Fire Up the Grill this Labor Day

One of Butcher Boy's meat masters recommended some great meats to grill.

Labor Day is almost here and its arrival has always been known as the unofficial end of summer. The days are getting shorter, the evenings are getting cooler, and in some places we can even see the leaves beginning to change colors. Students are getting ready to head back to school and football season is nearly upon us. The ultimate sign of the upcoming autumn is Labor Day. Maybe you have been a grilling maniac this summer, buying many tanks of gas or bags of charcoal. Perhaps you haven’t fired up the grill as often as you would have liked. Whatever be the case, a Labor Day grilling session is the perfect way to bridge the gap between summer and fall. William Yameen, of Butcher Boy’s meat department, chatted with Patch to recommend some …

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Bollywood Grill Represents Indian Cuisine, Cinema

Since 2005, Bollywood Grill has been North Andover's "go to" spot for Indian Food.

Bollywood, like Hollywood, is one of the world’s largest film industries. Based in Mumbai, India, the Bollywood portion of the Indian film industry features epic musical creations, extravagant costumes, remarkably choreographed dance routines and numerous films that are watched throughout the world. Bollywood Grill captures the feeling of a cool cinema with its décor of Indian film actors and actresses. So right below your crunchy pakoras might lie a superstar like Amitabh Bachchan or Kareena Kapoor. For patrons not familiar with Indian cuisine, Sahil Singh of Bollywood Grill made a helpful recommendation. “That would be Chicken Tikka Masala, which comes with rice and plain or garlic naan,” said Singh. Chicken Tikka Masala is a creamy …

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Shunju at Home in Jasmine Plaza

Grab some maki and a Mai-Tai right off 114 in North Andover.

Jasmine Plaza has seen its fair share of restaurants throughout the years. The latest Asian cuisine to join the plaza was Shunju in 2010. Featuring both Chinese and Japanese cuisine, Shunju expects to be in North Andover for a long time. “We took over the place in 2010,” said Hebtor Yu of Shunju. He expressed his delight with North Andover saying that the restaurant has really enjoyed their time there since moving in.   Shunju has a number of menu items that will have diners coming back for seconds. From the dinner menu, Yu pointed out some of the most popular items available at Shunju. “The most popular dish would definitely be General Gau’s Chicken,” said Yu. The Shunju menu describes the dish as the most famous Chinese food dish. The …

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Kababapalooza Underway at The Loft

North Andover's favorite barn-looking restaurant wants you to try their kababs.

The Loft is a living piece of history right on Route 125 in North Andover. Located in a 160-year old structure, this restaurant began taking shape back in 1978. Owner Jim Dietz bought the place after it was renovated and it has become one of the Merrimack Valley’s most popular steakhouses. Since then it has been home to many popular dishes including Lobster Mac & Cheese, Baby Back Ribs, Orange Chicken, and so much more. The Loft is also one of North Andover’s most famous restaurants having been featured on shows like the Phantom Gourmet and in countless other local publications. Need a new reason to check out the loft? Well here are three: 1. Kababapalooza “We just bought a vacuum marinater,” said owner Jim Dietz. “It marinates the meats …

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A Pair of Local Brunches

Set aside some time to have brunch at a local restaurant.

Sunday brunch can be a treat or part of your routine. A brunch can be fancy or casual and indulgent. Sometimes a brunch focuses more on breakfast foods while others prefer offerings of lunch-type meals. Whatever your brunch preference, it's always a nice idea to put aside some time to enjoy a meal so unique that it overlaps two conventional meal times. Fortunately for North Andover residents, finding a fantastic spot to have a hearty brunch is not that tough. One such place is Burton's Grill on 114. Their Sunday brunch is open every Sunday from 11am to 3pm. Their special brunch menu is unique, diverse, and worth sampling on multiple occasions. Manager Steven Gerrish suggested the Filet Benedict as a perfect way to brunch. "It's two …

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Andovers a la Carte: Fantastic Fish

Fried Haddock and Katzu Tuna are featured in this week's Andover's a la Cart. And local restaurants, feel free to add your own photos of your signature fish dishes.

As spring begins to blossom, more and more fisherman are out on the seas angling quality fish. Here in the northeast, we are fortunate to have unique, top-quality seafood seemingly on demand. North Andover's Joe Fish receives daily deliveries. Natalie Anderson, a Joe Fish manager, said, "All our fish is fresh from North Coast Seafoods so they're always on the docks every morning, and we get it delivered seven days a week." Natalie was able to narrow the expansive menu down to a single recommendation. "Our Katzu Tuna is always the most popular," she said. The dish is a fresh yellow fin tuna coated with crunchy panko crumbs. It is flash fried and served with sugar snap peas, white rice, pickled ginger, wasabi and soy sauce. "We've been …

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Meet Your Neighbor: David Yee

David manages China Blossom, one of North Andover's most popular restaurants.

Meet Your Neighbor is a series that introdues you to North Andover community members.  Today's featured community member is David Yee, manager of China Blossom.    Patch: What is your occupation?  David: I manage my family's restaurant China Blossom in North Andover, MA which was started by my dad in 1960!   Patch: How long have you lived in North Andover?  David: 26 years! I was born and raised in North Andover and continue to live here with my family today.  Patch: What is your favorite part about living in North Andover?  David: That's easy, the people that make up our community. North Andover residents are a kind, hard-working group that takes an enormous amount of pride in their community and giving back. The school system is terrific…

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Five Meals to Eat Outside

Enjoy some of the area's best outdoor dining options.

Winter seems to be a distant memory. With temperatures hitting the 70s and 80s, North Andover residents are heading outdoors to enjoy our redemption for last year's grim winter. Use this opportunity to enjoy your next meal outdoors! Check out these five local restaurants that offer casual, outdoor dining and some good spring-time foods. 1. Californian Thick Pan Pizza Have a seat outside at Stachey's in North Andover and enjoy the California-like weather with a Californian pizza. The pie features fresh tomatoes, eggplant, onions, broccoli, and mozzarella cheese and costs only $12.50. 2. Grilled Fennel Sausage Andolini's in Andover also provides an outdoor dining area where you can enjoy some delicious Italian food. The Grilled Fennel …

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The Andovers a la Carte

Five Splendid Soups Perfect for Wintertime

Have a nice, hot soup as the thermometer drops this weekend.

Snowy Saturdays in winter are perfect for a tepid, thick, and hearty soup. With temperatures expected to drop over the weekend and into the week ahead, today we focus on some splendid soups that you can find locally. 1. Rasam Soup Bollywood Grill in North Andover has a soup that can cure the winter blues and maybe even your winter cold. The Rasam Soup, for only $4.95 is a South Indian delicacy made from lentils. It is very spicy, warm, and tangy. Mustard seeds and tamarind are part of the soup’s unique composition. 2. Japanese Miso Soup At Tokyo Steakhouse in Andover, the Japanese Miso Soup is a must before or alongside any of their incredible entrees. One serving of the Miso Soup is $2.95, and consider trying the Onion A La Japanese Soup …

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The Andovers a la Carte

Five Sensational Salad Selections

This week we examine some of the area’s most interesting salads.

Some of us may still be experiencing a holiday hangover. Some of us just enjoy entrée salads. Either way, you have come to the right place. This week, Andovers A La Cart offers you five interesting salads that you will enjoy ordering whether you are trying to improve your diet or not. Remember, it is always okay to order a salad, regardless of how your fellow restaurant-goers react. You’ll be the envy of the table after ordering one of these unique creations. 1. Salad Vivaldi con Pollo & Bello This one’s for the mushroom lovers. Conveniently located in both Andover and North Andover, Bertucci’s has hit the jackpot with this combination of baby field greens, balsamic vinaigrette, and more. The dish sells for $10.49 and also includes …

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