Reviews of Dining accomodation in Concord

Aigo Bistro

General: The same goes for Aigo Bistro in Concord! [It's way too crowded already.] (It took me a month to get a reservation there, but I wasn't trying too hard.) (szs@ultranet.com (Stephen Z. Stein) 9/1/95)

Review 1

Dinner Dollars: $$$+
Cuisine: Mediterranean / Basque
84 Thoreau St (adj to commuter train station), 371-1333
Reservations: essential, call a few days in advance; Dress: dressy

Very good food, eclectic, but not fancy -- some call it overpriced though. Part owned by the owners of L'Espalier in Boston. A bit stuffy. Not a place to come in jeans, unless you want to be treated like 3rd class citizens. This is certainly not your average suburban place. Wonderfully unusual dishes, preparations, mixtures of flavors. Great breads, great wine list.

Good Dishes: Try the brandade, the seafood entrees, any North African food, and the honey-lavender-thyme flan. (11/94) (Capsule 5/1/94)

Review 2

Dinner Dollars: $$$+
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Been here once; quite an experience. Sure, a Mediterranean experience and something else. I believe the chef cut his/her teeth at one of the stratospheric rooms in Beantown. This is certainly not your average suburban place. Wonderfully unusual dishes, pr eparations, mixtures of flavors. Some pretty riotous stuff. Great breads, a wow of a wine list. I'd figure $50/head with wine & tip. Great special occasion, although not fancy (save the sequins for the Bay Tower Room). I'm waiting for an invitation to go back there. (Fred Ehrhardt fwe@shore.net 11/1/94)

Chang An

Review 1

DinnerDollars: $$
Cuisine: Chinese
10 Concord Crossing, (508) 369-5288, Fax (508) 369-4288
at the Concord Train Station on Sudbury Rd, across from Stop & Shop

Very good restaurant aiming for high quality ingredients and excellent preparation, but with overly bland seasonings, even when asking for spicy food. Very tender, perfectly cooked poultry, and perfectly cooked, juicy tender duckling. Nice decor, but prices are on the high side, $4 to $6 for appetizers, and $10 to $15 for entrees. (Capsule 5/1/94)

China Trade

Review 1

General: I'll also recommend it, but point out a couple of things. The one time we went, it was a bit later in the afternoon and things were not all that fresh. But such is life at buffets. We'll try it again sometime earlier in the day.

While good, I couldn't say that all of the dishes were authentically prepared. The dishes with sauces, such as yakitori, teriyaki, and the tempura taro were a bit too salty and a little more like chinese style than Japanese. It is basically a Chinese restaurant, though. My wife loved the chawan mushi, and ate three bowls.
The service was very friendly, attentive, and accomodating. This was also a big plus.

It's definitely worth a try. (Bill Lambert <blamb@meitca.com> 8/1/95)

Review 2

General: Excellent Japanese buffet in Concord, MA
China Trade Restaurant
794 Elm St., Concord, MA 01742
Telephone: 508-369-8899

China Trade Restaurant, on Route 2 westbound (next to Papa-Razzi), in Concord MA, has a wonderful Japanese all-you-can-eat brunch on Saturday and Sunday from 11:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. for $12.95 (adult) and $6.95 (children). There are 10 hot entrees including vegetable & shrimp tempura, salmon teriaki, chicken teriyaki, chicken breast stuffed with scallions, beef/chicken yakitori, shumai (shrimp dumplings), hiyako tofu, fried rice and lo mein as well as a variety of dipping sauces. There's also miso soup, fresh fruit salad and a salad of lettuce, cucumber and shredded carrots. Freshly prepared sushi is continually brought out and served during the two hours. The sushi and maki are beautifully prepared and incredibly tasty; the assortment includes salmon, tuna, shrimp, tuna roll, cucumber roll, and California roll (avocado & crab). Today was the third time we've enjoyed this brunch during the past few months. We've been most impressed with the quality of the food; everything is so fresh and deliciously prepared. The service is always friendly, accommodating, and responsive. The cost of the brunch is very reasonable too. The decor is pleasant, comfortable, and understated.

There's a Japanese lunch menu on Tuesday through Friday. This restaurant also serves Chinese food for lunch and dinner every weekday (except Monday) and on weekends, which has always been excellent, IMO. We've had wonderful Chinese dinners here on numerous occasions during the past year. We highly recommend China Trade...it's definitely a great find.

Other details: wheelchair access, low fat/chol & veg choices, full bar, all major CC's, casual dress, adequate parking. (Jeff Reyer <reyer@tle.enet.dec.com> 8/1/95)

Review 3

General: If you're like me, your appetite for sushi is seldom matched by the funds available in your wallet. The China Trade Restaurant in Concord, Mass offers a weekend luncheon buffet with all-you-can eat sushi (no, I'm not putting you on) for only $13.95. This is the only time I've seen my wife admit that she couldn't eat any more sushi.

Be sure and ask for the homemade ice cream for desert (comes with the buffet).

Directions: They are located on Route 2 West about a mile before the Route 2A rotary (right next to Papa Razzi).

Reservations: recommended
Phone: (508) 369-8899. (nhoran@usa1.com (Diogenes) 9/1/95)

Review 4

General: I went to the Concord place. They served you alot of California rolls and keppa maki, but were reluctant to bring us more of the nigiris. The hostess said they had to save some for late comers. Well, it happened that it was 2:15 when she said this, 15 minutes before the end of the AYCE offer. So I have a hard time believing that was the case. We got a second plate of nigiris tho..she did drop some guilt trip thing.

I would go back there again, iff (if and only if) they understood that I want AYCE, and no run-a-round. The quality was good, the size of portion was good, but the service needs some help. (Dan Logcher <dlogcher@cs.uml.edu> 9/1/95)

Review 5

General: Did you read my review of the place? I describe how confusing the "all-you-can-eat" aspect is, as your waitress tries to lay a guilt trip on you for asking for more sushi. (Steve Marbit <marbit@binah.cc.brandeis.edu> 9/1/95)

Review 6

General: I've been to China Trade myself. They aren't really advertising AYCE sushi - they are advertising an AYCE buffet that includes sushi. I think they need to change their advertising to make this clearer, but I also feel some people are trying to "game" the system a little. (ljl@netcom.com (Larry J Lennhoff) 9/1/95)

Review 6

General: They have a chinese buffet, and serve you sushi. Both are included in the cost of $12.95.. Its good for the cost, but they didn't bring sushi to us quick enough. There also seemed to be a limit.. I'm not sure, but the hostess gave us some run-a-round. (Dan Logcher <dlogcher@cs.uml.edu> 9/1/95)

Review 7

Cusine: Japanese, Chinese
General: It was a pretty decent Japanese buffet, which probably isn't so decent if you're expecting Chinese food or don't have someone expert enough to be a tour guide. Too bad they didn't explain this to you, but I do think it's mentioned on the menu. (Bill Lambert <blamb@meitca.com> 10/1/95)

Review 8

General: It's mostly Japanese. They have a few generic Chinese foods, I think primarily to live up to the name. The buffet is Japanese and a lot of the traditionally Chinese stuff has some Japanese surprises.

I am not a meat eater, and I find the veggie stuff there a bit too greasy. The lo mein, for example, absolutely swims in oil. If you get some steamed rice to soak a lot of it up it tastes somewhat better.

However, it's miles better than the Yangtse (I'm sure I spelled that wrong) River Chinese-Type Buffet Vomitorium (in Acton?), which seems to be a bit more popular among the propeller-head crowd. (clc@oink.mv.com (Christian Longshore Claiborn) 10/1/95)

Review 9

General: The China Trade restaurant is on rte. 2 in Concord. My wife and I stopped there on Sunday at noon. It was our first time there, but since we like a wide range of Chinese foods, we felt certain that there would be something on the menu that would appeal to us. The hostess suggested the brunch buffet which sounded fine to us.

My first surprise came when we were seated. The place mats were a colorful description of the many different types of Sushi that could be created. As I was puzzling over this, a waiter served us soup of a type we did not recognize. The waiter did not speak English and I did not speak his language. I found the soup interesting - my wife found it disgusting. The buffet was very nicely presented, but few of the foods were familiar to us. Then to my great surprise. Waiters began to offer us various types of Sushi! I tried one type that was based on cucumber rather than fish, but could not finish it. The bill for the two of us was close to $30 with one bottle of beer. The experience was so strange that it left us confused. (gml0@gte.com (Gary Lambert) 10/1/95)

Colonial Inn

Review 1

General: The Colonial Inn, right at the Concord Town Center, is what you are looking f or. Sophisticated atmosphere in a pleasant colonial setting... They also serve English style "high tea" on Sunday afternoons. (megladst@lynx.dac.neu.edu (megladst) 6/1/95)

Review 2

General: I ate this past Sunday at the Colonial Inn in Concord wh ich had a very nice Sunday Brunch. It was not quite as good as the one at the Bennett Street Cafe at the Charles Hotel (the desserts were not as gourmet), but it was very tasty. One of our guests declared that it was possibly the best brunch he had ever eaten, but then again he was from England, so he might have the best experiences to draw from. The brunch was very nice for the price ($18.95/person). It included fresh squeezed orange juice and coffee but no champagne and included Eggs Benedict, bacon, roast beef, made to order ommelet and waffle bar, poached samon, chicken, pasta, mashed potatoes, a nice variety of smoked seafood (scallops, mussels, whitefish, lox, caviar (not smoked!), etc.), cold cuts, salad, bread, etc. The only week point was the desserts, which were very good, but not as gourmet as some other places. I would definately recommend the restaraunt for the brunch - it is a very nice, quaint setting in a nice town and was very enjoyable. I would recommend reservations because I once tried to eat there and it was booked. Brunch goes until 2:30. Also, if you have an entertainment card you can use it for 2 for 1 (we had two, which made it *very* affordable) (Jeff Allen x3591 <jeffa@wpi.edu> 6/1/95)

Review 3

has great atmosphere -- an authentic antique-inns w a very, very busy restaurants. reservations are necessary. (megladst@lynx.dac.neu.edu Melissa Gladston 12/1/94)

Review 4

Cuisine: Regional Eclectic
48 Monument Sq, (508) 369-2373
I've been here for tea or cappucino in the afternoon. Very pleasant, piano on Sundays. (5/1/94)

Michael's

Nine Acre Corner, Rt 117, (508) 371-1114/369-6544 ( 5/1/94)

 

Rossini

 

Willow Pond Kitchen

Review 1

General: If you can get to Concord, consider the Willow Pond Kitchen. We had our rehearsal dinner/bachelor party thing there, and they seated 20 people very well, and when they found out the occasion they loaned us the lo bster bride-and-groom centerpiece.

They've got a good collection of both New England and other seafood (catfish, frogs legs.)

Are decorations consisting of stuffed woodland creatures good or bad? It's more a function of Concord than the Willow Pond that they are the place most frequently mentioned in the weekly Police Log (fistfight and moose sighting) report.

Disclaimer -- I haven't been there in about a year and a half. They're sort of on Rt 2A (or whatever the radial road one north of Rt 2 is ) between 128 and Concord Center, near Hanscom. (chesler@max.tiac.net (David Chesler) 7/1/95)

Review 2

Couldn't have said it any better myself, except that I *don't* go back for the cheap lobster. I know a place on the Cape that has even cheaper l obster, and at least the atmosphere is more like clean-pleasant-diner than down home and dirty. ( 5/1/94)

DinnerDollars: $+
Cuisine: American
745 Lexington Rd (Rt 9A), (508) 369-6529

Down home and dirty. Don't order anything exc ept the lobster special dinner. 1 lb lobster with slaw and fries for about $8 and pretty good. I've tried a burger there once and it was nasty. You'll want to shower after you leave this place, but you'll go back for the cheap lobster dish. (5/1/94)

Back to Lexington Concord Field Page
Back to Lexington Concord Preliminary Study Page

Maintained by webmaster@wpi.edu
Last modified: October 03, 2006 15:39:34