It’s Tuesday, Boston.
🍺🧊 Igloo drop, incoming! Want to enjoy snowy views from a heated outdoor igloo? Our friends at Sam Adams Brewery are giving one lucky B-Side Member an igloo package deal, which can fit up to six people. We’re dropping this in the newsletter tomorrow to members only. Open to MA residents 21+. Start a 30-day free trial to enter.
👀 What’s on tap today:
Six more weeks of winter
Local Grammy W’s
Where does Boston’s snow go?
Up first…
NEW RESTAURANTS
Curry, crudo, and chicken
Image: Gene Buonaccorsi. Illustration: Gia Orsino.
Our favorite winter activity? Trying new restaurants. This month, there’s no shortage of exciting spots to add to your list, and Boston mag has the roadmap.
Here’s what’s worth a res:
🍛 Aatma at Widowmaker, Brighton. Widowmaker just got a little spicier thanks to Aatma, a punk-rock Indian spot that recently relocated from Milton. They describe themselves as “Indian food with attitude,” which, apparently = BIG flavor. The menu is split into three sections: chhotus (smaller plates); curry; and “Indian-ish,” featuring modern takes on traditional dishes. The masala-spiced Aatma burger is a fan fave, but watch their IG for special drops.
Things to try:
Aatma burger
Benne dosa (savory crepe)
New England gulab jamun (deep-fried dough)
🍣 Umami Crudo, North End. When you think of the North End, you don’t usually think of sushi, but Umami Crudo — the new sibling to Cambridge’s highly acclaimed Umami Omakase — is shaking things up. Unlike its sibling’s ~$170 18-course menu, Umami Crudo is à la carte with more laid-back vibes. Translation: The same high-quality Japanese sushi at a fraction of the cost. Sold!
Things to try:
Eel-and-foie toast
Hamachi crudo
Chef’s choice nigiri platter
🐈⬛ Black Cat Eatery at Wink & Nod, South End. After making a big splash during its 2024 stint at Vee Vee in JP, Black Cat Eatery has relocated to the South End’s Wink & Nod. Though the location has changed, the vision of Afro-Caribbean eats blending cultural heritage with refined techniques remains the same. On the menu: A short-and-sweet section of small plates, veggies, fish, and meat, plus a few desserts. It’s open now!
Things to try:
Djon djon fried rice
Oxtail with ragu
Jamaican ginger cake
🍗 K-Bok, Union Square. Authentic Korean fried chicken has officially touched down in Union Square thanks to a new venture from the owners of neighborhood grocery store Reliable Market. By day, you can stop in to try the menu of chicken sandwiches, tenders, and wings in K-Bok’s signature sauce flavors. By night, there are plans for bar trivia and live music. Plus, the ~$12 cocktails and sake on tap are already flowing.
Things to try:
Spicy Yangnyeom wings
BBQ chicken sandwich
Spicy tteokbokki
🤤 Hungry for more? Check out Boston’s full new restaurant roundup here.
QUICK QUESTION!
😋 Which of these spots do you want us to try for B-Side Certified?
Let us know below!
CITY
Quick & dirty headlines
Image: Pat Greenhouse/The Boston Globe
😭 We’re in for six more weeks of winter, Boston. Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow on Monday, predicting that our frigid, snowy winter isn’t ending anytime soon. But more importantly, so did Ms. G, Mass.’ state groundhog who’s significantly more accurate (and iconic) than Phil. Historically, her predictions are right 64% of the time to Phil’s 30% … and we’ve never seen Phil in a reel set to “Von Dutch.” Groundhogs aside, if you ask us, the real sign of spring is Red Sox truck day.
🏆 And the Grammy goes to … New England! Amid the meme-able moments, tear-jerking speeches, and iconic fits, several local artists made a splash at Sunday’s ceremony. The Boston Symphony Orchestra won two(!) awards for Best Orchestral Performance and Best Classical Instrumental Solo; Maine’s Amy Allen won Songwriter of the Year, non-classical, for her work on projects like “Man’s Best Friend”; and Noah Kahan dropped a music video and announced a tour, which is basically the equivalent of a Grammy win for all of New England. Speaking of …
🎶 Noah Kahan is coming back to Fenway! Our favorite Watertown resident is one of the first artists to announce shows in the park’s annual summer concert series, which are slotted for July 10 and 11. The two shows are part of a tour for his upcoming album, “The Great Divide,” and if they’re anything like his last Fenway show — which was turned into a live album — you’re gonna want to be there. Pre-sale starts Feb. 10, and tickets drop for the general public Feb. 12. Grab them here!
🔥 These free events will spice up your winter. Winter blues, meet Winter Mix, a series of free community events meant to foster warmth, joy, and connection during the year’s coldest month by Cambridge’s Public Space Lab. Every event will feature warm food, hot cocoa, winter games, and performances by MIT Spinning Arts. Bonus: They’ll all have a fun theme, from Valentine’s Day to Lunar New Year to a legit dance party. First up: Winter Olympics on Feb. 5.
ONE LAST THING
Where does Boston’s snow go?
Image: David L. Ryan/The Boston Globe. Illustration: Gia Orsino.
The city has moved over 2,500 tons of snow since January’s storm. But where do they put it?
The answer is snow farms, which are basically giant lots where city workers dump snow after removing them from roads, creating piles that can get up to 70-feet tall. Last week, city workers moved thousands of loads of snow to one of the city’s six farms, where it’ll sit until it melts away … which can take a surprisingly long time.
In less fun news, workers have also issued over 750 violations for unshoveled sidewalks. So if you haven’t yet, break out that shovel!
— Written by Gia Orsino and Emily Schario
❄️ Thanks for reading! Getting flashbacks of the Snowmageddon snow farm that didn’t fully melt until July.
🤑 The results are in: 58% of B-Siders said they haven’t done their taxes yet, but they will soon. One reader said: “I need that refund girl.” Yeah …
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