🚇🤤 The Orange Line ATE with this ...

🍩 Brace yourselves, Dunkin’ heads: Turns out, RFK Jr.’s claim that Dunkin’ drinks have 180 grams of sugar wasn’t that far from the truth. Here are the ones that come close. R.I.P. Caramel Creme Frozen Coffee.

👀 What’s on tap today:

Up first…

All aboard another MBTA food crawl! From award-winning doughnuts to noodles we can’t shut up about, we hopped off at a few stops along the Orange Line to track down the best bites within walking distance.

Here’s what’s worth a stop:

🍩 Snack on Boston’s best doughnuts … in Malden. We didn’t stutter! A five-minute walk from the T separates you from Lionheart Confections, a fabulous doughnut pop-up inside Café Reynard that Boston magazine crowned the best doughnuts in town (we agree). They nail the fluffy-meets-cakey texture with wild flavors like pumpkin caramel corn cheesecake and savory scallion pancake (omg). 

😛 Our recs: Whatever the wackiest flavor on the menu is. Last week’s saw lychee berry cheesecake cotton candy twist roll! But their more approachable flavors like malted vanilla and vegan maple Oreo pack just as much punch.

🥟 Slurp on soup dumplings at District Kitchen. This Chinese restaurant is a neighborhood staple (seriously, dozens of people recommended it). From dandan noodles to crab rangoon, the menu runs deep. But you’re really coming here for their handmade soup dumplings steamed in a bamboo basket.

😛 Our recs: Their xiao long bao (pork soup dumplings) are the perfect pillowy pockets to slip into on a cold day. 10/10, would burn our mouths on them again.

🌈 Taste of the butter mochi magic at Pixlcat Coffee. Hawaiian-style butter mochi is the star of the show at this new(ish) cafe. Unlike traditional mochi, butter mochi is baked with coconut milk, butter, and mochiko rice flour, giving it a chewy, cake-like texture. A v fun bite for those who love a sensory surprise. 

😛 Our recs: The s’mores, bacon cheddar, and ube mochi. And don’t sleep on the lattes. Dunkin’ wishes it tasted like the honeycomb dopo panna (basically espresso poured over whipped cream and honey syrup). And *ahem*, Blank Street, take notes on the guava matcha.

🍜 Chowdown on Alton Brown-approved noods at Gene’s Chinese Flatbread. Broken record alert: We refuse to shut up about Gene’s until all 58,000 B-Siders try their thick, hand-pulled noodles swimming in hot-and-sour broth. 

😛 Our recs: The No. 16 hot sour hand-pulled noodle soup is our fave, loaded with pork, bean sprouts, and carrots. But the No. 9 with cumin spices, lamb, sweet onion, and other veg atop the same noods might be the sleeper hit. 

👀 Eat with your eyes? Watch our full Orange Line food crawl here.

📀 P.S. If you’re under 30 and use these devices, we’d love to chat! You can reach out to Gia at [email protected].

🚗 Boston Police are sounding the alarm about a parking ticket scam. Scammers are apparently sending fake court hearing notices that appear to be from Boston Municipal Court, complete with a case number, judge name, Massachusetts state seal, and QR code prompting payment (here’s what they look like). If you get one: DO NOT SEND MONEY! Instead, report it to the Boston Police Department by texting “TIP” to 27463. You can check for real unpaid parking tickets here (you probably have a few).

⚽ Boston’s World Cup prep isn’t looking too hot. The jury’s still out on who’s gonna foot Foxborough’s $7.8 million bill for security costs, and the World Cup quite literally hangs in the balance. ICYMI: If someone doesn’t step up by March 17, the town says it won’t issue FIFA a crucial entertainment license, and judging by these statements, negotiations aren’t going great. Even if it is hammered out, Boston’s general readiness is still up for debate, with bubbling concerns about funding shortfalls and logistical crises (see: Gillette’s parking situation). Yikes!

🤑 Beacon Hill may be coming for sports betting. A bill meant to crack down on growing sports betting addiction among young adults just took its first step toward becoming law. The measure seeks to ban the most addictive forms of betting (live and prop bets), nix some gambling-related TV ads, and raise the state tax on betting revenue. That said, the bill has a loooong road ahead before it hits Gov. Maura Healey’s desk. It’s off to the Senate Committee on Ways and Means next, where it could move to a full Senate vote … or die out.

😋 Here’s some food news to get excited about: 7th Street Burger, a Bad Bunny-approved NYC burger chain, is opening its first Boston outposts in Back Bay and Southie this month (Benito’s rec: A double smash burger with all the toppings). Soon to follow: Danish coffee chain Joe & the Juice is bringing its viral tunacado sando to Newbury Street, though the opening date is TBD. In the meantime, Flour’s Boston Common outpost has soft re-opened for the season, with Flour dogs, morning buns, and soft pretzels(!) on the menu.

Below are some of the hottest local things to do. This month, B-Side Members can save more than $150 across our events, in addition to over 60 other awesome perks.

🥖 Focaccia Making Class | Cambridge Center for Adult Education | March 18 | $30 Member, $90 regular | Learn to make focaccia from scratch with all ingredients, tools, and a glass of wine included — for a third of the price. Start a membership to snag a spot.

🍕 B-Side Supper Club | March 26 | FiDO Pizza | $30 | Join other B-Side members for three courses of fresh Italian dishes, pizza, and dessert at our next members-only supper club. Bring your appetite. Drinks available as a ticket add-on. Reserve your spot after starting a membership for $3 for a year here.

💍 Boston magazine Bubbly Brunch | March 29 | Fairmont Copley Plaza | 10% off for Members | Planning a wedding or have a bride or groom in your life? This bridal show is for you. Expect brunch, curated cocktails, giveaways, and access to Boston's top wedding vendors. Grab tickets here.

🍻 SOLD OUT: South End Happy Hour Stroll | March 28 | B-Side Members only | $30 Members, $119 regular | Bites of Boston is hosting an exclusive tour where you'll eat at four South End eateries while learning about the largest Victorian district in the country. Add drink pairings for $50 total. 

👀 Want to feature your upcoming event above? Click here.

New England Aquarium seals are making waves, and we’re not talking about water. Reggae, one of the Aquarium’s harbor seals, is going viral on Instagram for the most adorable reason: A rubber duckie. 

Last month, the Aquarium posted a clip of Reggae playing with, hugging, and even gently petting a rubber duckie, and the internet went WILD. The video has racked up over 500,000 views, 61,000 likes, and hundreds of doting comments.

While completely adorable, the clip also highlights what it takes to care for marine mammals, the aquarium said. Seals apparently love to interact with new objects, and the duckie has recently become a beloved part of Reggae’s routine, which is vital to keeping his mind active in an aquarium environment. 

You can read more about Reggae (and his duckie) here.

— Written by Gia Orsino and Emily Schario

🦭 Thanks for reading! We can’t get over the little pets!

☀️ The results are in: In true New Englander fashion, 69% of readers think we’re still in for more snow this season. One reader said: “When you're always pessimistic, you're never disappointed.” Well, that’s one strategy!

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