Who doesn't love melted cheese? La Papusa Guanaca is a small restaurant on Centre Street in Jamaica Plain that focuses on the food of El Salvador, including the delicious, hot and melty papusa. The little crispy corn pancakes ($1.25), about the size of your palm, are stuffed with cheese, cheese and pork, or cheese and beans, and then fried on a griddle. They're really hot, though, when they come out, so save yourself from... [continue]

Is one neighborhood big enough for two falafel joints? For the sake of comparison with last week’s Shawarma King review, we decided to try out Rami’s in Coolidge Corner. Rami’s offers Israeli falafel, as opposed to Shawarma King’s Lebanese-style. And while Rami’s version is absolutely delicious, the differences between the two sandwiches are huge, proving that there is indeed plenty of room for two falafel restaurants. If only the two restaurants could work together... [continue]

Besides burritos, falafel is another contentious subject matter in the Boston food world. Everyone seems to be in some sort of camp. Granted, this Bostonist hasn't done extensive research, but Shawarma King on Beacon Street in Brookline serves up one damn good sandwich. The falafel are made up of a mixture of chick pea and fava bean, flavored with plenty of parsley and garlic. The crispy little balls are served with tomatoes, a mild pickle... [continue]

Three dollars and change can't buy much - a coffee, a pastry, a slice of pizza... or a friggin' huge sandwich stuffed with great meat and veggies. At Pho Viet, one of the stalls at the Super 88 food court in Allston, a bahn mi sandwich costs almost nothing but is still super filling and relatively more healthy than some of your other "cheap" options. A large crunchy, crusty baguette is toasted and filled... [continue]

There's something very summery about barbeque, but when the weather is so hot and humid, the last thing you want to be doing is tending the grill or the smoker. That's where SoulFire in Allston comes along. The meat is expertly cooked and left unsauced so you can add your favorite from their line-up of sauces - the sweet sauce was this Bostonist's favorite. The pulled pork sandwich ($6.95) was piled high with tons... [continue]

Neptune Oyster North End Boston $25.00 The lobster roll, a ubiquitous New England summer treat, is great if you love mayonnaise, but if you can't stand the stuff, like this Bostonist, you're usually SOL. Probably 99.9% of lobster rolls in Massachusetts are filled with lobster salad - lobster and other fillings tossed with mayo. But that other 0.1%? That's where Neptune Oyster's hot lobster roll comes in. Neptune offers two types of lobster roll... [continue]

Green beans on a sandwich? That was this Bostonist's first thought on encountering a sandwich from Chacarero. But the combination of ingredients that make up a Chacarero sandwich - chicken and/or steak, jalapeno sauce, munster cheese, tomatoes, green beans, guacamole - form a unique balance amongst themselves. The hot sauce makes your lips tingle, while the guacamole cools them off. The soft tomatoes and the slight crunch of the beans pair well, and the... [continue]

Japanese restaurants can get pricy pretty fast - sushi adds up. But Fin's Sushi + Grill (in Kenmore Square and Cleveland Circle) has a fantastic bento lunch special that severely cuts down on the cost. For between $7and $9, you'll get a heaping mound of healthy and delicious food that fills you up for the afternoon. Miso soup, salad, 2 pork gyoza, 2 pieces of California roll, a pile of fresh fruit, and more... [continue]

There are few places that will serve you a literal platter of food for under $10, but at Dok Bua, a feast is available every night of the week. Their nightly dinner special offers some of their most popular dishes, served with jasmine rice, tom yum soup, two spring rolls, and two pork dumplings, all for the low price of $9.95. It may not look like a ton of food, especially with the spring... [continue]

Forget that hard-as-a-rock square slice from your elementary school days. Bostone Pizza on Newbury Street knows how to serve a proper Sicilian pizza. While many pizzas serve as vehicles for cheese delivery, the dough is the real star of the show in this case. The edges are buttery and crispy, not at all dry. The bottom of the crust is also very crispy, and yet the top is soft and pillowy, a perfect bed... [continue]

Are pies the new cupcakes? This Bostonist hopes so. From cup-pies at the Piehole on ABC's Pushing Daisies to the opening of Pie Bakery in Newton a few months ago, it seems like we're on the verge of a new flood of sweet treats. But Petsi Pies, in Somerville and Cambridge, has been around since 2003, proving it's not a fad. Named after owner Renee's childhood nickname, Petsi Pies offers a vast array of... [continue]

The 26th Annual Jimmy Fund Scooper Bowl began today, offering Bostonians a slight reprieve from the heat with all-you-can-eat ice cream from 11 different creameries. The event runs today until 7pm, Wednesday from 11:30am to 8pm, and Thursday from 11:30am to 7pm, and adult tickets are only $8. All proceeds go to the Jimmy Fund for cancer research and treatment at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Bostonist sampled as many flavors as humanly possible to... [continue]

With the temperature hanging in the 90s, this Bostonist forgets about hunting down cheap meals and only wants something nice and cool to drink. Be it iced tea, iced coffee, or ice cream, these drinks are the best way to keep cool. Bubble tea at Boston Tea Stop – There are so many flavor combinations to be had at the Boston Tea Stop, you could cool down with a new drink every day this... [continue]

There are few places in this city where you'll find locals and tourists lining up next to each other to wait for a table. But at Pizzeria Regina in the North End, this is a common occurance. True, it's not a classy place, what with the waiting outside, the old school booths, the pitchers of beer, and the occasionally surly waitstaff, but the food is good, and really, that's all that matters. If it's... [continue]

At first glance, Dave's Fresh Pasta in Davis Square may just look like a tiny market - there's a display case filled with ready-to-take-home meals, bottles of wine and beer, and freezers filled with assorted appetizers, pastas, and ice cream. Take a look at the wall above the cash register, though, and you'll see that there are plenty of options for eating right away. Sandwiches run from $6 to $8 and come in some... [continue]

At a restaurant named Flat Patties, the obvious choice is a burger. And sure, the burgers are cheap and tasty, but there are other winners on the menu that are just as good (if not better) and don't require much cash in your pocket. The grilled chicken sandwich ($3.25) is well-seasoned and super moist, a big plus for a dish that can often be dry and tough with poor cooking. The Shredded Pork sandwich... [continue]

Being as it's Cinco de Mayo, everyone in the city is going to be trying to grab some Mexican food and cervezas tonight. Most of the options are less than ideal, however. For truly great and authentic Mexican (no beer yet, though, but they're working on it), head to Angela's Cafe in East Boston. Angela's is a small storefront that focuses on food from the Puebla region of Mexico, but it also offers American... [continue]

There's been plenty of talk about burritos on Bostonist and in other local news media. And sure, this Bostonist enjoys a burrito now and again, but sometimes you want something that's not so heavy or rice-filled. The quesadillas at Anna's Taqueria are formidable competitors if you broaden the search for good Mexican in Boston. The tortilla is oiled and grilled to crispy perfection, while the cheese inside is creamy. The best choice for a... [continue]

Pizza is the quintessential cheap eats. A slice typically only costs a couple of bucks, and it's fast and portable. One slice, however, is often not enough, and you're left wanting more. At Pinocchio's in Harvard Square, however, one slice is filling, and two slices, for the low price of $3.95, makes a full meal. The Sicilian slices are hefty, especially if you snag a corner piece. The dough is crispy on the bottom... [continue]

When most people think of crepes, they think of the on-the-go snack from France, spread with sugar or Nutella, or the fancier flambéed Crepe Suzette, served for dessert in fine restaurants. But crepes can make an excellent meal, especially when they are stuffed with lots of fresh ingredients, like those at Arrow Street Crepes in Harvard Square. Arrow Street Crepes is a small place, with the kitchen and the crepe pans right out in... [continue]