Jess H.'s Profile

I have indeed had better habachi fare before, but that in no way means that Bisuteki isn't good. I've been twice and the wait was almost non-existent each time, the hosts and servers have always been attentive and polite, and while both chefs I've had have indeed lacked the charm that some other chefs exhibit, that doesn't make the meal bad.

The layout is somewhat small and cramped, but it's a Sheraton hotel restaurant; you can't really expect that much. The decor is nice, if a bit dull, and I enjoy the atmosphere.

Yes, it's a bit pricey, but you get so much food when you order the full dinner: soup, salad with a tasty ginger dressing, three complimentary shrimp, whichever meal you ordered along with a hearty serving of rice and vegetables, and ice cream. The cost is definitely worth it for the amount of food you get.

They also have sushi available, in rolled or sashimi form. I always get two pieces of unagi (eel) on the side (it's about $6.00), and while the serving is a bit smaller than in some other Japanese steakhouse-type restaurants, the fish is fresh and tasty. My companions each ordered the chicken teriyaki and I had the scallops; no one had any complaints, we left full, and there weren't many leftovers. Our chef tried to crack jokes, although he certainly wasn't the funniest man I've ever met, and he was very attentive: he carefully followed special requests and ensured we got the meal we ordered how we wanted it.

My one complaint is that they serve white rice, not fried rice, with the dinners. In most other habachi places I've been, they've at least offered us the option of white or fried. I much prefer fried rice to white, and I'm always disappointed when the nice Bisuteki server comes by with bowls of white rice and I remember, "Oh, right, they don't do fried here." They do offer soy sauce and ginger butter, as well as dipping sauces, to spice it up a bit, though.

The drink menu gave us plenty of options. My boyfriend had sake, and my roommate and I each tried a different cocktail; they were all very tasty. We were carded, even on a Tuesday night.

Overall, I've had overwhelmingly positive experiences at Bisuteki. It's not somewhere that I frequent, but it's nice on occasion when we'd like some good habachi food but would rather not drive to Lawrence, MA or Salem, NH for it.

I agree with Sara S. that the building is strange, but the location itself is great--when I went to Suffolk, I'd stop in every morning after getting off the Blue line at Bowdoin. The employees have always been friendly and one of them got to know me by sight, called me "honey" (she's a lady, so it's not creepy), and remembered my drink and its variations every time. The same homeless man has indeed been sitting outside on a milk crate for ages, but he's always very friendly and polite.

The food and drinks are, well, the same as they are at every Dunks. The employees are efficient and move the lines through quickly during the morning rush, but the credit card/gift card machine seems to go down here more often than at other DD locations.

There's a small counter along the window and you can stand there to spread cream cheese on your bagel or stir your coffee, but there's no seating.

It simply is what it is--a small Dunks, convenient for commuters and students, but nothing special.

The front desk staff is very polite, and they laughed at my jokes. The place is clean, we were able to get an appointment quickly, they saw us on time, and they accept Care Credit (which most Boston-area vets do not seem to do). There's plenty of parking and the location is accessible.

However, we had a horrible experience here and never went back. We were faced with an unintended kitty pregnancy (we'd only adopted her the week before, and she was apparently four weeks pregnant--of course, the previous owners either didn't tell us or didn't know), and the vet and vet tech treated us like it was our fault for not getting her fixed (which we did as soon as the kittens were weaned--at North Shore Animal Hospital in Lynn, which I highly recommend). They were rude, disrespectful, and intensely judgmental, even though there was no way I could have prevented the pregnancy and I did everything I could to ensure a healthy litter of kittens despite never intending to be in such a situation. (They did, however, correctly refuse to give Mama Cat her shots until after she'd given birth.)

To top it off, when I called a couple of weeks later for advice on cat labor, the vet was not only condescending, but he gave me inaccurate information.

I would never, ever go back to Pine Banks. I've never been treated so badly for something I couldn't control, and I felt insulted and uncomfortable. Mama Cat didn't like them either--she fought them like mad when they tried to take a look at her, but she's incredibly sweet and docile with our current vet. (Who, by the way, is polite and willing to explore options with us even if she doesn't necessarily agree with us--just like any good vet or doctor!)

I recommend staying far, far away if you love your pets and your sanity.

Average. I've always been partial to the Walkabouts (which are pretty much just wraps, so I'm not sure what the difference is). The Chicken Caesar is great, as is the Southwest Caesar ($5 special on Tuesdays!). I wasn't a huge fan of the Mandarin one, but it's because the oranges were watery and they made the whole thing taste weird. I also didn't like their burritos--if you really want a burrito, walk a couple of blocks to the Transportation Building and go to Herrera's in City Place!

I haven't tried the soups or the salad, but based on other reviews I guess I should. The menu is a bit small, but there are daily specials and a baked potato bar.

The staff is friendly and the location is good. It's not always the cleanest place ever, but I usually manage to find a tidy table. It does get very crowded around lunch time, and the prices are my main reason for the imperfect rating--but really, they're comparable to a lot of the other places around.

I've been going to Dr. Kalil ever since my pediatric dentist said I was too old (*tear*), but I've been completely satisfied with my experience there almost every time. I had one terrible visit a few years ago with a dental hygienist who completely ravaged my gums, but I haven't seen her since so I don't think it's anything to worry about.

The office isn't often crowded and I've always been seen within five or ten minutes of my appointment time (although there are plenty of magazines to peruse if the wait is longer than expected). It's a very clean, organized facility, but not sterile-looking enough to be scary. I've never dreaded going to the dentist here, and I've also never had a cavity. The schedule is flexible, the staff friendly (they know me by name, still, even though I don't go as often as they or I would like), and the visits are generally quick and efficient.

I leave each time with a little goody bag containing a toothbrush, floss, and a pack of Stim-U-Dent plaque removers. The location is convenient; it's right down the street from the Loop shopping center, and there's always plenty of free parking.

As far as I know, they accept both Delta Dental and MetLife. I'm not sure what other dental health insurance plans there are out there, but I've never had problems with either of those.

All in all, Kalil Dental is a great place and you shouldn't hesitate to entrust them with your teeth's health.

I've been taking my cat to North Shore for over a year now, ever since we had a less-than-stellar experience at Pine Banks in Malden. They accept the Friends of Animals spay/neuter certificate, which was the main reason we went there in the first place.

The facilities are clean, although in a strange area off of Route 1. The vets and vet techs have always been outstanding--attentive, helpful, accepting, and they listen well and treat us with care and respect. I've never had trouble getting an appointment when I need it, and the wait has never been long--we've always been seen within 10 minutes of our appointment time. Visits are quick but efficient. I waited a bit today for my cat's chart to be delivered to the payments/discharge area after her biopsy and test, but it wasn't a big deal.

The minus one is for the prices. Most vets are expensive, and NSAH is no exception. They're definitely on the higher end of the price range compared to other offices I've been to. Good news: the follow-up visit is covered if you use a FoA spay/neuter certificate.

All in all, I've enjoyed my experiences thus far with NSAH.

They've stopped tossing the calamari in the yummy sweet chili sauce, choosing instead to serve it on the side. It's not nearly as good this way and I was very disappointed the last time I ate at the Kinsale.

I love G'vanni's. The location is great, the staff is friendly, and the prices are reasonable. Sure, the menu features pretty general Italian fare, but... it's an Italian restaurant. Both times I've been here, we've split the special: it's a limited menu, but you get two entrees and a bottle of wine for $29.99. I had stuffed shells the first time and eggplant parmesan the second time, and both were fantastic. The wine list for the special isn't spectacular, but if you're not super picky you'll be able to find something you like that will go well with your meal.

I usually manage to eat my whole meal here--the portions are filling, but not so massive that one can't stomach it all. I, however, have a very healthy appetite, especially for tasty Italian. My boyfriend, when we dined here recently, couldn't finish all of his baked ziti and meatballs, but he was very glad to have leftovers for later.

As in most Italian places, a bread basket and dipping oil are provided. G'vanni's oil isn't spiced at all--it's just straight olive oil--but it works well with the soft, warm bread.

Service has always been prompt, polite, and helpful.

The restaurant itself is a bit small, but if you go at lunch time (as I have twice), there's usually enough room. The lighting is dim and the whole place feels homey.

The minus one is for the limited selections for the special and the small space, but I'm splitting hairs here. Go, eat, and enjoy. (And save money in the process!)

Caprese salad. Fried calamari. Eggplant parmesan. Steak pizziola. More varieties of risotto than any normal person would know what to do with. If it sounds like regular North End fare, then that's because it is. Piccola Venezia, located on Hanover Street, serves classic, homestyle Italian food at reasonable prices, but it's not really much different than the many other restaurants near it.

We had a reservation for 21 people and were seated promptly and on time. The restaurant's atmosphere was comfortable, the many paintings and photographs on the walls bathed in a warm, dim glow. The music was odd--I expected classic Italian, but instead it seemed like they were playing a mix you'd hear on any soft rock station. There were already small plates at our seats for making our own dipping oil. There was oil, parmesan cheese, red pepper, black pepper, and salt, along with a basket of lackluster--but still tasty!--bread. A bit of garlic would have improved the dipping oil immensely, so I was disappointed that it wasn't included in the available spices.

Even though there were a lot of us, the waitstaff handled our orders with efficiency. There were a few minor slip-ups when the food arrived, but these were easily remedied. Our servers seemed pretty indifferent--neither overly friendly nor rude. Our appetizers came out quickly and dinner arrived when we were all ready, without much delay. The servers were a bit slow with drinks, especially refilling them, but they eventually brought us pitchers of water so that we could refill our glasses ourselves.

My fried calamari appetizer came with marinara sauce for dipping and a lemon to squeeze over the squid. Both the calamari and the sauce were a bit bland, but the portion was enormous and the taste grew on me after a few bites. I have definitely had much better calamari elsewhere, but this plate was satisfying enough.

The appetizer filled me up, but that did not stop me from eating about a quarter of my spaghetti carbonara: pasta with egg, Italian bacon, and a delightful parmesan cheese sauce. I had just about the exact opposite reaction as I did to the calamari--this carbonara was the best I've had in a long time. It was very rich, which explains why I couldn't eat a lot of it, but I am happy to report that it reheats well; I had it again for dinner the next night, and I think I'll be able to get at least one more meal out of it.

Overall, Piccola Venezia is a pleasant little Italian restaurant. It is relatively affordable, the food is good, and the servers are efficient. I did not have wine nor dessert, so I cannot comment on those aspects, but those of our party who did seemed to have no complaints. If you're looking for a good Italian meal that won't put an extraordinary amount of pressure on your wallet, this is a good option. It is not, however, the best that North End has to offer, although its prime location may lead tourists to believe otherwise.

I've been driving past Belle Isle for pretty much my entire life and I finally decided to try it out today. I'm a huge seafood fan, so I'm not really sure what took me so long. Anyway, as others have mentioned, the restaurant is mainly take-out, is located along 145 on the side of the bridge into Winthrop (right past Wyatt's gas), and only accepts cash. There's no parking, so be prepared to park at Wyatt's or on the road.

I got a lobster roll and fries. After reading the other reviews, I wish I'd tried the onion rings, but there's always next time. The fries weren't my favorite, but the lobster roll was pretty epic. Tons of nice, chunky tail and claw meat on a thin bed of lettuce; I couldn't even find the hot dog roll, and there wasn't a ton of mayo. It was a pretty expensive dinner--the online menu says $17, but market value for lobster must be up right now because I paid $20.

Also, I do agree with David C. about the counter help--they were efficient, but a bit rude and snippy.

Despite the cost and the employees, though, I would definitely go back. I'm excited to try some of their other dinners, and I hope to fit a lot of Belle Isle meals in before I move out of Winthrop at the end of the summer! (Expect an update after I've eaten here more than once.)