Best Restaurants of New England 2005?

[OwnReward]

Any comments?

http://www.phantomgourmet.com/ShowPage.asp...greatAteId=1024

In a nutshell:

Arrows, Ogunquit ME

New Rivers, Providence RI

Taranta, Boston

28 Atlantic, Chatham MA

Taqueria Cancun, East Boston

Pigalle, Boston

Metripolis Cafe, Boston

Tomasso Trattoria & Enoteca, Southborough, MA

[fchrisgrimm]

Does one define New England as "Boston" and little else?

[Chris Amirault]

I've only been to New Rivers, so I can't judge too much, but, yeah, "greater Boston" makes more sense than "New England." No Portland? CT? Yeesh.

[ghostrider]

I'm still wondering whether he or she meant "hearty" rather than "hardy" in describing the "bean cassoulet" at Pigalle.

Who knows, maybe they really were some tough old beans.

[Chris Amirault]

When there’s a $50 per person cancellation fee, you know you’re in for something special.

That's the lead sentence for his/her favorite restaurant in the bunch? Am I the only person who finds this sort of stuff annoying?

[9lives]

I think when you try to create a "8 best of NE," you are taking on an impossible task.

I would call this a list of 8 good and interesting/unusual restaurants in New England..from Providence to Maine.

Arrow's (which I haven't been) is a perennial PG favorite...seems too "fussy" for my taste and is not easy to eat at unless you're staying or live nearby....and that $50 charge is annoying to me also

Tacqueria Cancun...very good tacqueria...best of? I don't know.

Piagalle..very good...but better than Troquet, #9 Park, Clio..not IMO

Taranta..good, unusual..Peruvian/Italian. I like the place; but it's not the best restaurant in the 4 block region in which it resides.

Metropolis? nothing wrong with it..but "yawn"

Don't know the rest but have heard good things about New Rivers.

I don't think this is a "bad list"....just a bad assignment no matter who does it.

I think anyone who lives in NE, who enjoys food, could create an "8 best" that would look very different from this 1....and we might all be right

[Chris Amirault]

Don't know the rest but have heard good things about New Rivers.

←

Yep, New Rivers is great, no argument there.

[Timh]

Tomasso in Southborough is outstanding. They keep geting better , now making all of their own salumi. If they were in the city they would be getting way more attention.

[liamdc]

I lived around Boston until I was 14 and went to college and grad school there in the late '80s and early-to-mid '90s. During high school and after my college days, I lived in the Burlington, Vermont area. That outsider perspective allowed me to see a real Boston-centric perspective that was pervasive in the Boston media. This "best of" list is an excellent example of this.

I find it hard to believe that there isn't at least one New England restaurant located more than 70 miles outside of Boston worthy of this distinction. Between Portland, Maine and the entire states of Vermont and Connecticut, I mean ... please.

What about the Jackson House Inn in Woodstock, Vermont or the Kitchen Table Bistro in Richmond, Vermont? What about Fore Street or Hugo's in Portland, Maine? I'm not as familiar with Connecticut, but I'm sure there at least one candidate there?

[iamthestretch]

Tomasso in Southborough is outstanding. They keep geting better , now making all of their own salumi. If they were in the city they would be getting way more attention.

Had dinner there on Sunday. The antipasti were excellent and the staff very gracious. Definitely the best bet in the Hopkinton/Southborough/Westborough area.