Pastoral's Pizza Is 'On Point' and More Reviews

For The Improper Bostonian, MC Slim JB reviews Pastoral, finding that it "extends the block's tradition as the corner of the neighborhood where the food geeks want to hang." That block is the piece of Fort Point that is home to other "interesting" spots like Row 34, Tavern Road, and Drink — distinctly different from the Seaport strip of "conventioneer-friendly" establishments nearby. He is pleased by Pastoral's "terrific" pizzas, "irresistible" stuffed fried olives, "extraordinary" house-made pasta, and more. The mezz rigatoni with an "absolutely dazzling bolognese" might even be "good enough to trump neighbor Barbara Lynch's famed version." The food is complemented by a "strong bar program." [TIB]

Devra First comes down hard on The Merchant in this week's Globe review, giving it one star out of four ("fair.") The "extremely loud" restaurant looks "familiar," evoking Kenmore Square's Eastern Standard. "It has the potential to be that place one goes for a business lunch, an after-work drink, a dinner date, and a bit of nocturnal sustenance, all in the same week. But all-purpose isn't such an easy thing to become." While many servers are "charming" and "friendly" and share plenty of useful information, "others seem clueless," especially one particular one. "Hint: Gesturing to one's own body parts when explaining where on the cow the beef comes from is not appetizing." If you go, the burger is a "beaut," and the "earthy" farro pasta is also a solid choice, served with a "rich and tender" ragout of pork shoulder. [BG]

Sheryl Julian heads out to Belmont for a "Cheap Eats" Globe feature on new takeout spot My Other Kitchen, from the son of the owners of the shuttered Andros Diner. The Andros Greek salad with its "delicious" tomato-flavored vinaigrette lives on here. "Honestly, you could put a straw to the little container of salad dressing and be perfectly happy," writes Julian. There's also an "exceptional" Greek lamb burger, a "hearty" spinach pie, and "crisp and wonderful" baklava. [BG]

Kara Baskin finds "Anypub, U.S.A" in her "Quick Bite" overview of Audubon Boston, the revamp of Audubon Circle in the neighborhood Audubon Circle. The team from Trina's Starlite Lounge and Parlor Sports are behind the new-old spot, serving up "gently priced snack food." There are good windows for people-watching, plenty of "grilled things," and "reasonabl[y]" priced cocktails. [BG]