Resident Adds Expertise
to Freeport Tavern Experience
By Kathy Kurtz Ferrari
Staff Writer
10/13/11
Those traveling along Morrissey Boulevard in Dorchester are familiar with landmarks along the way, such as the Phillips Candy House and other businesses owned by the Phillips Family Hospitality Group.

One staple of the collection had been Phillips Old Colony House, a part of area tradition for decades.

Many may be surprised to realize that a fresh-faced restaurant called Freeport Tavern has replaced the establishment.

New General Manager and Milton resident Andrew Wilbur has brought bold ideas, handsome décor and delicious fare to the venue, all part of a plan to reinvent tradition.

“We’ve done quite a bit of work here,” Wilbur said, as he looked over the cozy environs of the bar side of Freeport Tavern. “We did everything. We tore the place apart.”

A nautical theme now surrounds diners, including dark wood paneling and an impressive, hand-painted boating mural.

“They used to call this the Pony Room, years ago. It had horse pictures and things like that,” Wilbur said. “We recently had a gentleman come in and say, ‘Where’s all the horse stuff?’ Now it’s completely transformed.”

The restaurant boasts upgrades such as expanded bar seating and large-screen televisions, perfect for watching local sports teams in action.

Patio seating can accommodate 60 for dining, and with inviting gas firepits to warm the cool autumn evenings, it’s sure to be a popular spot.

(read more)

Common Market Adds
Another Low-Calorie Treat
By Kathy Kurtz Ferrari
Staff Writer
11/4/10
There’s a new treat in town – or at least right next door – as the Common Market has introduced a healthy frozen yogurt soft serve choice to its menu at the Village Common Food Court, located at 110 Willard St. in Quincy.

The tasty treat is one of the new, low-calorie items available at the Healthy Kitchen, the newest section of the food court. A single serving of frozen yogurt is just 100 calories, with 3 grams of protein, no fat or cholesterol. It has live active cultures and probiotics. And the best part: It’s delicious!

With a hint of tartness blended with the usual sweetness of a regular ice cream treat, Healthy Kitchen’s frozen yogurt hits the spot for those with a sweet tooth, without the added guilt. And there’s a whole bar full of toppings available to customize a frozen treat for just about any palate, from healthy fresh fruit, to more indulgent M&Ms, cookie crumbles or other sweet add-ons. (I do think it’s defeating the purpose a bit to add a candy topping to something that’s supposed to be good for you.) I had one with fresh raspberries, and I can’t wait to stop by for another one soon.

Everything on the menu at Healthy Kitchen, including full lunch and dinner choices, is less than 500 calories. The menu lists all the nutritional information, including fat grams, cholesterol and protein.

I recently enjoyed a quick lunch at Healthy Kitchen and was pleasantly surprised when I ordered the Thai chicken wrap. It was a large portion and substantially filling and tasty. With just the right combination of grilled chicken, jasmine rice, carrots, crispy noodles, cucumbers topped with a spicy peanut sauce all wrapped in a low-calorie wrap, my meal was quite satisfying.

Common Market owner Greg McDonald and his staff have put a lot of time and energy into the new section of the restaurant, painstakingly trying out recipes and counting calories. McDonald feels that there is a trend toward healthier eating, with diners more mindful of nutrition information.

“It was kind of like my summer project,” McDonald said. “In the kitchen, we’d come out with different ideas and we’d have something we thought was perfect. We’d run the calculations [of calorie count] and it was maybe 650 calories. We wanted to really shoot for the 500 calories, so we’d go back and rework it, and tweak the recipe a little.”

Admitting he loved the project, he now realizes that many of his customers have been looking for more health-conscious choices. The newest section has become popular with many athletic customers mindful of nutritional intake, those watching their weight or who just want to eat healthier.

If you do stop by, make sure to try the frozen yogurt, which is just available in vanilla right now. (I suggest a nice fresh-fruit topping.) In the spring, Healthy Kitchen will debut a self-serve yogurt section.

“It’s really good, and it’s good for you,” McDonald added.

Healthy Kitchen, is open Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Take-out orders are available by calling (617) 471-3463.

There’s Always a Fresh
Catch at Burke’s Seafood
By Kathy Kurtz Ferrari
Staff Writer
8/13/09
Sometimes change is good.

After almost 30 years in business, Milton residents Dick and Margaret Burke, owners of Burke’s Seafood in North Quincy, are finding that a little tweak to a successful business might add just the right touch.

The well-known fish market, located at 61 Billings Road, has expanded, adding a larger dine-in area for its customers.

“Our intention wasn’t to change our identity,” Dick Burke said, as he sat at one of the tables in the new section of the restaurant. “We still want to be a fish market first. Now we’re a fish market with a place to eat.”

The expansion, which adds seating for about 20 customers, came as a bit of a surprise. Their former neighbor, a real estate business that occupied the storefront next door for the past 12 years, announced it would be leaving in April, so the Burkes took the chance.

“This wasn’t in our plan. It just sort of happened,” Burke said.

The business, which will celebrate its 30th anniversary in October, has been a staple in the North Quincy neighborhood, famous for some of the freshest fish around. Every business day, Burke gets up at 4 a.m. and heads to the South Boston fish markets to get the pick of the catch from vendors bringing in fish from all over the world. He will buy an assortment of fish, including lobster, shrimp, salmon, haddock, cod, tilapia, and Chilean sea bass, all to take back for the day’s fare at his business.

And while Burke’s continues to be one of the best local places to buy fresh fish for customers to cook at home, they also have a full menu of take-out or dine-in orders, such as fish and chips (a favorite); broiled scrod, salmon or scallops; lobster salad; and their signature seafood chowder, with that “fresh-from-the-kettle flavor.”

“It’s almost like a meal itself, if you get a bowl of our chowder,” Burke said.

While Burke’s always had a couple of tables for dine-in customers in the past, with a chair or two outside on a nice day, the expansion allows more diners to stop in for lunch or an early dinner.

“We used to have a few tables in front of the window, but it was very crowded,” Burke said. “You always felt like there was somebody standing over you, so it wasn’t the best environment.”

The new seating has brought in a mix of new customers and old, but some of the regulars miss being able to sit and chat with the Burkes while they eat. They enjoyed the banter, and guessing at the sports trivia questions posted on the board each day.

“They do kind of miss that, and I say, ‘Well, we’ve cut the cord, guys. You’re in there. You’re on your own,’” Burke laughed.

“They want to know when we’re going to cut the hole in the wall so we can still chat,” added Margaret Burke. “But it’s OK. We’re working on it. We can still peek in.

“But customers have been saying to us for years, ‘Why don’t you expand,’ so I would have to say that’s kind of why we did it.”

On any given day, the cases at Burke’s are loaded with all kinds of fish, neatly arranged in rows to tempt any pescetarian. With the current economy, they are noticing more customers buying some of the high-end, fresh fish to take home to cook for company themselves, rather than going out to eat at a restaurant.

“We are seeing a lot of that,” Margaret noted. “Fresh has increased.”

“Maybe a couple of years ago, when they were riding high, they’d be going out to restaurants,” Dick added. “And it’s been the pricier items, like the swordfish, the wild salmon, the sea bass, even the lobsters. They’re figuring out that, ‘I can make a nice meal at home for a fraction of the price that I’d pay at a restaurant.’”

And the Burkes have intentionally tried to keep their costs down to help their customers through a tough time. Their prices have remained the same since last year, and they offer a fish and chips special for $6.99, which used to be available only on Wednesdays.

So by adding the new room and a fresh coat of paint, an upgraded restroom, some decorative touches and new awnings, Burke’s has never looked better. But as always, the fish is still as good and fresh as ever.

Burke’s Seafood is open Tuesday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Friday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.; and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. It is closed Sunday and Monday. The take-out number is (617) 479-1540.

As the ad says, “Come by for the best in fresh seafood. It’s worth the trip.”

Enjoy ‘The View’
at New Golf Course Restaurant
By Kathy Kurtz Ferrari
Staff Writer
7/30/09
Chris Carr’s name has been synonymous with quality food service locally for over two decades. The Milton resident and longtime caterer and event planner opened his business, Boston Butler, in 1992, offering corporate and private clients his expertise in planning all types of events and food services.

Now Carr, a Culinary Institute of America alumnus, has tapped his talents and knowledge for a new venture. He recently assumed the reins of the food service at Presidents Golf Course in Quincy, opening The View Restaurant and Tavern in May, a full-service restaurant and bar overlooking the rolling hills of the golf course.

The View, located at 357 West Squantum St., inside the clubhouse of Presidents Golf Course, serves breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week, and is open to the public. And while the main customer base will no doubt be golfers, Carr wants to invite everyone to come visit his new spot.

“We have some beautiful outdoor seating for dining,” he said, as he motioned to the patio-style seating area that overlooks the lush, green landscape. “We call it The View because we feel that it’s got a nice view onto the golf course. It’s not so much the city, but what we’re trying to drive home to people is it’s almost a feeling of vacation. You’d never know you’re in the city of Quincy when you’re sitting out there dining.”

Carr took over the restaurant, which he said had been basically a “glorified snack bar,” for a variety of reasons. His catering business had slowed with the recent hit to the economy, so he was open to new opportunities. He often brought his two sons, Cody and Jared, up to play golf at Presidents, and was friendly with Don Small, the club’s head golf professional, and Jim Fitzroy, director of the facility. They eventually convinced Carr to take over the restaurant, and the arrangement has worked out for Boston Butler, as well. He has space to run that business along with The View Restaurant, as many functions held at the golf course can utilize Carr’s catering expertise.

Another perk for Carr was that the location is “geographically desirable,” as he called it, about two miles from Brae Burn Road, where he and his wife, Lisa, live with their boys.

While the facilities at Presidents are owned by Norfolk County, Carr has fully invested in the upgrade to the restaurant. In order to launch The View, Carr had to do some major renovations, including new carpeting, ceilings, furniture, TVs and a brand-new, fully stocked bar that has a full liquor license.

“The old place had only beer and wine, and it was canned beer,” he laughed, but acknowledged that the price for beer did go up 25 cents with the new digs.

“We have received a very positive response from the golfers, and a very positive response from the non-golfers,” he added, as he expressed his excitement of how the plans have come together.

The menu at The View offers a variety of choices at competitive prices, including an 8-ounce Angus beef burger for $8.50; panini sandwiches for $7.95; flatbread pizza for $6.95; The View’s signature steak tips for $13.95 (the most expensive item on the menu); and a good, old-fashioned hot dog for $2.50. Breakfast items range between $4.95 and $9.50. The restaurant also has a children’s menu.

Capacity for the restaurant is 144, but can be expanded for functions depending on the event. To enjoy “the view” fully, diners can enjoy sitting outside on the patio, where awnings with see-through sides can be zippered shut in inclement weather. In cooler weather, Carr envisions placing propane patio warmers there to extend the season for al fresco dining.

And in the offseason, he plans to have the restaurant take on a sports pub flavor, with a family-friendly atmosphere. With football season extending into February, The View is hoping to appeal to fans throughout the winter. One of Carr’s fortes with Boston Butler has been hosting tailgate parties before Patriots games, so the theme is quite familiar to him.

The restaurant currently has 29 full- and part-time employees, mostly local residents, and Carr was glad to be able to put people to work, considering the economy.

“I think the thing here is people can really enjoy the setting,” Carr said. “It’s nothing pretentious, it’s just good, home-cooked food.”

The View Restaurant and Tavern is open to the public seven days a week, serving breakfast beginning at 6:30 a.m. Lunch and dinner are available until the kitchen closes at 9 p.m., with last call at the bar at 1 a.m. The View is also available for functions.

For more information, visit www.theviewrestaurantandtavern.com or call (617) 770-2500.