Earl of Sandwich Opens in Boston Common

Last Monday (November 12th) the Orlando - based sandwich chain Earl of Sandwich opened up a brand new location right in the middle of Boston Common. 

The building in which the restaurant is held is actually a historical landmark. The "Pink Palace" (named for the colors of its stone) a 660-square-foot structure that was built in the 1920's, has been vacant for many years. It was also once the home to a public mens bathroom in the 1970's. Earl of Sandwich signed a 15-year lease with the City of Boston for the location and spent about $1 Million in renovations. 

Today, I had a chance to try out the new sandwich shop. I had the Italian Sandwich which had salami, capicola, roasted ham, mortadella, italian dressing, and mozzarella cheese. The order and pickup windows are located outside (which should get very interesting during the winter months.) The location also boasts tables and chairs located on a small patio in front of the restaurant (I'm guessing they are only seasonal). Overall, I had a great experience and the sandwich was wonderful.

Have you been to Earl of Sandwich yet? Let us know your thoughts on their food, service, and location by leaving a comment below.

Spring time in the city

©2012 Boston to a T

Spring in the city of Boston has always been a time for new additions and old traditions and this year is no different.

As I was walking around the city yesterday I found some new projects that were taking off and some regular occurrences that people were taking advantage of.

In Boston Common, the first signs of the Liberty Mall's rejuvenation were peaking out. The fences protecting the freshly planted sod have been taken down. New portable tables and chairs (much like the ones that are on the Green Way) have been placed all around the new granite plaza. The historic Brewer Fountain has been turned on and the FREE Wi-Fi is now available.

 A local food truck has also made a new home for itself on the plaza. Clover Food Lab, based out of Harvard Square, has ten other locations in and around the city and opened this new location for business yesterday. The truck will be open 7 days a week on the plaza from 7am-7pm selling breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  You can check out a menu form their Harvard Square location HERE. You can also follow the new truck on Twitter: @cloverPRK.

On the other side of Boston Common a new type of addition is being constructed. Early last year Aaron wrote a post on how the "Pink Palace", a decrepit and unused men's restroom, built originally in 1920, would be transformed into an Earl of Sandwich Sandwich shop. It has been a long while in the making but the construction on the project is finally getting underway. The plan is for the restaurant to be open year round and have outside seating in the summer. There are currently no specific dates for when the restaurant is set to open. This will also be the first permanent restaurant/retail location in Boston Common.

There are also some old traditions that are roaring back to life here in the hub. Frog Pond was recently filled up and is ready to be enjoyed. There is also going to be a new carousel at the pond that should be debuted very soon. The beloved Swan Boats are awaiting their passengers in the Public Garden. Every year when these unique and beautiful boats hit the water it is a sure sign that Spring has hit the city.
Overall, spring is a very busy time here so make sure you go out an enjoy everything that the city has to offer! 

HAPPY SPRING! 

Boston Public Food Market

Seattle has one. So do Philadelphia and Cleveland. So why don't we? I'm talking about a public food market and Boston is one of the few major cities in the country not to have one. It could really do the city, and the state, some good though.


"It's a missing piece of the city's fabric. The products we have to sell in Massachusetts are second to none, and we have an opportunity to create what should be one of the great public markets of North America," Don Weist, president of the Boston Public Market Association told The Boston Globe in a February, 2009 article.


Imagine a central place under one roof where you can buy fruits and veggies, meats, cheeses, baked goods, sweets, and so much more, all grown or produced locally from small farmers. Currently, there are a few smaller-scale open air farmer's markets like the ones operating in City Hall Plaza and Dewey Square, but there are none to be found in one large building, like the one I previously described.

Proposed building to house the market

The Boston Public Market Association is here to change that though, with the ambition to create a public market in a centralized building, serving vendors and consumers year round.  Plans are already underway to convert the building above the Haymarket T station, known as parcel 7, part of it a parking garage and part of it vacant retail space, into a fully functionable market, complete with 50-75 plumbed, electrified, and metered vendor stalls. The location, with over 30,000 square feet, is located near the Rose Kennedy Greenway, right next to the existing Haymarket, lays in between the Financial District and North Station, and is right on the Green and Orange Lines, making it the ideal location to put such a facility. Construction is set to begin in the third quarter of 2011 and the targeted opening date is July 1, 2012.


The Boston Public Market Association, who will be in charge of the operation of the market is a nonprofit 501(c) (3) organization. The venture is being publicly and privately funded, with the Patrick administration pledging to spend up to $10 million to support the renovations for the project. Once completed, the market is expected to bring in about $30 million in sales annually, directly benefiting the farmers selling their products there. These sales will not only affect the city of Boston, but will be dispersed throughout the state, as the farmers, who will come from all over Massachusetts, will be able to invest in new infrastructure to improve efficiency and crop yield, making this a valuable public investment. 


The city has not had a public market since the original one, which operated for 200 years until it fell into severe disrepair, closed in the 1950s. It was originally established in the 1740s with the building of Fanueil Hall and Quincy Market, where produce sellers have historically gathered since the 1830s. This area has long been considered Boston's food selling center.


So how will this be different from Haymarket? Contrary to what many might think, Haymarket does not actually sell fresh, local produce. These vendors buy their goods from wholesale markets (basically the older produce that grocery stores try to get rid of to make way for new shipments) in Chelsea on Thursday and Friday nights, and then resell it at deeply discounted prices. This means that in almost all cases, the produce here is just ripe or overripe, and is transported from all over the country. In addition, Haymarket is only open on Fridays and Saturdays, from dawn to dusk, while the public market will be open every day throughout the week. The Boston Public Market Association does not foresee these two entities competing and in fact sees the presence of each complementing each other.


As we approach the third quarter of 2011, keep your eyes peeled to make sure you catch the beginnings of construction on parcel 7. 


For more information, check out the Boston Public Market Association's website.