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Eat Freaky Frappes, Boozy Milkshakes, and Hot Pot This Weekend

Some dining recommendations for the weekend

The Haven
The Haven
Rachel Leah Blumenthal for Eater

It's Friday, and we're not going to get that song stuck in your head, but we are going to make some suggestions to help with your weekend dining plans. We'll recap some restaurant openings from the past few weeks in case you want to try something brand new, share a couple of boozy events, and provide some recommendations from our team.

Your job: Show us what you eat this weekend. We've recently joined Instagram and love to repost your best Boston food photos. Just tag them #eaterboston, and we'll keep an eye out.

First, some new options around town:

  • The Ginger Man: So much beer flows at this new New York City import, located right by Faneuil Hall. The food is in the comfort realm — poutine, grilled cheese, hot dogs, and pretzels. There's also house-made charcuterie. 148 State St., Downtown Boston
  • Grass Fed: Four-year-old Grass Fed has a brand new sibling in Jamaica Plain. Head to the new Forest Hills outpost — which includes quick-service and full-service sections — for burgers (including a few specials not available at the original location), boozy milkshakes, and a full bar. 3698A Washington St., Jamaica Plain, Boston
  • Happy Lamb Hot Pot: This recent addition to Central Square features bowls of broth full of a variety of meats, vegetables, and more. Perfect for a rainy day. 485 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge
  • Yuki Shabu — Chinese Gourmet: Speaking of hot pot, Somerville's got a new option as well. The huge menu also includes Chinese food. 16 Bow St., Union Square, Somerville

Booze it up this weekend:

  • Cocktail Magic: This event promises "top quality cocktails, WTF illusions, tasty bites, lively beats, and a crowd ready to get down" at The Castle at Park Plaza tomorrow (Saturday, March 26) from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Some of the area's most fun bars will be represented at the event, including Backbar, Hojoko, The Baldwin Bar at Sichuan Garden, and all your other favorites, as well as a few from out of town. One of Brooklyn's best pizzerias, Roberta's, will be providing bites. And there will be magicians. No tickets at the door; buy online now ($124.50) or miss the magic. A portion of ticket sales benefit the Well Dunn Foundation, which "support[s] the ambitions of new professionals interested in the music entertainment business." 130 Columbus Ave., Back Bay, Boston
  • Sour Fest: Cambridge Brewing Co. is holding its third annual celebration of sour beers tomorrow (Saturday, March 26), a daylong, un-ticketed event. Just show up any time after 11 a.m. (last call is at 12:45 a.m.) to explore more than a dozen of CBC's funkiest offerings. Sample pours are $3.50 and full pours are $6. The beer list is subject to change but may feature offerings like the Lemmy (a 7.5% "Motör-oil rich wild wheat stout" with a "full, rich body" and "softer roast complexity." It's "black as pitch," and "its finish has just a snaggletooth of tartness from Lactobacillus and Brettanomyces.) Or perhaps the Peaches en Regalia is more your style, a 6% brew with "bright acid and heady fruitiness." It's barrel-fermented with wheat and Vienna malts, aged with whole-leaf hops, and re-fermented with pureed peaches. 1 Kendall Sq., Bldg. 100, Kendall Square, Cambridge

And now, a few suggestions from the Eater Boston team:

Dana Hatic, Eater Boston associate editor:
  • El Pelon: Calabacitas burrito. It's sometimes drippy from the beans, but the wonderful mess of burrito and roasted veggie goodness is beyond satisfying. 2197 Commonwealth Ave., Brighton, Boston; 92 Peterborough St., Fenway, Boston
Alex Wilking, Eater Boston contributor:
  • The Haven: Quench that Scottish wanderlust at this eccentric and modest tavern in Jamaica Plain. It’s one of the few places in Boston that you’ll find Belhaven Brewery’s roster on draft, though there are plenty of other craft beers and high-end spirits to keep you sated. For the hungry ones, the restaurant also serves traditional Scottish dishes like lamb haggis and white pudding with house-made chicken sausage. It’s worth the journey to JP just for a taste. 2 Perkins St., Jamaica Plain, Boston
Rachel Leah Blumenthal, Eater Boston editor:
  • Boston Burger Co.: I'm 25 days into a strict 30-day eating plan that doesn't really allow me to eat anything, so I've been eating at home all month, aside from a trip to the Whole Foods salad bar one day. I'm almost at the finish line, but in the meantime, can you all please go eat these "freaky frappes" and report back? They're at two of Boston Burger Co.'s locations and will debut soon in Somerville as well. 1105 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge; 1100 Boylston St., Back Bay, Boston
  • Moonshine 152: Shortly before I stopped eating good things, I found myself in Southie one night and can heartily recommend the late-night offerings, served between 10 p.m. and 1:30 a.m. daily. Try the spicy lamb meatballs (habanero-date jam, lingonberry, mint) and the tamago (crispy rice cakes, shishito peppers, chilled Japanese-style omelet). It was a cold and rainy night, so a boozy hot chocolate did the trick. I appreciated the '90s soundtrack, too. 152 Dorchester Ave., South Boston, Boston

Boston Burger Company (Harvard Square)

1105 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138 Visit Website

The Ginger Man

148 State St., Boston, MA 02109 Visit Website

Grass Fed (Forest Hills)

3698A Washington St., Jamaica Plain, MA 02130 Visit Website

Yuki Shabu & Sushi

16 Bow St, Somerville, MA 02143 (617) 764-5182

Happy Lamb Hot Pot (Boston)

138 Brighton Ave, Boston, MA

El Pelon Taqueria

2197 Commonwealth Avenue, Brighton, MA 02467 617 779 9090

Cambridge Brewing Company

1 Kendall Square, , MA 02139 (617) 494-1994 Visit Website

Moonshine 152

152 Dorchester Avenue, , MA 02127 (617) 752-4191 Visit Website

The Haven

284 Amory Street, , MA 02130 Visit Website

El Pelon Taqueria

92 Peterborough Street, Boston, MA 02215 617 262 9090

Boston Burger Company (Back Bay)

1100 Boylston St, Boston, MA 02215 (857) 233-4560 Visit Website