Monday, September 07, 2009

travelogue: visiting the beautiful north shore - part 2: what to eat

in our previous segment, we explored the varied and majestic hotels that line beautiful route 1 in saugus and peabody. now that you have chosen a place to stay, we intend to give you some helpful information on choosing from the many wonderful dining opportunities along this historic corridor.

enjoy.

overview: there is no shortage of quality restaurants to choose from in this area. the fare covers a wide range of tastes and aesthetics. italian, asian, mediteraenian, german, mass amounts of raw beef...you name it, you can get it. and more than likely, it's going to be found under some sort of giant, gaudy, over-the-top enormo-sign. and for your convenience, we have weeded through the 18 dunkin' donuts and multiple mcdonald's to bring you our top picks.

so, here they are:

1) hilltop steak house ($$)

frank giuffrida is a legend in massachusetts. so much so, that no one can really agree on what that legend truly is. well, whether or not the new management has, in fact, stopped allowing the giuffrida family from dining a gratis after years of such favor has little to do with the food...which used to be great.

if you want a kitschy dining experience from a staff that cares less and less each year about the once iconic steak house, then this the place for you. just look for the enormous cactus bearing the name of a mythic man who is surely turning over in his grave.


2) prince pizzeria (and comedy club) ($$)

family owned and operated for roughly 400 years, prince pizzeria boasts a very popular line up of pizza...which can be enjoyed while taking in some local comedy in the attached giggles comedy club.

but if pizza and laughs aren't your thing, don't worry...crushing bitterness and apathy are available upon request.


3) kowloon ($$)

however, if you're like us and LOVE amateur comedy...but want something a little more exotic than traditional italain fare...then, kowloon is the place for you.

its ecclectic mix of asian dishes and themed rooms (tiki lagoon!) make this unique gem a must for any self-respecting foodie visiting the area. add in kowloon komedy nights and cheap scorpion bowls and you have to be without a pulse to NOT have a great time.


4) donatello ristorante ($$$)

men in suits have prevented us from actually eating here on multiple occasions so a proper review is not possible. it must be good, though. it's always full, if not a tad on the dark side.

so, we'll just say that this is probably the best italian restaurant you will ever eat at.


5) karl's sausage kitchen ($$)

we have never heard anything but great things about karl's sausage. in fact, we've been told that karl's sausage is the best in new england. we're just going to trust that that's true.




6) bel-aire diner ($)

the bel-aire offers patrons a chance to enjoy classic diner fare in the confines of a sleek, nostaglic setting and is a real treat to experience. management closed the diner down in 2005 to embark on what will surely be a historic and breathtaking rennovation project that 4 years in and counting...promises to change the way we americans view the classic diner.

we, for one, cannot wait to see the results.


happy eating!


editor's note:, at press time, the editors were unable to visit the brand new sonic drive-in located on route 1 north in peabody due to the excessive (2+ hour) wait times. sorry for any inconvenience.




part 1: where to stay
part 3: what to do

3 Comments:

Blogger james said...

If you want to brave it, I'll try Karl's with you... but only with you. And perhaps a night at the Fern's motel...

2:38 PM  
Blogger cade said...

wow. karl's sausage AND a night at fern's....you sure know how to treat a girl.

3:10 PM  
Blogger james said...

I am the sausage king of chicago.

2:23 PM  

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