Devra First Gives Park Two and a Half Stars

This week, Devra First reviews Park in the Boston Globe and commends the restaurant on bringing new life to a space that previously was not associated with good food. Park "feels like the hangout Harvard Square has been waiting for." The menu features plenty of small plates for diners who want to snack, the most notable of which include the Bacon 3-Way and the Tasting of Toasts. Starters "feature bright flavors in clever combinations" like the crispy mussels accented by battered and fried pieces of preserved lemon and served in white and red striped carton, just like you would find at a shack by the shore. A decent beer selection and cocktail menu round out the offerings and First sums up that Park "already feels right at home in Harvard Square" [BG]

Ariel Shearer of the Phoenix reviews Mei Mei Street Kitchen, one of the newest additions to the Boston food truck scene providing "affordable locavore cuisine." The truck uses only ingredients sourced from within 100 miles and updates its menu daily based on what is in season. And while "it's best not to get attached to any one Mei Mei creation" Shearer adds "there are some staple dishes that show up often and never disappoint" such as the kale salad, an egg and cheese scallion pancake-panini, and "dependable Sunday pork buns." "While some diners struggle with the amorphous menu (updated daily via Tumblr), Mei Mei's proud wildcard status lets them stand out in a city of food trucks — and restaurants — bound by culinary comfort zones." [BP]

Catherine Smart reviews Chinatown's new restaurant China King for the Globe's Cheap Eats section, noting that the new and shiny facade might get diners in the door, but the "homemade dumplings, scallion pie, and noodles" will keep them coming back. The scallion pie is "crisp and pleasantly chewy" and while chow mein might elsewhere be cliche, here "it bears no resemblance to the ubiquitous noodle dish on Americanized takeout menus." The Peking duck, which must be ordered a day in advance, serves three and is highly recommended. "The crisp skin shatters in your mouth, releasing a layer of rich, creamy duck fat." [BG]

Dig Boston pays a visit to one of the newer taco spots, Lone Star Taco Bar in Allston. Lone Star serves its full menu from morning until 1am every day, making it the perfect late-night snack, afternoon snack, or hangover-curing brunch. Small plates are good to share with groups, and a must try is the grilled street corn, blackened and served with chili lime aioli and "gobs of gooey cheese." Lone Star succeeds with its namesake dish as well. The tacos, made with homemade tortillas, are "filled to bursting with house made chorizo, carnitas pork, Dallas spicy beef, Baja Fish or Grilled avocado." Those seeking to imbibe as well can select a margarita, or the reviewer's choice, the Mexican Happy Meal, consisting of a shot of tequila, a shot of tomato-based sangria, and a pint of Modelo. It "tastes as good as that day when you reached to the bottom of your Happy Meal to pull out the exact toy you were praying for." [DB]