Devra First Revisits Two Standbys and More

This week in reviews, the Globe's Devra First revisits two standbys, Bergamot and Ten Tables (the original Jamaica Plain location). "[T]he real measure of a restaurant is how it fits into its neighborhood's fabric in a lasting way," she writes, "when the basics have been mastered, the reviewers have gone, and the restaurateurs have let their guard down." In 2010, she gave Bergamot three-and-a-half stars out of four, and "it hasn't lost a step" since then. The Somerville restaurant "maintains its comfortable excellence," offering "a very nice dinner, high in quality yet free of pretension." Ten Tables, which earned three stars in 2008, "feels less settled than it has in the past." The existence of nightly events is "fun, but it can blur the focus," and in some cases the bar "overshadows" the dining room. "Perhaps a visit here is simply becoming more of an everyday pleasure than a special treat," First writes. "Even so, the restaurant remains one of Jamaica Plain's all-around best." [BG]

First also provides a "Quick Bite" overview of Juniper, the new Wellesley sibling to popular Needham Italian restaurant Sweet Basil. At Juniper, there's "a take on the flavors of Greece, Morocco, the Middle East, and beyond." Try some "flavorful dips" or "light and bright appetizers," like the melon-mint gazpacho. To drink, "[t]ry the Gypsy Swing, a pleasantly spicy potion." [BG]

Also for the Globe, Catherine Smart files a "Cheap Eats" review on the new McCabe's on Mass, the Porter Square sibling to Somerville's Bull McCabe's. The new spot is "slightly more refined and sophisticated, but still fun-loving." While "[s]andwiches are a mixed bag," don't miss the meat candy. Bacon bliss, a dish of candied bacon, is "exactly as delicious as you would expect." Smart's meal ends on "a very high note" thanks to the colossal cookie for dessert. "Classy comfort. That's the new McCabe's in a nutshell." [BG]

Zagat's Scott Kearnan provides a "Cheat Sheet" on The Glenville Stops, which opened a few months back in Allston. Chef Juan Pedrosa's "[p]assion prevails in standouts like a duo of day boat scallops...which cut like butter," writes Kearnan. "Trot them through a chocolate mole sauce, then scoop up a salad of compressed jicama and grilled mango; eyes roll back." The seared shrimp dish is "equally excellent," and lamb meatballs are "supremely tender." [Zagat]