franca's was open again, but this time under different ownership. "Is it really true? Is Franca's back?", and more importantly I pondered, "Would it be the same as before?" I rounded up five of my friends to investigate if the rumors were really true.

We drove up to the restaurant at eight o'clock on a Friday evening and were greeted by a large glowing red F at the top of the brick building. (Apparently, the "anca's" section of the Franca's sign had burnt out.) As I entered the room, I was greeted by the familiar brick walls, faux Italian frescos, orange benches, and the smell of pizza coming from the wood heated brick oven. So far, things seemed to be as I remember them.

The new owner, David Rosenberg, seated us at our table. He recommended that we start with the Hot Antipasto ($6.95) and claimed, "If you don't like it, I will pay for it. It is that good." He was right. The Hot Antipasto is a salad served with sautéed mushrooms, pepper, onions, pepperoni, eggplant, prosciutto and more. The fried eggplant was thinly sliced, breaded, and lightly fried. It was perfectly crispy and grease free. The entire antipasto was sucked down by our group in seconds flat.

We were here, however, for pizza, not appetizers. I crossed my fingers and ordered my old favorite, a large pizza with fried eggplant ($11.00). My friends looked disgusted at the thought of eggplant on top of pizza. I will say to you what I said to them, "Trust me. It is the best thing you will ever have." They agreed with me after their first bite. Just as I had remembered, the pizza was crispy and greaseless. The eggplant was perfectly seasoned with breadcrumbs and Italian seasoning. This is what pizza should always taste like.

We ordered three other pizzas during the evening, a large mushroom ($11.00), a medium pineapple ($8.00), and a large eggplant and roasted red pepper ($12.00). Each pizza was as perfect as the one before. It is food like this that makes me wish I had four stomachs like a cow, allowing me to eat forever.

Franca's is back in my life and should become part of yours too. Next time you drive down Moody Street and see the giant red F in the sky, pull over and order a pizza. After your first bite you will remember that pizza is not supposed to be fast and greasy, but instead a gourmet treat.

I, too, thought Franco's before it was sold had great pizza. However, we went there about a month after it reopened and the pizza was terrible. The pizza maker didn't seem to have a clue about what he was doing, and the pizza suffered for his lack of training. I haven't been back since. So, my question is, have they really gotten back to their former level of quality and taste, or was the reviewer so enamoured of his fried eggplant that he wasn't paying attention to the wood-fired crust?

Early on a Friday night, mostly families are seated in the booths in the wood smoke scented interior of Franca's. The giant wood fired brick oven dominates the center of the restaurant, which is split into a front room with a door on Charles Street, and a back room facing the commuter rail stop. Once we were seated in a small booth with a view of the trains, we ordered a glass of Blackstone Merlot for 4.50, and a refillable soda for 1.50. Several selections of wine are available by the glass to 6.50, and bottles range from 14 to 24. A variety of beers were available by the glass for 2.50 - 3.50, pitchers 7.50 & 10.50. A garden salad is included with most entrees, but a range of salads are available a la carte for 3.75 to 10.95 for shrimp caesar. Medium and large pizzas are from 8.50 to 13.50. Jennifer ordered the Chicken Broccoli, sauteed in white wine & garlic, with ziti and salad, 11.95. I tried the Veal Parmigean, ziti and salad, 12.95. The salads arrived first, and were crisp mixed greens with onion & tomato, available with the house dressing, a creamy italian. A loaf of warm, tasty bread arrived as we were finishing the salads. Both entrees were well prepared, and were of sufficient proportions that we had extra to take home. Desserts, choice of 3 (4.95). The service was well-intentioned but chaotic, possibly due to a positive review in a Boston newspaper earlier in the week, and a larger than usual crowd.

This restaurant is a wonderful find! Owner David Rosenberg is welcoming and helpful. The menu runs the gamut from pizza to terrific pasta dishes (shrimp scampi and spaghetti carbonara are among our favorites) at very reasonable prices. Wine and beer are available. Relaxed atmosphere great for families, couples, large parties, just about anyone.

We used to get pizzas from Franca's all the time and loved them. Then I think they closed briefly and we tried it once after they reopened but were disappointed. It's been a few years since then and we had a longing for a brick oven pizza so we ordered up one. Sorry to say though the pizza crust was good the toppings were sparse. Hardly any sauce even! One piece was completely bare ( no sauce, nada ) except for a slice of sausage on the end. Hopefully it's just an off night but we might not bother with another try.

Franca's Pizza makes great pizza...not too thick, not too thin, not too much cheese, not too greasy, and with just the right amount of sauce. I have also ordered their garlic bread and found that to be equally tasty. In my honest opinion, this may be the best pizza I've had since I last had real NYC pizza in Brooklyn. However, on two occasions that I have ordered from them, their drivers did not have enough change. I strongly recommend either having the exact change on hand, picking up your order yourself, or just avoiding this place all together if you want to save yourself from being scammed.

The former site of The Skellig has been transformed into the bustling merger of an Irish Pub and Mexican Cantina known as Garcia Brogan's. Approaching early on a Friday night from Embassy Park, the first thing we see are diners at tables in front of large windows open to the air, to the left and right of the entry. A large booth for the hostess visually separates the large bar area on the right from the seating area covering the rest of the space. Signposts pointing to Mexican and Irish locations punctuate the shining floor area with scattered high and regular height tables. 5 TV screens glow behind the bar, and several more are visible from the other seating areas. The casual but efficient waiter appeared soon after we started looking at the the 2 pages of menus, one for the drinks and another for the food. A variety of beers on draft and in bottles, and selections of wine were featured. We overheard the waiter tell nearby diners interested in margaritas that 90 brands of tequila were available. To get into the Irish atmosphere, I ordered a Guinness. The food menu was mostly Mexican items, with Shephards Pie the only Irish meal I saw, but it did say that a more complete menu would be available soon. We placed our orders and the waiter promptly delivered a bowl of tasty though not totally crisp chips with a mild salsa. We got an order of guacamole ($2) as an additional appetizer. We both found this to be a bit on the bland side. Bonnie ordered a veggie burrito ($9) and I got the plate of 3 tacos ($11). The veggie burrito plate included a small lettuce salad that included chunks of extremely hot peppers, and some good salsa verde, but a chunk of beef was included in the burrito. The tacos (I got one each of beef, pork, and chicken) were ok, in soft taco shells, but were a bit on the bland side. A few drops of hot sauce from one of the 3 choices included on the table spiced them up a bit. That plate came with black beans and rice. No complaints about the service, which was efficient and attentive. The noise level was kind of high, but we were able to speak comfortably since the tables were not placed too close to one another. As a Mexican restaurant, I would say this was not a gourmet experience. I would like to try again once they have a bigger menu with more choices.

Gemelli's opened earlier this year at the site of Ritcey's Seafood Kitchen, a long time local favorite. On a Friday night the new restaurant was about one third occupied when we arrived. The place features a small, irregularly shaped, but comfortable dining room. Wood trim and muted red walls add a touch of class. Jennifer ordered a caesar salad for 5.95, and the Pollo y Broccoli for 12.99. I ordered Cappelini Al Giorgio, 14.99 from the menu with entrees from 8.99 to 17.99. Pieces of warm bread were soon delivered along with a dish of olive oil with pesto and tomato sauce. The salad arrived with a plate of anchovies on the side, and was large enough for both of us. Both of our entrees were as described on the menu. We each rated our meal as good but not exceptional. While we were unimpressed by the pasta selections, we would like to try the Neapoliton style brick oven pizza. The service was very attentive throughout our meal. The two person table was a bit on the small side, and dishes needed to be removed when our entrees arrived. Give this place a try, but give it some time to catch up to the other moderately priced Italian restaurants in the area.

Assigned to identify a good Italian restaurant for a special small group, we have been eating our way around Waltham's Italian restaurants for several weeks now. I know good Italian food. There is a lot of it in the town, but none better than at Gemelli's. To be sure the place is not pretentious -- no tablecloths, no flowers, no cushions on the chairs -- but charming all the same. We've eaten there twice now, the first time the place was so packed with families that we had to wait. Each time I've been impressed by the high quality of the marinara sauce, the delicate, homemade baked zucchini appetizer, the eggplant dishes, and last time the exceptional ravioli in a butter and onion sauce. And it's a long time since I've had a canoli as fresh and lovingly filled as we found there [even in the North End!]. The service was also outstanding, both times. I am looking forward to going back as soon as I can to sample more of these truly homemade delicacies. They deserve some limelight!

Tried another one of Gemelli's pizzas, and this one was even better than the last one I tried. The Bianca pizza featured a crisp, thin crust, with just the right amount of sauce and season, and paired nicely with a Sam Adams summer ale. This place has become my new favorite pizza vendor.

The Hon Dynasty is a small restaurant on Main Street featuring Cantonese and Szechuan Cuisine available eat in or take out. The upper parts of the walls are white, with large paintings of Chinese landscapes. The lower parts are a green marbled look, which matches the insets on the tables. The green carpet and black and green lacquered tables create a contemporary, informal atmosphere. Rock music played in the background, but at a low enough level not to detract from conversation. Our party of 4 ordered Pork Strip Wonton Soup ($1.75 for small) and Hot & Sour Soup ($1.90 small, $2.75 large) to start. Both of the soups were good, but could have been spicier. The wonton included lots of vegetables, and the hot & sour featured a thick broth. For entrees, we ordered Roast Pork Lo Mein ($6.25 for large), Yu Hsiang Broccoli ($5.75), and the chef's specialty Orange Chicken ($8.25). The entrees were served with white rice, with free refills. We judged the dishes to be good, with fresh ingredients, but they all could have had a little more spice in them. Our waiter was courteous and chatty, and both the soups and main courses were served quite promptly. The casual atmosphere, very reasonable pricing, and modestly spiced food made us think that this could be an ideal family restaurant.

Like peanut butter and jelly, Nomar (Nomaaaaah) and the Red Sox, and Elvis and polyester jumpsuits, blues music and barbecue are meant to be together. Jake and Earl's Dixie Roadhouse does its best to combine good music with good barbecue. Of course, since we do live north of the Mason Dixon line, it is unreasonable to expect Jake's to get every detail correct. For the North, however, they do a pretty damn good job.

The giant neon "Jake's" sign and B.B. King's mellow music greeted us as we walked into the restaurant and bar. The walls are painted yellow and lined with 100 bottles of hot sauce. The bar to our right had a few people drinking beers and watching the Red Sox game on one of the overhead TVs. We, however, did not come here to drink, be social, or watch the game. We came here to eat.

Fortunately for us, Jake's was ready to feed us. As the waitress showed us to our seats, we passed by a couple that had just received their plates of food. At first I was in shock; "Did those people order three entrees each? How on earth are they going to eat all of that food?" I was convinced that there was some sort of mix up in the kitchen or that those people had tapeworms. It is not possible for people to eat that much food.

We sat down, perused the menu and after a brief debate, my girlfriend Katie, my friend Dan, and I decided what to order. Dan and I started out with an order of Kings' Wings($7.95). Living in the North, I have grown accustomed to buffalo wings that are small and spicy. The King's wings are spicy, but by no means small. Each wing was about the size of my fist. The wings were smoky and covered with moist tender chicken that falls off the bone. Simply fantastic.

For dinner, I had the Texas brisket($12.95). The plate was piled high with tender brisket, three kinds of BBQ sauce, Cole slaw, baked beans, a brick of corn bread and slice of watermelon. The cornbread was a little dry and not very flavorful. The rest of the food, however, was fantastic. The brisket was tender and irresistible once it had been drowned in BBQ sauce.

Dan ordered the Delta Double (ribs and chicken, ($15.95). This entrée is aptly named because only Delta Burke could eat the whole plate. The ribs were tender, juicy, and perfectly cooked. In most restaurants, a piece of lettuce is used to garnish a plate. Not at Jake and Earl's. Instead, they use half of a chicken. Like all of the other meat, the roasted chicken was perfectly cooked, tender, and delicious. The only problem was that Dan was so full that he did not have room to eat it and had to take it home for lunch. The Delta Double could easily feed two or three people.

Katie, who doesn't east most types of meat, ordered the Deep Fried Jumbo Shrimp($13.95). Once again, Jake and Earl's did not disappoint, serving great tasting food, and plenty of it. The ten or so jumbo shrimp were covered with a slightly spicy batter, fried to perfection, and served with a tangy dipping sauce that expertly balanced the spiciness of the batter. The shoestring fries served on the side were also good, but got a little greasy after a while. Except for the lack of sweetened ice tea (if you are from the South, you will understand that sugar mixed in to ice cold tea does not compare), she left satisfied and stuffed.

After eating all of these wonderful oversized plates of food I had only one question, "How on earth can anyone be blue after eating here?" I paused and thought for a minute and answered my question, "They are singing the blues because they no longer fit through a doorway, let alone into their own pants." Good thing I was born a northerner.

Just wanted to let you know, I recently visited Jake's Dixie Roadhouse with several friends. The service was horrendous; it took an hour to get our food, the food was mediocre at best, and when we complained, the management was rude and unaccomadating. I would NOT reccomend visitng the restaurant, and wanted you to be aware of our experience.

A new franchise of the KnowFat Lifestyle Grill opened in Waltham on April 7, with an official grand opening slated for early May. A former printing shop at the end of the strip mall at 411 Waverly Oaks Road was gutted and transformed into this spacious restaurant. The original KnowFat in Watertown was based on the idea of providing healthy, low-fat meals. New outlets are being opened, mainly in Massachusetts, but as far away as Minnesota, Dallas, and south Florida. The front part of the space is devoted to the sale of nutritional supplements and fitness products, while the remaining portion contains tables and a counter fronting the kitchen. Orders are placed, and payment made at the counter, and the food is brought to your table when it is ready. The menu includes nutritional information for all items. For lunch I ordered the fajita burrito with steak (Cal 804 Pro 53 Crb 91 Fib 13 Gfat 17 Sfat 6) and my partner ordered Smart Meal #2, including a chicken meatball burro (Cal 716 Pro 61 Crb 71 Fib 3 Gfat 12 Sfat 7) and KnowFat! AirFries (Cal 275 Pro 4 Crb 40 Fib 4 Gfat 9 Sfat 2). The entire order, including 2 bottled waters, came to 16.87. The items were delivered to our table quickly, no more than 5 minutes after we ordered. The chicken meatball burro (5.99 if ordered a la carte) is described in the menu as chicken meatballs, marinara and reduced fat parmarella blend in a tomato basil tortilla. It was warm and just spicy enough, and I could not tell from the taste that it was a low fat item. The fajita burrito (6.49) is made of chili-lime peppers & onions, brown rice, seasoned black beans, reduced fat cheddar and KnowFat! jalapeno salsa in a cilantro tortilla. Like the other item, this was very good and did not taste low fat. The fries, cooked with a special technique that does not use oil, were every bit as good as the high fat item you would get with typical fast food. The concept of good food that is good for you, at a reasonable price, is a winner.

Hi, I noticed that SoCal had closed (it wasn't very good in the first place) but KnowFat! has opened a location in Waltham! It's really very delicious. I love their wraps especially the Chicken Buffalo Wrap. Their burgers are amazing with a ridic low calorie count. I would recommend the Turkey Burger. Amazing. The absolute best thing about my visits to KnowFat! are the chocolate peanut butter brownies which are sugar free but taste so good. Their very moist and rich. I usually get a side of broccoli which may not sound delicious but the way they make it with just a pinch of salt and pepper is great. Another recommendation is the grilled cheese on the kid's menu. I'm in college and definitely miss a good grilled cheese sandwich. KnowFat's is low fat cheese on yummy whole wheat bread with the cheese perfectly melted and gooey on the inside. It's perfection. I highly recommend this place especially since they have a Free 3% Cash Back program.

Ristorante Marcellino occupies two floors of a building near the Charles River, adjacent to the Embassy lot off of Pine Street. Downstairs is a large open dining room in view of the kitchen, and there is a seasonal, open air dining room and bar upstairs. The featured appetizer was mixed salad greens with grilled lamb, goat cheese, roasted peppers and tomato vinaigrette ($11.95) as an appetizer. The Pinot Grigiot wine ($5.50 a glass) was served in a stylish rippled glass, and was promptly delivered with a crispy thick crusted bread served with a small bowl of olives and oil. We had a well prepared Insulata Mista ($5.95) as our salad. We both had a special of the day. Jennifer had the filet mignon with mashed potatoes and a treacle sauce with steamed spinach ($21.95), and reported that the meat was prepared just as ordered, with ample portions of the other ingredients. I had the swordfish with vinaigrette, mashed potatoes, and green beans ($22.95). The swordfish was just right, and the green beans were fresh and delicious. The service was prompt and attentive for the entire meal. Reservations are highly recommended, particularly for busy weekend evenings.

Our first visit to Mediterranean Breeze, shortly after opening at the site of several former restaurants, was for breakfast. We were pleasantly surprised by the relaxed, comfortable atmosphere of the 2 rooms that make up the place. The radio was up a little high and tuned to a station with a somewhat abrasive repertoire, but the service wasprompt and attentive. Eggs and sausage were nicely done, but the western omelet was relatively bland. We were eager to return for dinner to try the Mediterranean specialties. The service was as before, but we were disappointed by both of our meals. Jennifer had the $8.50 Pastichio, baked casserole with layers of pasta, ground beef, grated cheese, seasonings and a white Bechamel sauce. Unfortunately, the ground beef was thinly apportioned, and seasonings were barely detectable. A rather bland choice. Instead of the Mediterranean Broiled Haddock Dinner, $10.25, which I ordered, I received the Fried Haddock Plate, $8.99. The breaded pieces of haddock were tough and not particularly flavorful, and the generous portion of fries they were served over were greasy. With the tartar sauce that accompanied this, it was a mediocre fish and chips. On the plus side, the salad that came with the Plate was fresh and crisp, though the Greek dressing was not particularly zesty. I'd like to see this restaurant succeed, but in this difficult location with limited parking and several other nearby eateries, it will be tough unless the quality improves dramatically. They need to spice up the entrees, and be more generous with the other essential ingredients.

Michael's Italian Grille is downstairs at the Best Western TLC. The medium size dining room and bar feature a ceramic tile floor, booths and tables with red leather seating, and artwork depicting the old country. The atmosphere would be improved with windows in the restaurant. The menu includes 7 seafood entrees, several beef and chicken, and pork, in the $10 to $15 range. A caesar salad is $2.95. The complementary bread and roll were both tasty and warm. Jennifer had the Pollo Con Broccoli Pasta E Pomodoro ($12.95), served with a choice of pasta, chicken with fresh broccoli, herb dried tomatoes and marsala wine, garnished with fresh rosemary. My Salmone Grigilia ($14.95) was a salmon fillet with olive oil, a balsamic viniger lemon reduction, and herb garnish. The fish was cooked properly, but I thought the sauce could have been more subtly flavored. It was a little much. The servers were attentive, but had some problems with explaining the menu and understanding our orders. All in all, I thought the food was good, but not exceptional. On the other hand, the prices are reasonable, and I'm sure there are better choices on the menu.

I give The Naked Fish two thumbs up! It provides a more upscale night out than the usual Main or Moody Street Waltham restaurants. It is a pleasant 10 minute drive from campus (your own transportation is necessary) and is worth the extra distance. There is a large array of seafood options, delicious vegetarian sides to go with the main courses, hearty soups, fresh salads and a few meat options. The food is slightly on the salty side (ofcourse not as salty as the food in the dining halls), but still quite tasty. The portions are large and filling... definitely worth the money. The wine and fancy Cuban cocktail selection is quite extensive. And the desserts looked yummy, as well. The music and atmosphere are fun and up-beat. The Naked Fish is a good decision for a nice night out with friends or even parents coming to visit.

On Nov. 11th, we had lunch at the Naked Fish. I have been there before for supper, but never at lunch time and expected it to be crowded from all the folks employed on the other side of 128. It was pretty much empty when we arrived, and only half full when we left at 12:30. At suppertime it's much harder to get a table. The lunch menu is different as well. Shelley had the crab cake sandwich and I had a cheeseburger, and we both had soft drinks. The total bill was $25 (sorry, didn't note the individual prices). The burger was a weird freeform shape that was overly large for the bun and undercooked in spots. The crab cake kept falling apart and out of the bun, but was good. The wait staff was friendly and attentive.

I just thought I would put my two-cents worth in about the Naked Fish on Totten Pond that we visited based on your review. We were expecting better. What really put us off was the fast-food restaurant style seating (benches with tables in front of them). We were squeezed in so close to the tables on either side of us that you really couldn't carry on any kind of a private conversation. The woodwork and fabric looks like it really needs a good scrubbing-down, too. Food was ok, but not special enough to put up with the seating arrangement. Not a place we'll be returning to even though we have a son starting at Bentley this fall.

My three suitemates and I often purvey the Indian food buffets around Brandeis - one day (in April of '07) we went to New Mother India at around 1:30. The buffet was reasonably priced, yet the selection of Indian dishes actually on the buffet were poor. There were no mainstream dishes, such as Tikka Masala, Korma, Paneer, or Vindaloo. The dishes were somewhat cold and the pakoras were not crisp. It seemed like very poor fare to me. Resistant service + poor selection + mediocre quality food = poor buffet. As to the quality of their dinner menu, I cannot attest.

We decided to check out Nonna's on a Thursday night, after hearing positive remarks from friends who had dined there. This restaurant is near the Maple street intersection with Moody Street. Stepping inside, we could see the wood trim and area above what used to be the lower seating area of Erewan of Siam, but otherwise the space was totally transformed. A white fountain flows near the entrance, a subtly blue lit bar occupies the left side, and white walls with paintings and dark floors give the room a relaxing open atmosphere. A bowl of small bread slices was delivered, and I ordered a glass of Canyon Road Pino Noir (7.00) and Jennifer got a small bottle of presecco (7.00). We enjoyed the bread as we checked out the menu. Jennifer ordered a House Salad (5.00) and Chicken Francese, an egg battered chicken breast in white wine lemon butter sauce (16.00) and I ordered the Linguini Pescatore, with clams, calamari, and shrimp, with white (which I chose) or red sauce (18.00). The house salad was quite large, with a nice variety of ingredients. The sauce was just right on the chicken, and the seafood was nicely prepared, with lots of tender calamari, 4 clams, and 5 shrimp. The waitstaff was friendly and helpful, and we were pleased that the owner came out to check on us and answer our questions about starting up this new restaurant. We really enjoyed this meal. The prices are very reasonable, and all the food was excellent. This is a great place to get a nice Italian meal on a budget.

Joe Malone and his partners recently opened an upscale steak house on the site of a former Italian restaurant. Portions of the new restaurant are still under construction, but the bar and a small dining room, separated by glass windows, was open when we visited. The atmosphere is relaxing, with a muted cream, grey and brown theme. On the brick walls are historic photographs of Waltham, and tiffany lamps light each table. Entrees include a number of steak options, at 29.95, the special steak tips, grilled over oak with garlic rosemary au jus and steak fries, 14.95, and atlantic salmon Filet, available grilled or roasted, for 18.95. Most entrees do not include potato or vegetable, which are 4.50 each. Appetizers range from 6.95 to 8.95 and salads list for 6.75 and 6.95. The waiter served a bowl of warm bread and rolls, and Jennifer had the winter lettuce salad, with radishes, roasted pistachos & bleu cheese, which was delicious. The steak tips arrived cooked as ordered. The salmon was a respectable chunk, nicely cooked. The side order of garlic spinach was a good, not-overcooked, plate full. The mountain of steak fries were crispy, cooked with their skins. Piano instrumentals were played on the grand piano at the end of the room from 6:30 on. The service was plentiful, and mostly efficient. All in all, this was a pricy dining experience, but on the other hand, every thing we ordered was perfectly prepared, and delicious.

Papa George's Pizza opened early in 2004 at a storefront vacated by Mama Josie's more than a year before. Like the establishments that came before, Papa George's is a large restaurant geared to a takeout and casual dining audience. They are open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We arrived for dinner early on a Wednesday night, and were the only ones seated, but there was a steady stream of people coming in for takeout. We sampled a variety of items, including a gyro chicken sandwhich (6.00), small onion rings (2.50), garden salad (4.25), large grilled garlic chicken pizza (13.75) and diet cola (1.43). Also on the menu are breakfast specials from 4.76 to 5.95, sandwhiches from 4.25 to 6.75, salads from 4.25 to 6.75, dinners at 7.25 and 7.50, seafood plates from 8.99 to 14.25, and pasta dishes from 6.25 to 9.75. None of the choices we had were bad, but none were outstanding either. The onion rings apparently had been the frozen variety, served with catsup packets. The garden salad was large and crisp, but was served with a packet of Italian dressing. The grilled garlic chicken pizza was surprisingly bland. In fact, all of the items were on the bland side. The price was right, but I was hoping for a little more of a home style sit down meal. I'm sure there are specialties of the house, but we were not fortunate enough to have ordered any of them. The service in the large section of tables was good, but we hope the quality of the cuisine improves.

You may know this restaurant better by its old name of Pete's Pizza and Subs, or even by its classic name of Johnnies Pizza. Or you may know it by the innovative marketing slogans that appear in the window from time to time, including "Bar and Cockfighting in the Basement" and "The French Revolution had nothing to do with us", that show the same creativity with otherwise standard tools that Pete's menu exhibits. Or you may simply know it as Pete himself would wish it to be known, as your local dysfunctional family restaurant.

Regardless of the manner in which Pete's (nee Johnnies) finds its way into the radar screen of your consciousness, it should most definitely find its way into the cockles of your heart. And with menu items like the Steak and Cheese Calzone and the aptly named Dick's Heart Attack, it may find its way into more areas of your heart than just the cockles.

But simply put, this is the finest sandwich shop in all of Waltham. But to call it simply a "sandwich shop" is misleading, for the finest items on the menu are not sandwiches at all. The aforementioned Dick's Heart Attack, filled with mozzarella sticks and bacon, is something that must be tried if you pass the strict physical fitness test that Pete's insurance company requires before ordering. The steak and cheese calzone (known in these parts as simply "The Usual") is a delightful combination of grilled steak and melted cheese, wrapped in a soft pizza crust and baked to perfection. The crust, indeed, is one of the best parts of Pete's calzones, and perfectly complements the pinnacle of Pete's original calzone creations: the Crossover. Boneless wings in one of nine different flavors are covered with cheese and baked into a mouth-watering feast that I can't really go into any further for fear of drooling on my keyboard. It's served with a side of bleu cheese.

And I haven't even mentioned Pete's signature item: the wraps. Fully a baker's dozen of these little pockets of deliciousness grace the menu, ready to satisfy your craving for meat or vegetarian, hot or cold, dry or juicy. Pete himself claims that the king of the bunch is the Zesty Chicken, with its lemon-flavored chicken, steak tomatoes, Bermuda onions and cilantro pesto, but I think he underestimates his own Steak and Potato Wrap. Cajun-seared shaved beef sirloin and country-style home fries wrapped up with cheddar cheese and sour cream? It doesn't get much better than that.

Service is friendly, parking is plentiful, and the ambience truly has to be experienced to be understood. Delivery is also available, and Pete himself has been known to take time out of the kitchen to personally bring his latest creations to your door. Be sure to compliment the tzagiki - he makes it himself.

What I like about Unos is that you can count on quality pizza and reasonable service any time. They feature frequent specials so that you can get a good meal at a decent price. We had the 2 house salads and medium size deep-dish pizza special which came to only $12. The salads, though not huge, are reasonably sized and can be ordered with the house dressing, an Italian style vinegrette delivered in a Grolsh beer bottle. We chose the Unos Classic pizza, with the unique Chicago-style sausage that is the trademark of this chain. This is usually no wait to get seats, except during very peak hours such as Friday or Saturday night. Once seated, the wait staff is attentive and the food is delivered promptly. In addition to the deep-dish pizza, we recommend the new thin crust pizza, and the Caesar salad is always good. The bar has a selection of mixed drinks, wine, and most of the popular and a few custom beers on tap.

Ritcey's on Moody Street - Their clams are always tastey with no extra grease and are always nice crispy. The broiled scallops are tender and sweet. I have lived in the area for over 50 years and have not had any better. My sister lives in NJ and when she comes up here the first place she wants to go is there.

We first visited Sabatino's in mid-November. The first thing we noticed is that the dining area had been reduced in size, and the large pizza oven was visible behind the counter and cash register. The casual service was walk-up order and pick-up, and it appears that they are anticipating a large take-out business. With the specials of the night, we each had 2 large slices of pizza and a 24-ounce soda, all for only $7.25. Our 4 slices included Traditional, Garden (vegetarian), and Pepperoni. All were traditional Italian-style thin-crust pizzas that reminded us of the excellent pizza from the small shops in Florence. The staff were very friendly, and the tables and chairs retained from the previous restaurant were comfortable. Our next experience with Sabatino's was take-out delivery, recommended since parking can be hard to find in the area. The meal arrived hot in a surprisingly small amount of time. A large Al Pacino pizza, $12.99, was topped with prosciutto, roasted peppers, fresh tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese. This was also delicious, but difficult to eat due to the large pieces of prosciutto on top. Waltham has a number of restaurants that make a good authentic Italian pizza, but we think Sabatino's makes the best.

We've found that the quality of Sabatinos pizzas has suffered since the move from the Prospect Street location to Main Street. The long time site of Mama Josie's is more pleasant and seats many more than the old site, but the pizza is just not quite as good. We've had unevenly cooked pizzas on several occasions. There are now several new places in town that make very good pizzas, so I hope this shop can get back to producing the quality pizzas they are known for.

Entering Sadie's Saloon is sort of like starting a choose-your-own-adventure book. Stepping through the front door, you find yourself in a tiny foyer with two doors. If you turn left, you walk into the bar; right, and you're in the dining area. The two are separated by a half-wall that does a good job of separating the drinking crowd from the eating crowd and vice versa, but you can always look over to the other side and see what would've happened if you'd chosen the other path, sort of like when you mark your page with a finger and read both options before continuing.

Like most choose-your-own-adventure books, though, the path you should take is completely obvious. If you're eating at Sadie's, you should be getting one thing and one thing only: the steak tips. There are plenty of other good items on the menu: the pulled pork sandwich is excellent, as is the buffalo chicken salad, and the onion rings are very, very good. But going to Sadie's and not getting any sort of tips is like going to Ben & Jerry's and ordering plain vanilla, waffle cone, no jimmies. Nothing wrong with it, but you're missing the point.

The meat, the original marinade, the cooking process...all have been perfected at Sadie's to a level beyond the reach of ordinary mortals. The turkey tips and teriyaki steak tips are delicious, but they are only shadows of the original, mere prints of a Monet. The steak tips are a transcendental experience that must be sampled to be appreciated. I cannot say enough to do them justice, and it pains me to know that my poor words paint such an inadequate picture, so I will say no more.

Most of the sides are excellent--the aforementioned onion rings, the above-average french fries, and the garlic mashed potatoes particularly stand out, and the salads are very good if you're looking for something cool. Service is always friendly and fairly efficient. TVs of various sizes are tuned to sports channels to provide entertainment should you find the conversation flagging. The beer selection is adequate, if unoriginal. But then, if you want beer, you should really be across the street at Watch City or Bison County. You're at Sadie's for the tips, remember?

On Nov. 8th, Shelley and I had lunch at the Skellig. Seems like a good pub environment. Relaxed atmosphere, friendly service, very good pub-style food. Apparently home to live Celtic music on a regular basis (not at lunch on a Saturday, however). Food in the $ range (total came to less than $15 for two meals and a softdrink). She had the Guinness Beef Stew and heartily recommends it. I had a perfect hamburger and excellent fries. Don't know about the brew, it was a bit early for us.

Don't be too timid to try the mussels, I watched a friend enjoy a whole bowl! I have had the Fish and Chips several times, and was always very pleased. Their website menu doesn't have it listed, but the best meal I had here was a very traditional Corned Beef and Cabbage. If you like Guiness, but have never had a Murphy's Irish Stout, I recommend you try one while you're here. Your Irish Brew will undoubtedly taste better with the sounds of the emerald isle behind you- the musicians play right in the middle of the room at one of the tables. Parking is easy, with the Public Waltham Lot right around the corner, behind the restaurant. The prices are very reasonable: Apps: $5-7 Entrees: $8-11.

The So Cal Restaurant opened in March of 2004 at the long-time site of Hanlon's Men's Shoes, which closed in 2003.

I had a chance to check out the new restaurant called "So Cal" on Moody. What was most memorable about the experience is that it is an identical replica of one of my favorite restaurants in the Boston area, "Lo Fat Know Fat" (there is one in Watertown on Arsenal St. and one in Shrewsbury. I guess the third one is opening in Woburn next month), although the food was not even in the same ballpark in terms of taste. The steak tips and turkey tips were terrible (dry, no taste, overcooked) and their version of Lo Fat Know Fat's air fries tasted like Ore Ida's frozen fries. The chicken meatball wrap was OK.

Anyway, I travel around Boston a lot so I was psyched to see this new restaurant called So Cal. I was so disappointed with the food and that all this guy did was try and steal Lo Fat Know Fat's concept, and he couldn't even to that right. Bummer. I really thought I had found another hidden gem of a healthy restaurant but that was not the case.

Oh well, back to Lo Fat Know Fat.

It's about time! Finally a restaurant with healthy food, a great atmosphere, and all at a good price. My wife and I ate there last night for the first time and were truly impressed. At the recommendation of the counter girl I had the Turkey Gyro wrap with fries and my wife had the Tex-Mex Burrito with a salad. The food was fresh, and tasty. I loved the fries - crinkle cut and low in fat! I was told that the turkey and chicken are ground on the premises which is probably why my turkey meatballs tasted so good. Perfect! We're going back tonight!

I had to try it out and see for myself. The restaurant is in a corner storefront, and is uncluttered, with just a few tables along the side. I ordered a small Tex-Mex Burrito (33g pro, 1g sat fat, 8g good fat, 54g carb, 448 cal, 3g fiber) $5.49 plus the $1.00 Side Salad option. Most of the items on the menu are available in Sm or Lg size. Entrees, with mixed veggies, rice potato ziti or fries, range from $5.99 to $10.49. Also available are Gourmet Wraps, Hot Sandwiches, Salads, Sides, Hi-Pro Shakes and Fruit Smoothies. After a 10 minute or so wait, the order was delivered. The salad, with no fat blue cheese dressing, was good. The spinach wrap (plain, whole wheat and tomato basil are also available) was nicely spiced, but the steak tips were chewy. Good value for $6.81 including tax, but I'm going to try a turkey or chicken based meal next time I visit the So Cal.

I have eaten at So Cal now three times. I have to say that the Chicken Parm wrap is absolutely delicious and the low fat fries are in fact "low fat". I read a review on how this restaurant is simply a rip off from Low Fat Know Fat. While the concept may be the same which is true of any restaurants set up to compete with each other - this is like the McDonalds vs Burger King of todays era. The thing I liked best about So Cal are the additional perks - the free wireless internet connectivity for people who want to work through lunch be it an i-meeting or checking email while they eat. The location is great and I never had trouble getting parking. I'd definitely recommend it to anyone who is looking for delicious food that is healthy, quick and a very clean and open environment to eat in. I look forward to checking out some of the breakfast wraps and enjoying a Starbucks coffee one morning soon now that they have breakfast.

We decided to try the So Cal again, and try out some of the sandwiches recommended by other reviewers. Jennifer had the turkey gyro in a wheat wrap with the fries, and I had a spicy buffalo chicken meatball wrap with the tomato/basil wrap. The chicken wrap had an interesting flavor as of the first bite. The texture of the meatballs was unpleasant, as if the meat had been spun in a blender before being made into meatballs. The odd steamed vegetables and sauce flavor that quickly turned cloying made it difficult to finish the first half of the sandwich. The turkey gyro was similarly unimpressive, with turkey that had the consistency of egg salad. The fries were acceptable, but nothing special. This food may be healthy, but consuming it was not a pleasure. 2 bottled waters and 2 lunches came to $15.85. Jennifer says the water was the best part of the meal. Maybe we'd return for some Starbucks coffee and wi-fi time, but we won't be having lunch here again.

Restaurant Yasu - now Sushi Yasu - offers very fresh sushi at reasonable prices, certainly beating the prices in Boston. The staff are very attentive and friendly, but English is definitely not their strong suit. Regulars are given extra attention, and the cooked food is excellent as well. The atmosphere is a bit spartan, but fitting for a sushi restaurant. The only caveat is to never place an order by telephone unless you speak fluent Korean; the staff rarely gets telephone orders correct.

The Upper Crust, billed as "Not Your Average Pizza", opened in the summer of 2007 in half of what used to be the Panopticon Gallery on Moody Street. Their pizza is excellent, but the dine-in experience is not their forte. They offer a full range of thin crust Neapolitan style pizzas, with a basic cheese pizza ($11.75 for a small 14 inch), meat and vegetarian pizzas for 13.75 to 16.10, and Seafood Specialties from 14.75 to 19.75 for the small Lobster Fra Diavlo. We ordered a small prosciutto and roasted red peppers pie (1.25 per topping), a small garden salad (3.58), an endlessly refillable soda and a Harpoon summer ale. The decor is modernistic with high and low tables and bar in the middle of the narrow room. The trademark reflective disks suspended from the ceiling helped to bring in light from the storefront. The beer and an unremarkable salad were soon delivered waiter who was doing double duty as cashier. When the take-out traffic picked up, our waiter was occupied. The pizza proved to be delicious, with a crust crisp enough to stand up to the sauce and toppings. It doesn't look like they take credit cards yet. As pizza places go, the prices are upper crust, but your cash buys you one of the best pizzas in town.

Run by friendly staff, this small cafe with very reasonable prices is attached to the Waltham Watch Factory building. The menu includes an excellent variety of breakfast and brunch specialties. Their eggs benedict is done very well, and omelets and egg sandwiches are prepared with care. In the summer time a choice between flavored and regular iced coffees is especially nice. The interior isn't huge, but most tables are near a window. In the summer time, there is seating outside. So take a walk on the bicycle path that connects Moody and Prospect Streets (at the bridge over the Charles) and visit Victoria's for a relaxed weekend breakfast off the main restaurant rows of Waltham!

Victoria's is a cozy, clean, and brightly colored (red and white) cafe that is serviced by the most polite staff and able cook. Besides offering the usual breakfast fare common at any breakfast restaurant you are offered some interesting choices. For instance, you have 3 choices of French toast, Texas, California, and Crunchy. My wife had the crunchy which consists of wheat bread crusted with corn flakes with very fresh and large strawberries and bananas. I got to try some and it was very good. I had the everything omelet with tomatoes, peppers, onions, mushrooms, bacon, ham and cheese. It was large, moist, flavorful with very fresh ingredients and definitely not greasy. The home fries were mixed with sauteed onions and peppers to give them a little flavor. The coffee was excellent. My wife had the decaf which had a slightly nutty taste that I too got to sample and enjoyed. I had the regular coffee which was very rich tasting. For a small operation only serving breakfast and lunch they had a very large menu selection. We are looking forward to going back!

The Brewing Company is on the corner of Moody and Pine Street, near to the Embassy Theater and parking lot, and shopping on Moody Street. The brewery can be seen behind glass walls on the left of the entry to the restaurant, which features a large bar right in the center surrounded by tables and booths. We found it to be quieter in the smaller front section opposite from the brewery.

This brew pub features several beers brewed on the premises all year round, and a selection of seasonal offerings. I had a pint of Wheatweisser ($3.50) which I found to be a refreshing example of German style wheat beer. The food offerings have evolved in the several years since the establishment opened.

Jennifer had the chicken burger with ham and swiss cheese ($7.95) which she rated as "much improved" with a nice smoky flavor. I had the grilled salmon with summer squash and zucchini over rice ($12.95). I thought this salmon garnished with orange and lemon slices and grilled red pepper was great.

When I am pressed for time, and want to stop in some place for quick, high quality Italian food, I stop here. The first time I ate here (Fall 2000), the sauce smelled like my Grandmothers (really- and she's Italian!). Since then, things have changed a little, but I still frequent the place since they really care about the food they prepare, and put the time into their sauce. I enjoy their Veal Parmesan, and their perfectly cooked Ravioli. (usually on special for about $9). They also serve these bread triangles that I can't get enough of - I am sure you will see what I mean if you visit. They are also an excellent choice for a late morning breakfast on the weekend.

I actually don't think of Watch City Diner as a diner, but as a take-out/delivery Italian restaurant. The food is great, I usually get two meals out of every entree, it comes fast (even though I don't live near the diner), and it comes hot. A great choice for family or casual company at home.

The Winter Street Cafe serves Japanese and Chinese cuisine at a busy plaza which also hosts a Thai restaurant, and a pizza bistro. It's a long, narrow room fronted by windows, split by a long counter for takeout and a sushi bar. The Cafe does not serve alcohol, but the store next door sells wine and beer which can be brought in. The walls are lightly colored, with soft fabric panels opposite the counter, and light wood trim. Asian pop music plays in the background. The menu starts with general appetizers, the middle section features popular Chinese entrees, and the last lists sushi specials and other Japanese entrees. The Chinese chef's specialties range from $9.75 (Sesame Chicken/Beef) to $12.50 (Peppery Crispy Shrimp). Sushi specials, served with miso soup, range from $13.95 to $23.95, and Japanese entrees, served with rice and soup, are between $10.95 and $14.95. We had Scallion Pancakes ($3.95) as an appetizer, and they were crisp, light, and flavorful. Jennifer had the Chinese entree of Chicken in Garlic Sauce ($8.75) and white rice ($1.25). This featured good vegetables, a spicy sauce, and lots of chicken. I had the Nigiri and Maki special ($16.95) served with a nice miso soup. This contained 6 slices each of salmon roll, Naruto cucumber roll, and 4 kinds of Maki. The ingredients were all very fresh, and tasty. Service throughout the meal was efficient, and the staff was very friendly and attentive.

In the beginning of 2004, both of Waltham's long lived seafood restaurants were closed. Just in time for Lent, Wright Seafood & Italian Restaurant opened at the site of the former Waltham Seafood on March 19, 2004. The decor is much the same inside and out as it had been; it has a cozy kitchen atmosphere. On a Friday night there was a line to the doors by 5:45, but we were seated at one of the booths in the modestly sized dining room within 20 minutes. The largest part of the menu is the fish and shellfish: fried, baked, broiled, grilled or blackened, from $8.95 for Fish & Chips (regular or spicy) to $16.95 for the Fisherman's Platter. Twin market price lobsters were available for $29.95 on the day we visited. I ordered the Chef's Choice Assorted Platter broiled for $15.95. An assortment of Italian Specialties includes pasta, veal & chicken dinners. They prices range from $7.95 for Pasta with sauce to $18.95 for Shrimp & Lobster Fra Diablo. Jennifer ordered the Chicken Kabob for $10.95. Water and diet cola were delivered along with 4 warmed rolls with butter. A cup of clam chowder ($3.25) was creamy, with clams and small chunks of potato. The fish platter came with a baked potato and crisp, cold cole slaw. The 3 large shrimp and 4 scallops were very good. A good sized piece of salmon and a fillet of fish were also nicely prepared. It was more than I could eat on the spot. The kebab was served over a bed of rice pilaf and mixed vegetables. One also had the choice of potato, french fries and cole slaw. The chicken was very good, except for the stray bit of swordfish mixed in. There was an even longer line at the door by the time we headed home. Wright's is a good choice for good seafood on a budget.