Kevin Mahoney

Common Ground Can't Fix What Wasn't Broken

Everything changes. Seasons change. Fortunes change. Every area goes through cycles of growth and decay, most are cyclical over time. To quote someone hipper than me, “that's the way it goes, but don't forget, it...

Soulfire's All You Can Eat Wing Night

So I’ve been going to Soulfire practically since they opened a few years ago, before they went to table service or replaced their front of the house menu with a mural. It’s a great place for...

Boston Common Coffee Company's new shop anything but common

The BCC has opened a third location, this one at 515 Washington Street in Downtown Crossing. The new place has the same stock as the previous two, gourmet coffees, pastries, panini as well as soups and sides. The location...

UBurger expansion preserves venue's flavor

First, there was Uburger. It was modeled after California’s In-N-Out Burger, founded by a couple of enterprising high school friends. And it was good. The burgers were ground on site, the fries hand-cut from real...

Flash in the pan: Doritos Last Call Jalapeno Poppers

It’s become de rigueur for the big snack companies (Hostess, Frito Lay, Nestle, Hershey’s) to alter their products from time to time, offering the curious public some new twist on an old favorite snack. There have...

Hot Tomatoes provides upscale if pricey gourmet dining

Recently, I made my third trip to Sweet Tomatoes, an elegant sandwich shop located at 92 Bedford Street in the Downtown Crossing/Chinatown area of Boston. I had previously dined there during Lent and then once more, curious about their...

Maria's Taqueria a no frills contender

Boston is lousy with burrito places. There are at least four chains in play in the city: Anna’s, boloco, boca grande, and Qdoba. A couple of those are even owned and originated by locals, which cuts down on...

Francesca's: flair or fizzle?

Francesca’s is a Boston South End eatery with some serious charm. The menu has whimsy (a hummus sandwich called the Ho-Humm?), the drinks and desserts have panache (including multiple specialty coffee drinks like the Nutty But Nice...

Blue ribbon blue collar deals at Al Capone's

Al Capone’s unassuming storefront blends into Summer Street in Downtown Crossing. The sign out front doesn’t have the slick graphic of a chain place, or the calculated décor of a ritzy place trying to...

Big Daddy's is a huge value

My roomies are lazy, therefore they love take-out. They are four picky eaters, therefore certain common foods get ordered over and over (pepperoni pizza, wraps, chicken tenders, and pu pu platters). I was introduced to Big Daddy&rsquo...

Currently in Los Angeles