Devra First Gives The Blue Room Two and a Half Stars

Devra First reviews The Blue Room for The Boston Globe and gives the Kendall Square restaurant two and a half stars. After extolling the atmosphere and wine, First says that "there are things to love on the menu, too." For instance, chickpea panisse, "springy little cakes that taste like a fresher version of falafel" and braised pork shoulder, "mahogany brown and meltingly tender." But here comes the but. Seasoning is uneven, as is salt, a salad of farro and bulgar is "gummy" and "dull" and chestnut cake is "is dry as sawdust." [BG]

PigTrip reviews Firebrand Saints , intrigued by the promise of sirloin-chuck-brisket, veal-pork, and lamb-sirloin burgers. PT offers a burger-by-burger breakdown. Lamb-sirloin: "without a doubt one of the best burgers I've ever had." Sirloin-chuck-brisket: "another good burger that could have been great." Veal-pork: the one with the hairy chest, i.e. third. All in all, PT likes FS but expects more. [PigTrip]

Chris Poldoian reviews Sofra for The Tufts Daily and gives the eatery four out of five stars. "Sofra is worth checking out. I can't promise that the cumin-laced lamb will cure your hangover, but it sure is tasty." [TFT]

For the Globe's Cheap Eats column, Ike DeLorenzo shares his impressions of Dorchester’s Tropical Island Restaurant and Bar, which doesn't have a bar. Various stewed meats are "mercifully tenderized, and tasty" though spaghetti and curry are bland are therefore disappointing. Unless bland is your thing. [BG]

After an apology for "atrocious" photography, Travel Wine Dine remarks on the experience of celebrating a birthday dinner at Trade. For TWD, Trade strikes a perfect balance: "the theme of the night was simplicity, dishes with a few ingredients executed very well, service that was helpful but not overbearing, and an ambiance that felt comfortable and laid back but still special." Grilled lobster with pickled-artichoke aioli is "beautifully plated and perfectly cooked." [TWD]

For Chow Down Beantown, Michelle Zippelli reviews the infamous-for-not-being-that famous-for-a-while Strip-T's. After assuming that a friend who recommends the restaurant is "a pervert" based on the venue's name, Zippelli is won over by the actual, non-perverted experience of dining there. Here's a sentence you may never hear again: "The whole table went wild for the cauliflower appetizer." Also, Zippelli reports that the foot-on fried chicken gave her the finger. [Boston.com]