Underrated Paper: The Weekly Dig

So there's been a lot of talk lately about the newspapers in Boston. First were the concerns that the Herald might fold and leave us as a "one paper town." Then there were the more recent concerns that the New York Times Co. might shut down their Boston Globe and leave us as a "no paper town." And that's not even getting into the mess and financial woes that haunt the free papers - the only non-Spanish one left standing being the Metro.

But who cares? We're still a town with two - yes, T-W-O - competing alt weeklies. Not only do we have the generations old Boston Phoenix, we also have the decade old Weekly Dig. Most towns are lucky to have one paper dishing out club listings, sex advice columns and advertiser-influenced restaurant reviews. We have a pair!

The Weekly Dig, though, is my choice for most underrated paper in Boston. The Phoenix has the whole "media empire" thing going for it, what with their concert series and radio station and distribution channels. But the Dig has the underdog card, and that's worth a lot in my humble opinion.

The Media Farm column alone is better than anything that sees print in the Phoenix, and their publication of Dan Savage's advice column brings the kind of sensibility to Boston that only a gay Washingtonian could provide. The covers are always well designed - glossy or not - and the reviews are always short enough to finish reading but long enough to inform (unlike the Phoenix reviews, which I read when I run out of sleeping pills and sheep to count). Plus they cover beer. And wine, too, for those crazy folks that prefer it to beer. ::crazy wine-prefering non-beer drinkers::

Look for the bright orange news boxes scattered across the city that dispense this undeniably useful slice of Boston. Assuming a homeless person hasn't peed in there already. That kind of ruins things. Even if it's dried out, I advise you to move along and find another box. Ok?

Boston's Weekly Dig

242 E. Berkeley St.

2nd Floor

Boston, MA 02118

Underrated Bar: Coda

Coda's not quite as underrated as it was, say, six months ago (the crowd has been noticeably larger there as construction work has slowed down on Columbus Ave in recent weeks), but for how delicious the food is and how great the beer is, it still doesn't get a fraction of the attention it deserves.

First rule of Coda: Order the hamburger. I don't care if you don't like hamburger (gasp!), you don't eat meat or your childhood pet was a calf. Get the hamburger on your first visit. And add bacon for $1. It is quite possibly the best burger in the city. (These guys might have something to say about that, though...)

Second rule of Coda: Order a beer. I don't care if you're on your lunch break and need to get back to the office, a beer is mandatory at Coda. There are only 8 taps here (plus a dozen or so bottled selections) but they are all better than Coors. The most mainstream beer they have, and one that seems to be constantly on tap - is Stella. Get that if you must, but you'd be better off steering towards the offerings from Avery or Brooklyn, if they've got them in rotation.

Third rule of Coda: Tip well. The servers here - from the talkative bartenders to the friendly waitresses - all offer great customer service. Show them they're appreciated.

Fourth rule of Coda: Don't tell anyone about Coda. I don't want it overrun. It's bad enough as it is. Consider yourself lucky that I broke this one for you, dear reader.

Coda

329 Columbus Ave

Boston, MA 02116

(617) 536-2632

Underrated Lunch: Al Capone's

I was taken by surprise today when, as fate would have it, the very establishment I planned to post my next underrated entry about - Al Capone's in Downtown Crossing - was shut down because of tax evasion.

While at this point in time, it's unclear if the place will serve their enormous, inexpensive sandwiches ever again, I am going to go ahead with the entry and hope for the best.

So it seems to me that before the unfortunate article this morning on the Globe's site, very few people that don't work in the immediate area surrounding Al Capone's had ever even heard of it. I stumbled upon it by accident myself one day several years ago, but I'm sure glad I did.

Simply put, Al Capone's offers the most enormous subs you can imagine for less than you'd ever expect to pay. They have salads, pizza and your standard greasy fare as well, but the real winner on their menu is the subs. Their small is larger than the biggest offerings from a Quizno's or Subway, and their large can easily feed two people for two meals (or for the mathematically challenged, one person for four meals). The prices are what you'd expect to pay in some roadside dive, not in the heart of a major East Coast city and the service is always quick. They even have a frequent diner card for the regulars.

I'd always wondered just how Al Capone's could afford to offer so much for so little. I mean, sometimes you hear people say that when they're exaggerating about their favorite lunch spot, but it held very true at this spot. I once ordered a chicken parmesan sub and it came with at least 5 or 6 good sized chicken breasts smothered in cheese and sauce, for around $10. Now, if I walked down to Shaw's and bought the ingredients myself - between the bread, the chicken the rest - there's no way I could have put together that sandwich for less. Perhaps with this recent tax evasion charge, I can understand how they were able to pull this off...

But assuming they reopen (and assuming they don't raise prices), you will find it impossible to get a better lunch deal in the city than at this overlooked spot.

Al Capone's

82 Summer Street

Boston, MA 02110

(617) 426-1800

Underrated Bakery: Bova's

When tourists come to Boston, they all walk the freedom trail. I don't know why, but it seems to be some folk's idea of a dream vacation to walk a couple of miles out and then the same way back on hot city sidewalks on hot summer days.

Inevitably, these freedom treks will take these tourists to Boston's historic North End. While some of them may be able to pass on the pasta or witty Italian themed t-shirts, very few can withstand the temptation to sample some of the amazing pastries offered in the neighborhood. Unfortunately, the choice seems to always come down to Mike's or Modern, totally overlooking the hidden jewel one street over.

I can't blame a tourist for choosing one of the Hanover Street shops for their first and likely only chance to taste a Boston pastry, but locals have no excuse for not giving Bova's on Salem Street a chance every once in a while. And I really mean NO excuse, since the place is open 24 hour a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

But it's not the great hours alone that make it worth visiting. The lines are generally far shorter than at M&M's - I've seen no fewer than a half dozen street brawls break out between grandmothers at Mike's Pastry alone - and the prices are a little more reasonable. Not to mention the bread, sandwiches, cold cuts and pizza they offer which are harder to come by at the other places.

One word of caution: try not to go right after the clubs let out, as that's probably the busiest time of night since this is one of the few spots open at that hour and all the kids decent upon it at once. Most any other time of day, though, you're golden. The staff is friendly and attentive and the selection is always great. A personal favorite you shouldn't miss: the chocolate bomb.

Bova's Bakery

134 Salem St

Boston, MA 02113

(617) 523-5601

Underrated Bookstore: Rodney's

Maybe it's the less trendy location in Central Square, better known for its rock clubs than its literati. Maybe it's the relatively short history in a town with book shops 25, 50 or even 100 years old. Maybe people just have something against Rodney. But the fact of the matter is Rodney's is Boston's most underrated book store.

All the attention these days seems to go to Brookline's Booksmith and the Harvard Square Book Store. Though I admit these are both fine places to pick up some ink stained dead tree matter, I say neither holds an encyclopedia to Rodney's.

First of all, there's price. Booksmith has some decent remainders and a small used section downstairs and Harvard has a pretty nice basement of their own, but nearly any book you pick off the many shalves of Rodeny's is a great value. Even the used ones are in top shape, and they're routinely marked at half off cover price or less. Back in the day, before the fat cats raised their rent, the used section at Harvard Square Books was half off cover across the board. That meant that 1928 paperback you'd been eyeing that was published at 20 cents could be had for a dime. Ah, the good ol' days. Prices like that are a thing of the past, so now you have to settle for the next closest thing - Rodney's steep discounts.

Then there's selection. Two giant floors of books, and almost entirely books. There's some posters here and there and their trademark unfinished book shelves just waiting to be dragged to a loving home, but books take up the vast majority of the floor space here. The same can't be said for a Booksmith, which devotes more and more room to toys, stationary and such with each passing month.

As far as I'm concerned, price and selection are all a good bookstore needs, but Rodney's goes even further and offers excellent service, great hours and a nice location. That helps move it from good to great and cements it as the most overlooked bookstore in town.

Rodney's Bookstore

698 Massachusetts Ave.

Cambridge, MA 02139

(617) 491-2025

Underrated MBTA Line: Blue Line

I have come to the conclusion that Boston college kids pick one MBTA line and stick with it.

That's why you have the BC, BU and NU kids always riding the Green Line. The Harvard and MIT kids always riding the Red Line. And the, uh, Bunker Hill kids always riding the Orange Line. Seriously - ask kids at these schools if they've ever seen a part of the city not tied to "their" line and they'll answer with a resounding "No, sir or madam - I have not ever seen a part of the greater Boston/Cambridge area that was not a stop on the T line that runs through my school. What an odd question. Do you have a smoke?"

That may help explain why the Blue Line is Boston's most underrated T line. No, the Blue Line may not have any fancy stops at places of higher learning, but that doesn't mean it isn't worth riding.

For one thing, it's just as slow and delay-prone as the rest, so you won't feel out of place. For another, it gets just as packed with sweaty riders as the Green Line or Red Line at their busiest - at least until Maverick, when 95% of the riders get off. But there's plenty of reason to stay on the train past Maverick (unless you want really good pizza, which everyone knows you can find at Santarpios).

Here's just a small number of places the Blue Line can take you:

• The beach. Revere Beach, to be exact. No, it ain't the Cape - unless the cape was dirtier and in New Hampshire - but, it is a beach, with water and (what some people might consider) sand. And barring some of the equally unappealing options to the south, it's the easiest beach for a Bostonian to get to. Making the trip even more worthwhile, it also features...

• ...Kelly's Roast Beef. The original location, I might add. Now, no one will deny that this isn't the same place it was 30 years ago. Or even 10 years ago. And the prices aren't that great anymore. And the service was never that great to begin with. But trust me, eating a $20 lobster roll on the boardwalk while watching 70 year old women in one pieces tan is really one of Boston's subtle pleasures - especially if you're lucky enough to be attacked by and/or shat upon by a Revere seagull (most of which are as large as a medium sized dog).

• The airport. It can get you away from the city. Need I say more?

• No fewer than 347 Dunkin' Donuts. Seriously. Look out the window of the train once it goes above ground after the Airport stop. You pass 3 or 4 a second. Sometimes, they outnumber the houses on a particular block. And if you need a tire change, there's almost an equal amount of shops that do that. Maybe everyone goes to Dunkin's while they wait? Beats the heck out of me...

So, you see, while some of the other lines may take you to fancy squares, professional sporting events, trendy shops or expensive museums, the venerable Blue Line takes you to the places you really want to go. And as an added bonus, if you hurry before the ban takes effect, you can put some money on the puppies while you're there! Blue Line for the win!

Government Center MBTA Station

1 City Hall Plaza

Boston, MA 02201

(617) 222-3200

Underrated Sports Franchise: Boston Bruins

I think it's fitting to choose the Bruins to kick off this blog, since they're probably the most criminally underrated thing going right now in the city of Boston.

Here we are, a week before the Stanley Cup playoffs, our hometown team having clinched their conference for the first time in centuries years - and the big story is the Red Sox postponing opening day (over a little water, no less - when's the last time you heard of a hockey game being rained out?).

It's true that a lot has changed since the Bruins of the 70s brought home a pair of Cups. And a lot has changed since the B's of the 80s made it to two Stanley Cup Finals (at least one of which they should have won, but that's a whole other story...). Heck, a lot has changed since an overachieving Bruins team led by a wuss named Joe broke all our hearts by blowing it in the first round of the playoffs after entering the post-season as heavy favorites. That and the lockout shortly thereafter probably helps explain how this team got to where they are now, battling it out with the Revolution - just a notch or two above the Blazers and Militia (our lacrosse and women's football teams, respectively) - for sports relevance.

Still, has Boston really become a two-sport town? Before last year, I'd have said yes - but even the Celtics, coming off one of the most horrible seasons of their storied history, captured most of the city's imagination last spring when they made some trades, put together some wins and capped it all off with their first championship since Harvard Square was worth hanging out in. Where's the love for our beloved boys of winter?

What makes the lack of respect given to our Bruins even more frustrating is that they have arguably the most dedicated fan-base of any of our teams. There's not many fair-weather fans in the balcony at any home game, and that wast just as true during the awful seasons a few years back as it is today. You may still find the occasionally pink-jersey, but not nearly as bad as the Red Sox, Pats and even Celtics fans who can't even name current players, much less show any knowledge of franchise history. There's so much pink at Fenway lately that you'd think Sanrio was a corporate sponsor (note to Mr. Henry: I don't think you've sold the rights for "Official Colorful Japanese Plush Toy of the Boston Red Sox" yet, so consider my commission when you no doubt tap this revenue stream).

The year's Bruins team show by far the most promise of any squad we've had going into the playoffs since at least the late 80s (if that doesn't seem that long to you, consider MC Hammer and Vanilla Ice were getting significant, non-ironic airplay back then). They've combined the winningness of the late 60s/early 70s B's with the character and grit of the late 70s/early 80s incarnation and night-in and night-out they put in an effort worth paying for.

Milan Lucic or Tim Thomas themselves could get a future post for most underrated athlete (though it's a tough call between them and Tricia Yergeau of the Militia), but for the time being why don't you at least try and catch a game on NESN and see why local hockey lovers are in a tizzy over this year's Boston Bruins and with any luck, we can help grow that group of die-hard fans just as the team needs it most - during the NHL's "second season." Do you really want to live in a town where the MLS team gets more print than the hockey team? That's not America - that's not even Mexico!

Boston Bruins
TD Banknorth Garden
100 Legends Way
Boston, MA 02114
(617) 624-BEAR