It's been a while since i've gotten a good hit from a nearby town, the way I did yest. In Ayer. Starting off in the JP O'Hanlons' kitchen where chef Ed shared his secret to stellar fish n' chips (see next Wed. paper), I couldn't help but catch a pre-St. Paddy's Day buzz. “It's our busiest day of the year,” the revved and ready owner Rod told me. After a perfect-looking guinness was poured for the photo, I decided right then to make the trek here on the 17th. Not an easy feat to pull, it’s about a 25-min. drive from Lowell, but I know it will be worth it. This eight-year-old Irish pub just feels good. And w/an italian owner and Portuguese chef at the helm, the menu is an eclectic mix of irish pies and sicilian seafood. They also have a nice sun. brunch. On St. Pat's JPO’s is featuring music all day beginning at 11:30a. Note a $12-cover goes into effect at 3 p.m. If this scares you, go a day earlier. Sunday will be a dry run — food, music etc. geared for fams. But any leprechaun worth his tam o'shanter knows there is nothing quite like the day itself. So see ya at the bar at 1. jpohanlons. Next I paid a visit to the much-ballyhooed 31 Main a block west. Brick interior, sunny walls, nice bar, drop lights, many window tables … is this Ayer? Owner Karen Ingle is a pastry chef who cut her teeth at Biba, Boston Harbor Hotel and other impressive blue-blooded establishment. What’s she doing in Ayer? Too busy to elaborate because a staff member had called in sick and at 11:40, people where flocking in for lunch. Great sounding steaks and salads on the menu and the prices will not give you heart palpitations. Seems Ayer is finally stepping up to the plate. Would you make the trek for a meal + ambiance?

Walking through the curtain at the Centre Street Cafe, “that” feeling hit me. I knew I was going to like this place. With its low-lighting, pleasing jazz and friendly vibe, this casual find on Centre Street in JP is the kind of relaxed spot every town needs. The menu reads like a vegetarian, organic joint, but there is meat hidden here and there. I had a saboom, aka a riot of vegetables, seasoned w. garlic and ginger on a bed of lomein. Gourmet guy had chicken enchiladas, layered in a deep dish w/ much cheese. The food was great, but it was the feeling infused throughout that really nourished us. Waiters hugged diners, cracked jokes and treated everyone like a regular. For 20 years The CSC has been there for the lucky denizens of JP, giving them fresh and *LOCAL* meals. In the summer heirloom tomats and all kinds of crazy fresh produce hit the menu. We are coming back. I couldn’t help but think a place like this would fly in Lowell, even as causal rests. are closing. If you’ve got all the elements, like Centre Street you will do well. Total bill w/ wine and beer: $40.

Starts on Sunday. Looks like the Left Bank at the Stonehedge Inn is the only local rest. participating. Surprisingly, prices have not crept up from last year: three-course prix-fixe lunch is $20.08, three-course dins: $33.08. Looks like inflation here is a marketing gimmick with the 08 refecting the year. Cute. The Beehive is a swank South End spot I'd like to try and Chez Henri off Harvard Sq. is as romantic a getaway as they come. If you can sneek away for lunch, I would, to avoid maddening crowds. I have not blogged much about the left bank in Tyngs., although they have a top chef who jumped ship from The Harvest in Cambridge last year. I think it's because I keep forgetting they are there, tucked away in an unlikely locale off Pawtucket Blvd. But it is worth the search. For Lowellians LB is the best best next week. BRW runs from March 9 through Friday, March 14. This begs the ques. what happened to Lowell Restaurant Week?

You sit at the bar when your feeling social. It's better than being scurried away at a private table. Impromptu chatter w/ the bartender and tips from your stoolmates make things feel more festive. But did you know bar dining can be dangerous? Last week while having dinner at the bar of a well-known downtown establishment, I felt a wash of hot liquid hit me as I raised my pint. The seafood bouillabaisse I had ordered reached my backside and coat draped on the back of my chair before it reached the bar. To her credit, the waitress grabbed my coat to try and get the hot tomato broth off as quick as I realized what had gone down. But gourmet guy's bowl, the culprit, sat half empty and no one offered to remedy this. With this soup going for $21, you'd think you wouldn't have to ask. The bartender was clueless that this happened. To his credit he comped our beers. The strange thing is the waitress came from behind w/ two full bowls and someone knocked into her. You could see how this could happen. Still it's kind of a buzz kill. Has bad bar moments happened to you?

Billy Costa will be in Lowell on Tuesday at the Athenian Corner. Could be a package on Greek Easter, which GG will be doing this am at the Olympia. umm Lamb in the morning ... Not my favorite, but if seasoned right w/ rosemary and garlic it can be succulent and delicate (im told). I just caught wind of Billy's appearance, so I don't have all the details. But Gourmet Gal will be lunching in lamb heaven on tuesday for fresh blog fodder. Costa sure gets around. Does an appearance by ths TV Diner star carry much weight anymore? Or do we need the Andelmen brothers to take a bite of the brick? Lowell has not had a Phantom sighting in some time. Which restaurant review show has more sauce? And why hasn't Gourmet Gal been featured? If you are listening TV producers, do a segment on food bloggers. We are slim in numbers, but quite effective in getting the word out.
Just found out Costa will be at the Blue Taleh at 1:30 p.m. Good move TV Diner crew. This is Lowell's hottest property (which just so happens to be owned by a relative of Sun publisher Mark O'Neil). Probably blonde bombshell jenny johnson will be here too w/ the jenny cam. The excitement is building. Will they hit newcomer Mr. Jalapeno two blocks down?

Plans are being floated for a Pike Place-style market to move into the old Sun building on Kearney Sq. This newspaper did a civic good in relocating across town. Who knew Kearney Sq. was a vibrant, urban magnet waiting to happen? Not only do we have fine sushi bar Blue Taleh, now a farmer's market is planned for the back of this rambling bldg where sun trucks once idled. Developer John DeAngelis wants to gut the space along the canal and rent booths to food purveyors. I must speak for everyone when I say "you go John." Also planned for this former dead zone is a wine and cheese shop, run by Ricardo's owner Dick Rourke, and a coffee and dessert cafe. A cigar bar is still being bandied about too. Visionary DeAngelis has long talked of turning this stretch of canal into a mini Portsmouth, without the port. I was in Portsmouth yesterday and if Lowell captures a fifth of what this seacoast city has going on there really will be LOTS to LOVE about Lowell. Can a Starbucks be far behind?

An excited Billerica man left me a message over the weekend about North End steakhouse G’Vanni’s moving into the B-Ric. This Tuscan giant takes over the short-lived Indian Village on Boston Road. Menu leans on the classic side, which is what you’d expect to fly in this meat and pot. town. Chick and veal marsala, veal saltimbocca, cacciatore and hand-rolled ricotta gnocchi are the house hits. Was that my waistline expanding or yours? Wonder if they will downscale there prices when they go suburban. Not sure, outside of tech workers in for a power lunch, who will be forking over $39 for the delmonico bone-in rib eye. But steak eaters are used to the escalating price of beef. And G’Vanni’s takes this manly protein seriously. I’m on a meat fast, after bingeing last week, but as soon as I come to, the steak fiorentina, grilled sirloin layered over garlicky spinach, garlic reggiano sounds good to me.
www.gvannis.com

Small plates, chill scene, a world of wine, beer and whiskey. Such is the plan for Moonstones, Scott Plath’s new venture in Chelmsford. Cobblestones’ more worldly cousin is set to open in the former Ground Round by May and the owner finally spilled some beans: “It will be relaxed, social, progressive, real comfy,” he said. The bar will be twice the size as Cobbies and while there will be white table clothes for fine dining, Moonstone’s is bar-centric. “The bar is the biggest area,” said Plath. Chef Manny will do double time in the kitch. for both establishments. You won’t see potato skins on the menu here, the look and feel is anti-chain. That’s music to my ears. I haven’t set foot in a chain since an old boyfriend used to drag me to chili’s. Those were the days. But hold on, this refreshing news doesn’t mean Moonstones will price some of you out. In fact Plath made a big point of saying “It’s not upscale, this is a place to socialize.” Seventy five percent of the wine on the list is priced at $30 and under. Refreshing. “It will not look or feel like a Ground Round at all,” said Plath.
Seeya at the soft opening.

Billy Costa and Jenny Johnson were in Lowell earlier this week, and I was a fly on the wall during their three-hour tour of Lowell’s nosh joints. Surprisingly the trim and bubbly NECN TV Diner personalities actually eat. They dug right into Greek salads at the Athenian Corner (that's where I snapped this pic of Costa and AC owner Teddy Panos), coffee and sweets at Lowell High School's courtyard rest. and pad thai at the Blue Taleh. Even the camera man was wolfing down sandwiches at Lowell High School’s Courtyard rest. Costa really is a professional. The guy is like a sponge. He would meditate over the dishes, memorizing every ingredient the chef infused. And just when you think there's no way he's gonna retain it all, the camera snaps on and he rattles them off like old friends. That's TV for ya! The show airs on NECN March 22 and is sure to boost sales at downtown eateries. Traipsing around town w/ TV Diner solidified my dogged pursuit of chronciling our local, thriving scene. A year ago when this blog launched, Centro and Blue Taleh were distant dreams. To see Costa cosy up to the bars and swoon, made me feel that my work here has not been misspent. Meanwhile, old standbys like Athenian Corner continue to impress and reinvent themselves. Such is the hallmark of a true dining destination.

I wasn't going to blog about Mr. Jalapenos, the new Mexican rest. on Merrimack, until I was 100 percent sure when it's opening. But seems pent up demand for pico de gallo is killing some of you. Here's what I know: Owner Ricardo (no relation to Gorham St. trattoria) is shooting for next tuesday. But I wouldn't bet the whole enchillada. The hold up has been inspections —electric, health and the litany that surround a rest. opening. As of Wed. he had passed electric (the hardest hurdle) and said w/some confidence he will open Mon. or Tues. But we've heard this twice already, so I cannot post w/ the accuracy I uphold this blog to that made-to-order tortillas and chili relinos will be avail. so soon. But the place looks great, sunny, intimate and free WiFi too. Put it this way, by April Jalapeno will be popping. Now what has anyone heard about Bad Dawgs, the hotdog shack slated to open this month on the same block?

While we patiently await Mr. Jalapeno to pop, Casa Blanca opens with little fanfare today in Billerica. From fish tacos, to spinach enchiladas to burgers (?), this small chain w/ locations in N. Andover and Bedford, N.H. aims to meet all ages and taste buds. Dubbed Mexican family, the menu, look and feel of this new spot reads like a Chi Chi's of yore. Anyone remember that '80s chainery that invented fried ice cream? Ummm. The jury is still out about CB, but specials like pollo en mole, chix w/ that dark, rich, sweet chocolate sauce is one of our favs. And unlike Mr. J, the white house located on Chelms. Road. in the new mall across from Exxon, opens with a bar and a full line of margaritas. The Rosarita, hand-shaken w/ triple sec and fresh lime, clocks in at $6.99. We hear that Jalapeno eventually wants to expand into the spce next store and add a bar. At the rate it's taking Mr. J. to open, we are not expecting this to occur anytime soon. Ole!

The unofficial mayor of Market Street was spotted on a pub crawl today. Seems most people in Lowell took today off and the pubs are jumpin'. Good day to stay low if you don't want green foodcoloring spilled over you. But let's face it, it's a great day to be irish in Lowell. Cheers!

Got an interesting lament from a local diner who is furious at himself for waiting this long to try Ricardo's Trattoria in Lowell. "I believed those reviews on yelp that dissed the joint. Never again," he wrote. After seven months of avoiding what has long been considered the best restaurant in Lowell, he finally dined at the Gorham St. hotspot and loved every bite. Especially, it must be known, the calamari. Now he is kicking himself for avoiding Ricky's for so long. Man brings up a good point: Online reviews, vicious tripe, or words to dine by?

Got off the phone w/ Mr. J. Looks like Friday is 80 percent a go. Seems the city inspections slowed him up. A mo. after he was set to open ( more than a month), we will finally have homemade tortillias on Merrimack. Don't loose faith people, when he does open Mr. Jalapeno will be the most in-compliance eatery in town. That should make you OCDers pleased. He is also planning on expanding into the space next store to add a bar. I, for one, love that idea, but he remains iffy those pesky bldg. inspectors would let him break on through to the other side. Can't they let us have any fun? Why stand in the way of progress to uphold some outmoded rules? Lowell will never resemble anything near Newburyport if we don't lighten up. Adam Bakke, you listening?

If you’re like me, Tuesday is not a fun food day. I’ll hit the gym and maybe have fish, salad or pasta for dins. Ho hum. I save my dining points for wed. thurs. and let it rip on the weekends. But there are times when an exception is necessary. To wit: Taste of Nashoba Valley next Tues. At Lawerence Academy in Groton from 530 to 830 p.m. a host of epic eateries like the Herb Lyceum, Gibbet Hill and Devens Grill will be offering up their latest creations. Local drink purveyers Wachusetts Brewing Co. and Concord Ale’s Rapscallion (brewed in the Mill City) will be opening their taps too. Beer lovers, the naughty rapscallion is worth the head you'll have on wed. morn. Go lightly! Strangely, I never been to the TONV, but this year's line-up just might get me. Places I have not heard of like Harvard Sweet Boutique in Harvard and The Vineyard in Ayer will be there, plus the divine Currier & Chives. If you’ve ever been to a party catered by Maynard’s elegant food co, you know why I underscore this joint. I went to an x-mas party where C&C did the honors and the morsels were up there, right down to the tiny gelato cones to go. For further inticement George Howell’s Coffee Company (Coffee Connection emeratis) will be pouring the post-brew brews. Tix are $17 early, $20 day of. www.nvcoc.com/taste.shtml

Just went in looking for the new cupcakes Caffe Paradiso is rumored to be carrying and was pleased to meet Dwey. The friendly new manager said changes are afoot at the Palmer Street italiano rest. Just the fact that he acknowledged us pleasantly was a big change. No more surliness or cold shoulder from a member of the staff had me thinking we took a wrong turn and ended up in the Coffee Mill.
It's amazing how much attitude can affect the feel of a place. I'd come here again if he stays on. Dwight will be adding more options to the a la carte menu and perking things up w/ fresh-cut flowers on the tables and red and white checkered table clothes he said. It was hard, but I refrained from suggesting he loose the Italian sports' flags. Is it just me or do those tacky NASCAR-looking banners bother you too? Doesn't rev my engine. Anything would help. The décor is not tired as much as static. It needs a makeover. The key lime pie cupcakes were being defrosted out back so we could not lay our eyes on the gems. They come from the Enchanted Bake Shoppe in Haverhill, which I hear is making our city friends to the north happy. Anyone been?

Who has the best buns in town? The cutest cakes? Peter from Billerica poses this intriguing something to chew on. I haven't thought about Lowell bakeries simply because there are so few. OK, OK, the Portuguese Bakery on Gorham St., is a local fav. But what else we got? The Brazilian Bread House is not a bakery in my opinion. I don't know how they stay in biz. But today is Friday (and a Good one at that) so I will try and keep this post Christ-like. If I have to pick a flour house in our midst I'm going w/ Bittersweet Bake Shoppe in Tyngs, or the relatively new Buono Panini in the B-ric. I went in there last wkend and the forest cakes looked perfectly decadent. Word is a new dessert cafe "may" open in Kearney Sq. along the canal next to Blue Taleh (ethics alert: Sun pub. has ties here), but I have heard nothing def. Would be great if it turned out to be like Finale in Boston/Hav. Sq. A dessert emporium w/ cordials and caps. You know, something for the post-theater crowd.
What's your bakery of choice?

Okay food fans, it's official Mr. Jalapeno opens the doors to his Merrimack Street pico de gallo palace today promptly at 1 p.m. I don't know why I'm so excited about this, but I am. Maybe I need to get a life, maybe I need to get an Azteca soup: Mexican chix. soup w/ crispy tortilla strips, salsa, avocado and jack cheese. OR shrimp cocktail served w/ celery. cilantro, tomato, cukes and avocado. OR fish cerviches. But the real test will be Mr. J's guac. I was in Mexico in Sept. and the guac to be had in the tiny village was so good, a satisfying meal could be had w/ a side of chips. I want reviews, comments, suggestions, disappointments, accolades as they come in. This is your Jalapeno venting station. Ole!

Kicking around Fort Point over the weekend, I came across the Channel Cafe. Located in the Fort Point Arts Community bldg on Summer Street. This funky subterranean spot is just what we need at Western Ave. Studios. With the Gazebo Cafe closing in the Textile Museum on Friday, meal options in the outer edges of downtown have gone from slim to none. Furey’s doesn't count because it smells like carpet fresh. Lots is happening at WAS, last time I checked some 400 artists were working there. And they need to eat. A new gallery, the loading dock, opened recently and I propose a cool cafe that does coffee/breakfast for artists and the companies still operating over there and lunch for us working stiffs. Dinner on friday w/ poetry readings/music would be ideal. Let's beef up this creative class with more places that cater to them/us. Has anyone been to the Channel Cafe? Worth a visit. Their din. menu included chicken under a brick. Intriguing.

With Hollywood types descending on the Mill City this month for the filming of This Side of the Truth, are the restaurants ready? With a cast like Rob Lowe, Jennifer Garder, Tina Fey, Jason Bateman, and Ricky Gervais (who looks like he could eat) plus crew, handlers et al, surely some of you will make out. It's great that the arrival of this film (the biggest to hit L-town since 1991's School Ties) dovetails w/ Lowell’s restaurant renaissance. The whole cast could order lunch at Mr. Jalapenos one day, dinner at the Blue Taleh/Centro the next and Ricardos for drinks in an old-Hollywood setting. If the stress of the shoot has you in knots, book a hydrotheraphy session at the Stonehedge Inn and a wine dinner at the Left Bank in Tyngs. In the a.m. it's Brew’d Awakening for morning java and Cafe Aiello for mid-day lattes. For dessert you may want to call on Thirty-One Main in Ayer. The baker/owner Karen Ingle has the best buttercream frosting. If you really want to hideout, the Olympia on Market Street should be paparazzi free, but you must like lamb. I almost forgot Life Alive, organic cafe, will definitely be the go-to spot for the hollywood elites. With wheatgrass and acia smoothies on the menu, plus steamed dark greens over brown rice, this will be THE place for Truth seekers. If it was good enough for Larry Izzo ... Has anyone had a sighting yet? The production office is at Wannalancit Mill, so the Brewery could be a defacto office.

And speaking of the Brewery, we hear from two sources this week that the Beer Works may be buying the Brewery Exchange in Lowell. A quick scan of the Brewery's website yields telltale signs of a shake-up. The downstairs restaurant is currently closed for biz, and a note on the site says to look for an all new Brewery next month. With its ample space and handy location to Spinner park, this spot is prime for the Beer Works. This means better beer, better food, better times. Watermellon pale ale should hit the spot come June. Food's good too, burgers, nachos and such. But it's all about the pints.
An observant reader found out more. Seems Lowell Beer Works applied for a liquor license w/ the city earlier this month. It's on!

The Starbucks of hot dogs opens on Merrimack Street on Tuesday and not a moment too soon. The twin brothers Kirste have been working all winter to de-Mossiefy the space. I peeked in the window last night and the reconstruction of this old-school lunch counter is closer to an exorcism. Gone are the dingy booths, dark paneling and the all-over mortician charm of Mossies. In its place are orange and blue walls, and a cool, streamlined interior that resembles a sleek cafeteria at a well-endowed university. What a relief. Beer will not be part of opening ceremonies, because the license was just obtained and those omnipresent kinks are still being worked. But you will be able to sink your pearls into dogs w/ blue cheese, chili, coleslaw, nacho cheese, sliced pepperoni, brined cured pickle spears, crushed pineapples and pizza sauce. Relax, BD may be Starbucks-like in its options, not in $$. Most dogs ring in under $3. Has anyone snapped one of these?

Seems Brew'd Awakening is the official coffee shop for This Side of the Truth production crew. The below-line (as they say in the industry for non-stars) members have been meeting here regularly to discuss film locations being secured for the shoot that begins April 14. Production directors, (you will recognize them by their incessant blackberry usage and black clothing), are taking to the brew'd for its urban vibe. Big ups to proprietor Andy for creating a Greenwich Village-like space to lure film types. Since shooting will be right downtown — Central and John streets — the Brew'd should be ground zero for actors like Rob Lowe, or those that cater to him. Office and Extras star Ricky Gervais, who wrote the pic, will be in town next week. Brew'd baristas are you out there? We want sightings/ pics.

In 10 weeks, the Village Smokehouse will open on Middle Street. Owner Alan Kaplan says his Texas BBQ will be "the coolest place in town." He's keeping many things under wraps, ("wait till it's open") so I don't have much to spill beyond the time frame. Before summer he promised. The ever-popular open kitchen concept will prevail. Should wake up Middle Street and give a kick down to Paradiso and the struggling Fortunatos on Palmer St. Kaplan's survived in Brookline Village for 20 years with cold beer and spicy ribs. This is only his second restaurant and he chose Lowell because of its potential. He had the foresight to buy one hell of a bldg. two years ago. Infact it's two bldgs. The Plastow and Institute are historic Industrial timepieces. No word on the top three floors. The VS will be rustic-casual and should round out the burgeoning rest scene in DTL. This is the big one we've been waiting for. Once VS opens it's time to bring on the shops. What are those?

Just went into Sammy's PIzza, 127 Merrimack to welcome this new za parlor to town (someone's got to do it). Can't remember what was here before (jimmy's pizza? gary's ice cream?),

OK, I didn't go to this restaurant last night, because it's in Lyon, France. But I got close. We went to Le Lyonnaise in Acton and it was like stumbling across a country kitchen in Burgundy. Simple. Elegant, worth the 25-minute wait we endured w/ rezzies. But a party of 30 was in the house and the protraction got our juices flowing. When we did land at a candle-lit table w/ white roses by the window, we were ready for an experience. And splash-out we did. One Kir Royale, escargot, a veal chop, bordeaux and floating island dessert later and I was in Francophile nirvana. So was gourmet guy who, digging into his crepe-covered tenderloin surprise, cried out "this is seriously good." And it was, it was. If I could throw out a bon mot or two here I would, but I took Spanish in high school. This unassuming white ranch off Route 2A is the closest thing we Yankees can get to French gastronomie. As if you need proof, there are two pix of Julia Childs on the wall w/ owner Gerard. Save this one for a special occasion, it deserves it.