Alyk loves these guys. She was pissed that I stopped to take a picture, but didn’t bother to get her anything. My bad, yo.
Also see:
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Bakery
Chocolate Cupcake, but I don’t remember the exact name. A quick visit to the Cakeology website didn’t help, so I assume it was a daily special
I’m not a fan of cupcakes, but Alyk is, so I stopped in to pick up a pair. She thought they were amazing, but didn’t elaborate, so I can’t tell you what makes them any better or worse than any of the other cupcake shops that popped up in the last year. I can tell you this: the friendly staff and the cute store made the place a pleasure to visit. That puts them a step ahead of most other cupcakeries.
Red Velvet Cupcake
Cakeology to go
Cakeology
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Bova's Bakery at the corner of Salem and Prince in the North End
Rarely a day passes that I don’t see someone carrying blue and white box from Mike’s Pastry. I realize they’re probably from out of town and think they discovered the best bakery in the city, but I know better. About 200 yards from Hanover Street (the North End’s main drag) is a time-worn bakery serving sweet and savory treats to those who can find it
Bova's pastry case
The line at Bova’s is rarely as long as the Big Two bakeries of the North End, Mike’s Pastry and Modern Pastry. Although the retail area of Bova’s isn’t as pretty as the Big Two, the pastries are just as good (maybe even better!) and it’s open all day, every day. I think the city prevents them from selling savory items late night, but it’s still nice getting great pastries at night in a city that closes up at 2am.
Calzone display
Chicken Parmesean Calzone
Whoopie pie, lobster tail, and ricotta pie
I think it's an Italian bakery
134 Salem Street
Boston, MA 02113
North End
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The tiny store-front bakery forces employees to improvise. They often use the front of the house for storage and prep. This stack of buns (don't know what kind) greeted me at the front door.
Last week we had a pot-luck dinner at work. I commute on the T, so there wasn’t much I wanted to prepare, package, and carry on the train, so I stopped in to Hing Shing Pastry for a box of buns instead. Tastier than a dozen donuts, and classier than a stack of McDonald’s cheeseburgers (No shit, I’ve seen it done).
I couldn't even guess what these things are.I see cookies and sticky rice in banana leaves. The rest is a mystery to me.
Nobody wanted to be the first to try a hot dog bun, but the box disappeared quickly once somebody dove in and exclaimed “Holy shit, they’re amazing, Dude!”
That guy wouldn't get out of my way. Every time I tried to take a shot, he photo bombed me.
Hing Shing Pastry
Box of Buns: pork buns, beef buns, hot dog buns, and curry beef pies.
Will I go back? Most def. The pastries are amazing and the price is right. Most items in the store are less than a dollar.
Hing Shing Pastry67 Hudson Street
Chinatown
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The world’s newest Panera (on Boylston at Berkeley) opens sometime today. I’d tell you what time the Back Bay cafe and bakery opens, but it appears Panera didn’t bother updating the corporate website.
Also see: Panera Bread Does One Thing Well
Panera Bread 450 Boylston StreetBoston, 02116
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Hot dog buns at Mei Sum. Highly recommended by people like me.
A friend of mine introduced Alyk and I to the Chinese pork bun a while back, and I’ve been stuck on them ever since. However… I tried a warm hot dog bun at Mei Sum Bakery last week, and I can’t stop eating them. I even passed up opening day at a a new pizza joint downstairs just so I could indulge in my new habit.
The hot dog bun… it’s just like every other bun in every other Chinese bakery except it’s filled it with a hot dog (a wiener filled bun?). The slight sweetness of the chewy, yeasty dough complements the smokey dog perfectly. The hot dog bun doesn’t need any condiments or utensils, which works out well; Mei Sum doesn’t offer any.
Mei Sum is a no-frill place with a glass display case cloudy from decades of use, a tiny seating area usually filled with overflow storage and supplies, and four small consignment-store tables almost always filled with old men from the neighborhood. It’s squeezed in between a parking garage and an Asian video store—easy to dismiss by passers by.
Mei Sum also serves Banh Mi for $2.75. I’ve never had it, but the woman behind the counter promised I’d like it, and I promised I’ll be back soon to pick up a couple.
The good:
- excellent hot dog bun
- ultra cheap
The not-so-good:
- difficult-to-find, but so is everything else in Boston
- 6:30 pm closing
- limited seating
The Grade: B+
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