Food

Food Truck Safety a Priority for Council, Asks About Food Safety Grading

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Town Councilors want to make sure the food trucks coming to serve hungry residents and workers in town are up to the safety standards of all eateries in town. 

The Council made the request to Director of Public Health Deborah Rosati during the budget hearing for the Health Department. Trucks visit the Commanders Mansion in the Arsenal on the Charles each weekday and the Arsenal Project every Wednesday during the warmer months. Councilor Angeline Kounelis said she worries because people are not sure where the food comes from and where it was prepared. Food trucks can be fun, said Councilor Cecilia Lenk, but she too had concerns. “I think safety is a huge issue,” Lenk said.

Food

Watertown’s Newest Food Truck Fuses the Foods of the Far East and Middle East

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The Arsenal Project welcomes a new food truck to it’s Wednesday lineup. This one features a fusion of Turkish and Chinese cuisines! Uyghur Kitchen features food from China’s Northwest province known as Xinjiang. The Uyghur (pronounced wee-geer) are Turkic people who live in Central Asia, and their food includes influences from neighboring areas of Turkey, Tibet and China. The food truck is run by Pie Polat, who plays in a jazz-rock band called Background Orcs by night and runs the food truck by day.

Food

Find Out When the Watertown Farmers Market Will Open

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Get ready to purchase farm fresh vegetables and fruits, meat and seafood, flowers, preserves and cider, and many other products as the Watertown Farmers Market returns for its second season. The season opens on June 4, and the market will be held weekly on Thursdays from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. according to an announcement from the Farmers Market. The market showcases a wide variety of Massachusetts grown produce, greens, fruits, eggs and meat, as well as local seafood and specialty foods. Last year, the market made its debut, with the help of athenahealth, the owner of the Arsenal on the Charles complex. “We’re excited to welcome back the Watertown Farmers Market for another great season at Arsenal on the Charles.

Business

New Watertown Restaurant Brings a Taste of South of the Border

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A trip to Watertown’s newest restaurant will be like taking a trip South of the Border, with authentic Mexican dishes, margaritas and real tiles and decorations from Mexico. 

Ixtapa Mexican Grill & Cantina will take the spot at 18 Mt. Auburn Street in Watertown that was occupied for many years by Verona Restaurant. It is part of a local group of family restaurants that started in Lunenberg in 2005, said Jillian Canavan, director of marketing for Ixtapa Grill. Ixtapa is modeled after a cantina in Guerrero, Mexico, Canavan said, and the experience will be “like walking into a real Mexican hacienda.” “All the recipes, the food, are all homemade, family recipes,” Canavan said.

Business

Find Out When Food Trucks will Return to the Arsenal Project

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May means the return of food trucks to Watertown! Several will be showing up at the Arsenal Project every Wednesday. 

The Arsenal Project sent out the following announcement about the food and other fun coming this year:

The Arsenal Project is pleased to announce the return of the popular weekly food truck program, Food Truck Wednesdays, kicking off May 20. Five of Boston’s best gourmet food trucks will be rolling into the center’s parking lot this spring, summer, and fall. Food Truck Wednesdays at The Arsenal Project will offer a variety of food during lunchtime, providing a convenient, fun and delicious option for those living and working in the area. “We are thrilled to be able to bring this well-received program back to the community for another great year,” said William McQuillan, President of Boylston Properties, co-developer of The Arsenal Project.

Business

See When a New Farm-to-Table Restaurant Will Open in Watertown

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Watertown’s newest restaurant will feature farm-to-table food with a New American and French flair. 

Royal has already had a soft opening and it will host its Grand Opening on Saturday, March 7. After several months of renovations Royal will officially open its doors at 45 Lexington St., on the corner of Main and Lexington Streets in Watertown. Executive Chef/Partner, Rachid Kourda who has over 20 years of experience in the
restaurant industry, is serving breakfast, lunch and dinner on from 7 a.m.-11 p.m. and features its full menu. “I am not only a chef, but also an artist. The food I create is ‘sexy food’ with
a unique design to each plate.” Kourda said.

Business

New Restaurant Approved to Go in Arsenal on the Charles

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The Arsenal on the Charles will have a new restaurant with an outdoor eating space, after the Planning Board approved a plan by owners of the complex – athenahealth. The restaurant is described as a beer garden and will go in the space formerly occupied by Watertown Savings Bank, on the back end of Building 312, Todd Morey of Beals Associates told the Planning Board. The building is also home to Panera Bread and Arsenal Center for the Arts. The space is 2,800 square feet, plus a 4,500-square-foot outdoor patio space. Morey said the name of the restaurant has not been revealed, yet.

Business

Watertown Eatery Featured in Boston Globe’s Cheap Eats

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Looking for some take out with an Asian flare, check out one of Watertown’s newest restaurants – Cha Yen Thai Cookery. Located about midway between the Deluxe Town Diner and Sevan Bakery, the eatery opened in Coolidge Square over the summer, and features homestyle Thai cuisine. Cha Yen Thai Cookery and chef Manita Bunnagitkarn made the Boston Globe this week in the Cheap Eats column in the paper’s food section. Bunnagitkarn moved to Boston from Thailand in her teens and attended Johnson & Wales culinary school. The restaurant features a several Thai curries, grilled options, noodle dishes and a wide variety of appetizers.