Boston Chops Earns 2.5 Stars from The Globe

Steak house Boston Chops, the third restaurant from restaurateur Brian Piccini and chef Chris Coombs received 2.5 stars in this week's Globe review by James Reed. The steaks are well-received, but Reed pays particular note to the many offal dishes, saying "Coombs's curatorial eye is most prevalent in a section deemed 'rarely celebrated.'" He recommends dishes such as the grilled, herb-marinated heart, and oxtail croquettes that are "little marvels of dense, soft meat that plays off the crispy exterior and red-pepper mostarda." Modern takes on classic cocktails ("How about some bourbon in your Negroni?") and a dessert menu that includes a pineapple gelée cheesecake, "that looks as refined as it tastes," pair with "uniformly excellent" service. Reed's one complaint: "Boston Chops doesn't fry anything all that well." [BG]

Davis Square's Amsterdam Falafelshop receives a favorable write-up from Laura Gitelson in the Globe's Cheap Eats column. The fried to order falafel balls "are crispy on the outside and a bright yellow-green inside, speckled with parsley and other herbs." "A deliciously smoky Turkish tomato and onion salad" and an "absolutely divine fried eggplant" are highlights of the 21-topping condiment bar. Opting for the pay-by-weight bowl as opposed to the stuffed pita can be costly, diners are warned, "you can rack up more than $10 in toppings plus bread." Gitelson also teases that owner Matt D'Alessio is considering opening a second location to complement this 9-seater. [BG]

Napper Tandy's in Roslindale was visited by Marc Hurwitz from Boston's Hidden Restaurants. Opened just under a year ago in the former Robyn's Bar and Grill space, Hurwitz had mixed opinions of the entrees at this Irish pub. While the fish and chips were "among the best ... anywhere in the Boston area," the shepherd's pie "was a bit of a mess" with a "too-rich" gravy. A well-poured Guinness, and a "delicious" buffalo chicken dip weren't quite enough to make it a "truly memorable spot at the level of top Irish pubs." [BHR]

-Drew Starr