Angela F.'s Profile

My sister took me out for my birthday and, since she lives down the street, we opted on Davis Square for the night out. There are so many choices down there but, as recommended by her boyfriend, we chose Orleans, and I'm happy we did.

The atmosphere was excellent. There was a host there immediately when we walked in so we weren't scratching our heads wondering where to go. It had large TVs everywhere (so I didn't miss a moment of the Patriots-Ravens preseason game) but thankfully lacked the boisterousness of a sports bar.

THEY HAVE SAM ADAMS CHERRY WHEAT ON TAP! Yes, that deserves ALL CAPS.

The bread we were served was so soft and moist, it was like a biscuit and it was served with hummus for dipping. Excellent.

The menu had a great selection but wasn't as long as Homer's "Illiad" *cough* Cheesecake Factory *cough* I chose the Gnocchi and it was perfect. Sometimes, gnocchi is mushy, but Orleans got it right. (Surprising for a non-Italian restaurant).

For dessert, I was served the chocolate lava cake with a birthday candle in it. Aww. It was delicious. And hot. Perfect.

Most importantly, our server was excellent. I only wish I got her name. As I've mentioned a million times before, I waited tables forever which makes me very anal about service.

I liked this place so much, I recommended it to my boyfriend's cousin to take his new girlfriend for her birthday. They loved it, too.

Route One Saugus is so bland... so tired... so sick of 60 year-old cows, leaning towers, and overpriced Chinese food that when a new place opens, I rush to try it. So, when Qdoba Mexican Grill opened, I was there.

Now, before the Saugus restaurant, I had never as much as heard of Qdoba before so I'm not sure how others are. I'd liken Qdoba to a Mexican Boston Market. Sort of. Nah, maybe more like Quizno's, if Quiznos served quesadillas, of course.

The restaurant's layout was immediately aggravating. You see, there's a menu high up on the wall, but no place to look at it. Unless you don't mind standing over folks in booths trying to eat. The ordering counter is set up like a tunnel, so it's probably best to order when no one else is there. When you try to get a better look, you are immediately "attacked" by an overzealous (probably wired on Starbucks, because there is one adjacent) supervisor. I'm all in favor of prompt service but this was ridiculous.

They also need to come up with a better method for handling multiple customers. Managers (I'm assuming by their lack of the standard food service visor... which makes me wonder... how come supervisors don't have to wear hats when handling food but regular Joe Schmo employees do?) also help customers that have already been helped making things even more confusing. By the time you get your food up to the register, the cashier doesn't know what's what, what goes where and who's got what, and so on. I was genuinely concerned that I was going to get another guy's order. I understand the place is new, but really, they were clueless.

Judging by the Qdoba website, the company prides itself on grilling your meal right in front of you! Yeah, that's great, if only my quesadilla was actually grilled long enough. Since I ordered to-go, I was at home when I discovered the cheese in my quesadilla wasn't even melted. And the tomatoes, or whatever it was they put on it, were soupy and leaking out the side of the tortilla. The steak was pretty gross, and they chop it up into little pieces. Why?

For the record, a quick 30-seconds in the microwave solved the unmelted cheese problem but for $7.50 a pop, I expected more. With the exception of it being made "right in front of me," I didn't find it much different than one from Taco Bell. I could've saved myself $5 and gone across the street.

But, aside from the price, Qdoba left me nauseous as if I had just eaten ten Taco Bell quesadillas. At first, I thought maybe I had eaten too quickly and it would pass, but an hour later, I still felt sick. Talking to friends who had also just gone to Qdoba, I quickly learned I was not alone with the upset stomach. Maybe Qdoba should sell Pepto-Bismol as a dessert. I can see it now, a rack of pink bottles at the register. HA! Or maybe, dedicate a fountain on the soda machine to the pink stuff.

If you really want a fast, yummy, quick quesadilla, the drive to Anna's Taqueria is worth it. If you want a stomach ache and an empty wallet, go to Qdoba.

As anyone with a car will tell you, something is going to break at some point no matter what make or model. I've had car troubles of all kinds in my days as a car owner but fortunately, as a Honda owner, much of my trouble now is limited to wear-and-tear type problems... brakes, mufflers, shocks...

I have been going to this particular Midas for a few years now. But before I bought my car from my sister, she had also been taking it to this Midas. The car has always gotten reliable repairs and very good, honest service.

I should also note, my dad once owned an automotive/mechanic shop. Too bad he doesn't still own it but that's beside the point... knowing as much as he does about cars and their parts, if he allows me to go here, then they must be good. He actually recommends I take my car there when he's too busy to look at it.

They're also very honest, especially considering I'm a girl with no knowledge of anything car-related. Back in February of 2007, I went in for a new muffler and instead of ripping me off for an exhaust pipe, the owner told me that I'd need it replaced at some point but it didn't have to be replaced urgently. Thanks to his honesty, I was able to get another year and a half of it before I finally had a problem with it last weekend.

I also must mention, they are so nice it's ridiculous.

I know Midas Mufflers are franchises so your experiences at one might be drastically different than another, but you can be at ease if you take your car to this Midas on Broadway in Saugus.

The meat is great, if you like cooking steaks cut lopsided so one side burns while the other stays raw.

I love this place. Let me tell you why...

Few things can compare to a TV in a booth when you are taking an antsy child out to dinner.

The food is excellent for the price. It's clearly not fine dining but the portions are large and yummy.

The service is great and after waitressing forever, I'm picky when it comes to service.

And it's clean which is, unfortunately, rare nowadays.

I'd say, its biggest drawback is its location. I hate Route One to begin with but that intersection is a pain in the ass.

Pearl Street Station, located near the Malden Center T Station, is perfect when you want a good amount of food but are low on cash.  I've only recently discovered this place, thanks to my boyfriend, and now it's one of my favorite local restaurants.

Entrees are inexpensive but they give you enough food for two meals.  The steak tips are my favorite - they taste like what you would get at a family barbecue.    

I've had differing experiences with the service.  On occasions, service here has been so-so.  On my last trip, our waitress Jill was great.  She was prompt and friendly but not up our asses.   After spending nearly eight years in the restaurant industry, I'm very understanding but picky about service so I greatly appreciate when I get an awesome server.  Jill made up for any prior sub par service.

Unlike other restaurants in the area, Pearl Street Station has its own parking lot which is great because I loathe looking for parking.

It's not fine dining but I'd highly recommend this place.  In fact, just writing this review has given me a craving for their potato skins.

I'm a caffeine-oholic and thankfully the Dunkin Donuts near my office makes the best coffee of all the Dunkin Donuts that ever dunked.

Anyone that lives in Massachusetts will tell you there is a Dunkin Donuts on practically every corner.  Just because there are so many doesn't mean they are all good.  All to often, the only thing more bitter than the awful coffee is the service.  Too many times I've ordered one thing and been given another.  Served coffee so bitter, it tasted like it had been brewed the week before.  

Finally, after drinking thousands of horrible coffees from thousands of Dunkin Donuts, I found a Dunkin Donuts where the coffee is always fresh and the service is always pleasant.  This Dunkin Donuts is the only reason I don't mind getting up for work in the morning, and I mean that.  I should also note, I drive by six Dunkin Donuts on my way to work and I will NOT stop at any of them.

Every morning for the last three and a half years, the coffee at this Dunkin Donuts is always fresh.  Every single morning, I order an onion bagel toasted extra dark and every morning the girls toast it perfectly without rolling their eyes at me.  You don't know how many times I have entered a Dunkin Donuts, asked for a well-done bagel and left with one barely toasted.  

On Wednesdays, I work late nights and need lots of coffee.  Low and behold, their coffee at night is surprisingly just as good as the morning.  The employees at night are just as pleasant as their A.M. counterparts.

I love this Dunkin Donuts so much, I almost want to drive all the way there on my days off.  There are so many Dunkin Donuts around, a new one is being built around the corner of my apartment right now, but I'm often left disappointed with a disgusting brown liquid they tell me is coffee.  Lucky for me, I am able to go to MY Dunkin Donuts at work.  To everyone working there, thanks for making my work day livable.