Lincoln Tavern and Restaurant and YumeWoKatare

Instant South Boston hit Lincoln Tavern and Restaurant scores two stars, out of a possible four, from the Globe. James Reed fills in for Devra First this week, and the thrust of his review is that this a good restaurant that's a big deal for this part of town. And he actually lives here, so he knows what he's talking about: "When I moved to Southie in 2010, Franklin Southie was the only place I'd return to for a stiff cocktail and a semblance of bistro cuisine... Clearly, change is afoot." Misses: it's loud, there's not much meatball on the meatball pizza, and some dishes like a steak sandwich "land like an anvil." Hits: buttermilk fried chicken - "About the skin: I wish it were sold as candy" - and an exceptionally hospitable vibe. [BG]

As the reviews continue to stream in for YumeWoKatare, a remarkably well attended Porter Square ramen shop, one gets the sense that this an experience not to be missed, if not necessarily a well-balanced meal. For the Globe's Cheap Eats column, Catherine Smart reports that the noodles are "thicker and chewier than at any ramen shops I've tried in New York and LA" and that "Strips of cabbage and bean sprouts add crunch and just barely cut through some of the richness." Emphasis on the barely, it seems: "I waddle out smiling, in a pork-fat-induced stupor." [BG]

Update: Lincoln Tavern and Restaurant is in South Boston and not the South End, as previously written.