If you happen to be in Watertown ...
You've probably noticed a few restaurant reviews and other dining tips on this blog over the last year or so; hey, what else would you expect from a fellow who enjoys fine cuisine (or greasy spoons) as much as I?
Well, I wanted to pass along one more quasi-local tip before I resume my series about Cuisine on the Road, which still has 13 stops around the NFL remaining. This isn't Patriots-related, but it would be worth your while to take a drive of 30-40 minutes to check out this new restaurant opened by old friends.
The restaurant's name is simply, "The Talk," and it's located at 116 Main St. in Watertown, not far from the town hall on U.S. 20 and a stone's throw from the Route 16 exit (Exit 17) off the Mass. Pike.
The restaurant is run by the Keuchkarian family of Watertown, the same folks who, until recently, owned and operated my favorite two restaurants in North Falmouth, the Talk of the Town Diner and the Talk of the Town Restaurant on Route 28A. They also run a diner by the same name in Watertown, but they've decided to focus on the ventures closer to home and have sold the two properties in Falmouth.
It's definitely a family affair. Owner Kaz Keuchkarian, his wife Lisa, sons Kaz Jr. and Stephen and daughters Nicole and Danielle are joined in the effort by Kaz's sister, also named Lisa, and her husband, head chef James McKeen (the latter, a graduate of Xaverian Brothers High School in Westwood). I've never met people who have work ethics like theirs, and who genuinely enjoy serving the public as much as they do.
The new restaurant is cozy but not cramped, tucked into a storefront space that formerly housed a bank and the local offices for Comcast. It seats 80 people, and the decor is all-new, the walls painted in muted tones and the decorative paintings and photographs tastefully understated. There are brand-new wide-screen TVs at the bar and a small lounge-seating area nearby. You might get a kick out of what they've done with the bank vault; the door is welded open (it's huge!), and the vault itself has been turned into a small private dining area that can seat eight.
The menu is primarily Italian (I'm a big fan of the chicken parmesan), although there are seafood dishes (try the scrod or the salmon, and I'm told that the trout -- served only in Watertown -- is very good) and other specialties carrying over from the North Falmouth restaurant. The price range is very affordable, entrees ranging from around $15 to $25. The mixed drinks on the menu seize upon the "Talk" theme for their names, and the service is always friendly and attentive.
Now, I said the Keuchkarians put in a lot of long hours in the restaurant, right? Well, eldest daughter Nicole takes it another step up. Nikki is a former field hockey and softball standout (and Boston Herald all-scholastic) in high school and college who is also a classically-trained dancer, and she's the owner and operator of Nicole's Studio of Dance in Watertown. She's also in the process of redesigning the family restaurant's Web page, which is why I don't have a current link for you. I don't know how she squeezes it all in.
But, as I said, I've never met people with such an amazing work ethic -- and it shows in the quality of the product. It's a hike to Watertown, I know, and there are plenty of fine local eateries where you can spend your money, but if you happen to be in the area, I recommend stopping at "The Talk." You won't regret it, and you can even mention my name and at least the Keuchkarians won't throw you out.
Indeed, my dinner there last week made me wish that they could have opened a restaurant at Patriot Place instead of one or two of the overpriced and underperforming ventures currently in operation at Bob Kraft's playground. However, as Mick Jagger sang, "you can't always get what you want." In this case, a trip to Watertown gets me what I need, a nice sit-down dinner served by friendly people.
Well, I wanted to pass along one more quasi-local tip before I resume my series about Cuisine on the Road, which still has 13 stops around the NFL remaining. This isn't Patriots-related, but it would be worth your while to take a drive of 30-40 minutes to check out this new restaurant opened by old friends.
The restaurant's name is simply, "The Talk," and it's located at 116 Main St. in Watertown, not far from the town hall on U.S. 20 and a stone's throw from the Route 16 exit (Exit 17) off the Mass. Pike.
The restaurant is run by the Keuchkarian family of Watertown, the same folks who, until recently, owned and operated my favorite two restaurants in North Falmouth, the Talk of the Town Diner and the Talk of the Town Restaurant on Route 28A. They also run a diner by the same name in Watertown, but they've decided to focus on the ventures closer to home and have sold the two properties in Falmouth.
It's definitely a family affair. Owner Kaz Keuchkarian, his wife Lisa, sons Kaz Jr. and Stephen and daughters Nicole and Danielle are joined in the effort by Kaz's sister, also named Lisa, and her husband, head chef James McKeen (the latter, a graduate of Xaverian Brothers High School in Westwood). I've never met people who have work ethics like theirs, and who genuinely enjoy serving the public as much as they do.
The new restaurant is cozy but not cramped, tucked into a storefront space that formerly housed a bank and the local offices for Comcast. It seats 80 people, and the decor is all-new, the walls painted in muted tones and the decorative paintings and photographs tastefully understated. There are brand-new wide-screen TVs at the bar and a small lounge-seating area nearby. You might get a kick out of what they've done with the bank vault; the door is welded open (it's huge!), and the vault itself has been turned into a small private dining area that can seat eight.
The menu is primarily Italian (I'm a big fan of the chicken parmesan), although there are seafood dishes (try the scrod or the salmon, and I'm told that the trout -- served only in Watertown -- is very good) and other specialties carrying over from the North Falmouth restaurant. The price range is very affordable, entrees ranging from around $15 to $25. The mixed drinks on the menu seize upon the "Talk" theme for their names, and the service is always friendly and attentive.
Now, I said the Keuchkarians put in a lot of long hours in the restaurant, right? Well, eldest daughter Nicole takes it another step up. Nikki is a former field hockey and softball standout (and Boston Herald all-scholastic) in high school and college who is also a classically-trained dancer, and she's the owner and operator of Nicole's Studio of Dance in Watertown. She's also in the process of redesigning the family restaurant's Web page, which is why I don't have a current link for you. I don't know how she squeezes it all in.
But, as I said, I've never met people with such an amazing work ethic -- and it shows in the quality of the product. It's a hike to Watertown, I know, and there are plenty of fine local eateries where you can spend your money, but if you happen to be in the area, I recommend stopping at "The Talk." You won't regret it, and you can even mention my name and at least the Keuchkarians won't throw you out.
Indeed, my dinner there last week made me wish that they could have opened a restaurant at Patriot Place instead of one or two of the overpriced and underperforming ventures currently in operation at Bob Kraft's playground. However, as Mick Jagger sang, "you can't always get what you want." In this case, a trip to Watertown gets me what I need, a nice sit-down dinner served by friendly people.
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