Isabella's Restaurant

Though it had one of the quietest openings in recent history, Korean restaurant Seoul (156 Cambridge St.) is already making a name for itself. Its extensive menu of traditional Korean cuisine makes it a rarity for the area and a welcome addition to Beacon Hill. Seoul has taken over the the space where Ma Soba used to be, and the owners obviously knew that major changes to the interior were just not needed. Still, the space somehow appears even larger than it did before, especially with floor-to-ceiling windows that push out to let in pleasant summer breezes. The decor is fresh and minimal, which keeps the spotlight on the food and its intricate flavors. Seoul’s menu is divided into standard categories of appetizers and entrees, but it is written primarily in Korean with only the dish names translated into English. Luckily, the friendly, attentive servers are adept at guiding patrons through the menu and the different options available for each dish. To further customize each plate, banchan—a collection of small condiments—are delivered to each table and rotate for variety. My personal favorite was the kimchi, whose perfect blend of spice and tangy vinegar made it a great accompaniment to the already flavorful dishes. To start, I had the scallion pancake, which was absolutely fantastic. Served on a cast-iron dish sizzling with heat, it was browned to perfection and chock-full of scallions for maximum flavor. The cake itself was light and not greasy despite its sizzle. The exterior was crunchy, while the insides were bursting with light onion flavor and gentle heat from the spicy kimchi that I elected to add. Personalization may be one of the best parts of this dish—you have the option to add different proteins or extra spice, if you so desire. I wanted to eat every single bite of this, and it’s enormous. The japche quickly became another of my favorites here: vermicelli is stir-fried with lots of vegetables, soy sauce, and a bit of sweetness—and, in my case once again, some extra heat (though diners can also request it mild). As a spice lover, I thought it could have been a tad hotter, but it had a great kick that mingled with the umami and sweet flavors. The noodles were perfectly cooked and held the sauce well, whereas the vegetables and chicken (beef, tofu and seafood are also available) added textural contrasts to complete the dish. With its large menu of traditional, customizable dishes, Seoul has been making its mark on the Boston restaurant scene as the new go-to spot for Korean food. Though it’s definitely still stretching its legs, I see great things for Seoul. Quick Stats Fiona’s rating: 3.5/5 stars Price: $$ Good for: date night, family dinner, lunch, spice lovers, adventurous eaters Alcohol: beer and wine only Outdoor seating: no Photos by Fiona Coxe

Snow flakes are starting to fly here in Boston and with chillier weather upon us I start craving anything that will warm me up from the inside out.  Soup is my go to, and with so many restaurants serving up a variety of types it's easy to find a great big bowl of soup to push away those cold weather blues. There is, of course, the ultimate comfort food- Tomato Soup paired with a Grilled Cheese Sandwich.  There is something so wonderfully childlike about dipping a hot, gooey piece of cheesy sandwich into a big hot bowl of tomato soup that brings me right back to snowy days when I was a kid.  Now, when Im looking for that feeling I head to The Abbey in Brookline's Washington Square. During lunch hours (week days and weekends) they serve up a big bowl of acidic tomato soup bright with fresh herbs and just a subtle hint of spice, and with it a perfectly crisp on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside, grilled cheese sandwich.   The cheese is stringy and ultimately gooey, leaving strings as you pull pieces apart to dip into the soup.  Decadent and delicious, this pairing is the perfect way to venture into chilly weather. Moving to the more exotic side of things, there is my personal favorite soup out there- hailing from Vietnam- Pho.  Pho is a perfect blend of rice noodles, fragrant broth, your choice of proteins, onion and cilantro.  Tableside you are served lime wedges, sprouts, and Thai Basil to add at your discretion along with a host of sauces.  Pho has long been my favorite for several reasons, one of which being this hands on approach where you can customize the finishing flavors and even its heat level.  I gravitate to Pho Pasteur in Chinatown when I need a Pho fix.  They efficiently seat their guests and expertly dole out their Pho, a clean broth with notes of lemon grass, and gently floating circles of onion and fragrant cilantro throughout.  I opt for rare beef as my protein,finding the mix between the beef, broth, noodles and a lot of Siracha sauce to warm my soul. Perhaps, however, when its chilly outside, you crave something a bit more decadent?  How does French Onion Soup with a beef morrow crostini on the side sound?  Deuxave, located in Boston's Back Bay is serving up a French Onion Soup that they simmer and cook for nine hours to concentrate the flavors and bring out the notes of true beef flavor as well as notes of thyme and white wine.   Individual servings are divvied out into small crock pots, chunks of French Bread added, and topped with cheese- every spoon full brings out the rich broth, tender onions, pieces of soaked bread and utter globs of incredible cheese.  Then, as if it wasn't rich enough- along side sits a perfectly toasted piece of bread, slathered with a little bone marrow making it salty and delicious and a perfectly crunchy addition to the soup. Soup is the perfect way to warm up as these months get colder, and no matter what your preference, there is a spot out there for you.  So the real question is what type is going to keep you the warmest?

This article is part of Amanda Maguire’s Vegan Guide to Boston, which profiles Boston’s best vegan products and businesses. One of the biggest concerns in going vegan is the prospect of having to give up your favorite comfort foods: the baked macaroni and cheese, the burgers with all the toppings, the old-fashioned milk shakes too thick to drink with a straw. Fear not, because Veggie Galaxy Diner & Vegan Bakery (450 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge) has you covered. Owned by Adam Penn, Veggie Galaxy serves up plant-based meals that will take you right back to your childhood. Well, assuming your childhood included delicious meals made from scratch, right down to the burger buns and ketchup. I paid a visit to Veggie Galaxy to chat with Penn about his epic diner food and what makes it so noteworthy. GROUPON: What is Veggie Galaxy's best-selling menu item? ADAM PENN: Our best-selling item since the beginning has been the Kendall Square Burger. [Editor’s note: It’s a black-bean or mushroom-chickpea burger topped with beer-battered onion rings, roasted red pepper purée, roasted garlic mayo, and baby arugula.] G: Could you tell us a little about the inspiration behind this dish and whether you initially expected it to be so popular? AP: As a vegetarian/vegan diner, we knew from the beginning that there would always be some tension regarding … healthy food versus traditional comfort food. The Kendall Burger, topped with giant deep-fried onion rings, was our nod to the comfort food side of things, and it quickly became clear that that's what most of our customers are looking for. We still try to provide some healthy options as well, but most of our customers come to us because we're first and foremost a diner. G: Are there any new menu additions you're particularly excited about? I noticed you offer Blue Plate Specials each week. AP: Our most recent weekly Blue Plate Special is vegan chicken and waffles. It [was] a customer request a while back, and we finally got around to doing it. It's been more popular than we even imagined, so we extended it to a second week and are now planning to put it on our late-night menu. … We also recently added a Meatless Monday meatball sub, which is one of my personal favorites. G: What makes Veggie Galaxy's food taste like home? AP: Pretty much everything is prepared from scratch, including items that people at home would normally just buy from the grocery store, like our condiments, our seitan, and our burger buns. So, in our opinion, it's better than home. G: Why did you opt to go plant-based with your menu and strictly vegan with your baked goods? AP: The reasons for going vegetarian and vegan are pretty well known at this point, and it's not something we like to preach about. We're providing vegetarians and vegans the opportunity to enjoy classic diner foods without the meat. While we do have dairy and eggs on the menu, pretty much anything can be made vegan. We wanted to make sure vegans could enjoy our desserts, too, so we left the eggs and dairy out of those altogether. G: What has been your best moment as a business owner at Veggie Galaxy? AP: I don't know if I can point to one best moment. When we have a full dining room of happy customers, I can look back on all the effort that has been put in to get to this point and feel content in knowing that we're doing exactly what we set out to do. G: When you're not making french toast stuffed with vanilla-nut vegan cream cheese, grilled corned-beef seitan reubens, and lemon meringue pie (my personal favorite), what are you cooking at home? AP: Neither my wife nor I are really cooks. When we do cook, we keep it simple—herbed roasted vegetables over couscous is a favorite. I'm personally a big fan of pasta, so pasta and veggie meatballs are a favorite of mine. Though I have to admit that at home, as opposed to at the restaurant, we just buy the meatballs from the store. Still hungry? Check out Groupon’s latest deals on vegetarian restaurants in Boston. Photos: Aaron Scott