The Deal With The Russian Benevolent Society Restaurant

Rumors have long been aswirl that Allston's Russian Benevolent Society was planning to expand its existing operation into a huge restaurant, but that's not exactly the case. Boston.com breaks the situation down, saying what's really happening is that the society's existing restaurant called Crystal Restaurant is looking to expand by opening a smaller, rental event space called Garage Lounge. Only neighborhood residents are concerned about the kind of crowd a place called Garage Lounge would attract - don't tell the restaurants in The Garage in Harvard Square - so they're asking for it to be called something else. The Carport Club, maybe? But really it doesn't matter because the expansion would be for private functions and would cost a pretty penny, and as we all know, rich people are saints that are incapable of wrongdoing, so really there's no cause for concern about them ruining the neighborhood. The world, maybe.

So no, unfortunately Allston isn't getting a massive new Russian restaurant with an awesome name that includes "Benevolent Society," at least not for now. Stay tuned for updates and send any of your own to the tipline.

· Russian Bar in Allston to Rethink 'Garage Lounge' Name [Boston.com]
· All Coverage of the Russian Benevolent Society on Eater [~EBOS~]
[Photo: Facebook/Restaurant Crystal]