😋📲 A TikTok restaurant you can trust

It’s Monday, Boston.

🚨 PSA: A B-Sider needs your help! Rachel Domb, founder and CEO of Rooted Living (delish granola), is in the FINAL FOUR of a business competition. Her next challenge: Get 200,000 people to her website by WEDNESDAY. You know the drill: Help a sista out and click here!

👀 What’s on tap today:

• Boston’s Michelin star rumor

• The C’s pulled it together

• Rick Steves’ chaotic evil twin

Up first…

B-SIDE CERTIFIED

Don’t judge a restaurant by its TikTok

B-Side Certified took a road trip … to Malden! For this month’s edition, you sent us to Phat Thaiger, a Japanese-Thai “izankaya” just a 15-minute walk from Malden Center on the Orange Line. 

Here’s what we thought:

FIRST IMPRESSION

🏮 The decor gives dive bar … minus the divey-ness. Phat Thaiger knows how to create a vibe. The wood-paneled walls, dim cozy lighting, and two giant (fake) cherry blossoms in the center of the room create a serene, cozy feel. Quirky touches like bright posters of their signature drinks, stools mimicking Japanese beer crates, and neon signs add a casual, fun energy. 

FOOD AND DRINK

🍹 We’d come here just for a sip. After all, expectations were high with cocktail names like “Moon Prism Power, Shake up!” (~$16) and “Bowser's SMASH, Shiso-jito!” (~$15). The former was like a sangria’s more floral cousin, while the latter was herbal, light, and refreshing. Bonus: Both were strong enough we didn’t need another round.

 🍜 But the food was the night’s true star. The “Phat Thaiger” steak ($~13) was perfectly cooked, and the gussied-up jaew teriyaki sauce gave it a spicy, smoky kick. But don’t worry, veggie friends, the son-in-law agedashi tofu (~$10) was a sleeper hit: Crisped to perfection, silky smooth inside, and smothered in a tangy, sticky tamarind sauce. And the “phat thai” (~$17) — with chewy udon noodles and a sauce that was both lighter and more flavorful than our go-to take out — was some of the best we’ve had.

🍣 The DIY temaki box hits harder on our FYPs than IRL. Here’s the deal: These build-your-own Japanese-style hand rolls boxes are all over IG. They’re ~$30 for four fillings (about seven small rolls), look stunning, and taste … good. Though everything was fresh, our standards were high, and the flavors just didn’t have the same “wow” factor as the other dishes.

🍌 Our two cents: Skip dessert and get more food. You won’t be disappointed if you get the monkey banana cake (~$10) — the not-too-sweet green tea ice cream is particularly good. But TBH, we’d rather spend the $10 on another plate of tofu. 

VALUE

🤑 This is 100% a hidden gem. We paid $143 (including tip) for this meal, but that price is inflated by the DIY box and dessert, which we’d skip next time. The cost is well worth the portions and quality.

✅ The verdict? B-Side Certified. Our rule of thumb: Never judge a restaurant by its TikTok-ability. But in this case, be our guest. Yes, some cocktails arrive on fire and the pad thai comes in a kitschy ceramic take-out box. But the flavors behind the food are just as fun as the presentation. This spot is worth a trip on the Orange Line.

QUICK QUESTION!

🌴 What do your summer travel plans look like?

TOGETHER WITH ICELANDAIR

Keep travel real.

🌍✈️ With the rise of AI, it’s hard to trust what you see — especially when booking a trip. In fact, 78% of travelers worry about fake reviews and 33% feel deceived by edited travel photos. That’s why Icelandair is taking a stand. “Our aim is to lead the way in showcasing the real, authentic beauty of Iceland,” says Icelandair CEO Bogi Nils Bogason. Can you tell the difference between real and AI? Take this quiz to find out. 

CITY

Quick & dirty headlines

🤩 Boston might be seeing Michelin stars. According to a report from the Boston Business Journal (and the restaurant rumor mill), Boston’s tourism bureau has voted to bring the Michelin Guide — the folks responsible for Michelin stars — to the city. Since the guide is pay-to-play, its appearance here says more about Boston’s desire for tourism than anything else. That said, getting a star can do wonders for a restaurant’s business — even one-star spots see a 20% uptick on average. Remember, this is still *technically unconfirmed,* so stay tuned!

🏀 The Celtics finally pulled it together. After an embarrassing 0-2 start to the playoffs series, the C’s tapped into their “darkness” clinching a 115-93 playoff W against the Knicks on Saturday. The secret sauce: The team’s signature 3-pointers finally started to fall (see: Jrue Holiday’s Dr. Evil celebration in front of Timmy Chalamet), allowing them to build a 20+ point lead they could actually hold on to. Now we just have to rinse and repeat three times … in four games … starting tonight at 7:30 p.m. Celtics in six!

🚃 The MBTA’s new tap-to-pay system is helping some riders … not pay. Especially for Green Line trolley riders who are evading fares by boarding through side doors (you know who you are). Non-gated stations saw a ~10% increase in ridership after tap-to-pay went live. But the jig might be up soon: The agency’s new “fare engagement team” has started patrolling the B branch, and starting next year, they should be able to verify whether riders have paid or not — which might = trouble for evaders.

🙋‍♀️ Imagine: Mayor Michelle Wu gives you $1 million to spend to make Boston better. Well, it’s not a dream, because Wu has $1 million for the city’s 14- to 25-year-olds to spend on a project of their choice. If you live, work, or go to school in Boston, you can vote for one of these ideas, like WiFi in public parks, a community theatre space, or more water fountains. And if you want to be even more involved, applications for the Mayor’s Youth Council (for high schoolers) and SPARK Council (25- to 35-year olds) are open NOW.

THINGS TO DO

Weekday plans

🍭 Take “sweet victory” to the next level. Sugar Factory is hosting the ultimate Celtics watch party TONIGHT. Your ticket gets you a special green cocktail, goodie bag, and entry into a raffle for playoff tickets (!) and more! 

💃 Watch a drag icon IRL. Acclaimed drag queen, author, and artist Sasha Velour will be giving a free talk at the BPL on May 13 on the revolutionary art of drag.

😋 Give yourself permission for a mid-week treat. Our suggestion: This incredible-looking coffee and matcha latte flight from TravelMug Cafe.  

🏃 Run for free snacks and swag. Whether you’re a runner or just run-curious, we think both parties can get behind HOKA’s Boston Run club on Thursdays (that sometimes ends with free HOKA goodies).

🎷 Wind down with some smooth jazz. Fun fact: Some of the best jazz musicians around town play at Long Live Roxbury’s free jazz night every Thursday. Bonus: You get 15% merch and snacks if you’re a B-Side Member!

👗 Hit refresh on your spring wardrobe. May 15 is The Boston Girls Club’s sip and swap where you can bring up to three tops/dresses and trade them for something new.

👯 Level up your bestie roster. The 30 & Thirsty Thursday Club is gathering May 15 for a night of cocktails and chatting for gals in their 30s (and late 20s) on the hunt for new friends.

🚲 Celebrate National Bike To Work Day … by biking to work! Duh! The City of Boston is giving cycling commuters the royal treatment at City Hall Plaza on May 16 with free breakfast and coffee. Register here for a free tee!

ONE LAST THING

Rick Steves’ dupe

If you grew up watching Rick Steves … we’re sorry. Because this dude might be stealing his crown. 

@lucarugi is a TikToker whose “Rick Steves’ Europe: Boston” series is all over our FYPs lately. Basically, imagine if Rick Steves was chaotic evil … and instead of Portugal, he’s taking you to the Franklin Park Zoo. 

In every video, he takes us around a “storied” Boston location (think: A random Mexican restaurant, the MFA, the Common, even a … gentleman’s club) dressed and talking like Steves. He then proceeds to, say, fall off a swan boat, freak out a townie who’s trying to order Dunkin’, or interrupt a museum tour. 

Warning: If you get second-hand embarrassment, definitely don’t watch this one.

— Written by Gia Orsino and Emily Schario

🌏 Thanks for reading! Don’t come for us, PBS kids!

💜 Special shoutout to today’s sponsor, Icelandair, for supporting local journalism and keeping travel real.

🏀 The results are in: In true Boston sports fan form, 39% of readers say that the C’s are not only going to win this series, but will take home Banner 19 this year. One reader had an, um, interesting theory: “A Pope is essential to mazzulaball ... he’s back at full power now.” Well, you’re right so far.

💃 Keep up with us @BostonBSide on IG, TikTok, and Twitter. Send comments and suggestions to [email protected] or [email protected].