By Haley Costen
Staff Writer

Cindy Morton and her friends had worked up an appetite on their first Friday night in the city last semester. The Simmons students wanted to go out, but after being faced with a swarm of flashing blue lights and drunk and disorderly people by Mission Hill, they decided it would be more fun to get something quick to eat and people-watch. They hit the jackpot on a short walk down Boylston Street to Tasty Burger.

Tasty Burger

With its retro ’50s diner style look and glowing red and white lights, Tasty Burger is like a shining beacon to fast food heaven after an exhausting Friday night adventure.

It’s cheap—a simple cheeseburger with lettuce and tomato is $4.75, and most of the specialty burgers like the BBQ Onion Burger, the Spicy Jalapeno Burger, and the Mushroom Burger are only $5.75. Also, Tasty Burger offers variety.

Not only are there creative burgers—like the Kahuna Burger, which features pineapple, grilled onion, and teriyaki sauce, or the Rise ‘N Shine, which has eggs, cheese, and ketchup—but the restaurant also has a variety of chicken sandwiches, hot dogs, and sides like onion rings and chili.

The fact that it’s open until 2 a.m. seems to be attractive to young people in the area, as the tables inside fill up fast and the outdoor line for food usually extends long beyond the takeout window. However, the food is worth the small wait.

“The fries were really good, and the food came pretty fast,” Morton said. Her friends agreed.

“It’s convenient, affordable, and the food is good,” Carolyn Footer, another Simmons student, praised after her visit with Morton.

Also, the restaurant has a special called the Starvin’ Student which features a hamburger or cheeseburger, fries, and a can of beer for $10 for students with a valid ID.

Tasty burger is located at 1301 Boylston Street. It is open until 2 a.m. seven nights a week.

Church

It’s easy to see how Church, the urban chic restaurant on Kilmarnock Street, appeals to college students and young people alike.

“It’s because we have a rock club attached to us,” Manager Nicole Crosby said frankly. According to Crosby, the venue and restaurant alike tend to get packed at night on weekends. The plushy black chairs and sleek tables, along with the warm glow of candles, velvet curtains, and hip paintings and décor, give the restaurant a classy, yet comfortable feel. Not to mention the food is affordable.

While there are expensive dishes like the mouthwatering Pan Seared Duck Breast at $23 or the Slow Roasted Salmon for $25, there are equally delicious sounding dishes like the baked Vermont Cheddar Baked Mac & Cheese and Margherita Flatbread for under $15. For the 21-plus crowd, Church also offers a variety of beers, wine, and mixed drinks named after the seven deadly sins and the four horsemen of the apocalypse.

The nightclub venue features pool tables, plasma televisions, a hand painted bar, and a private stage where Crosby said mostly rock bands play. According to the restaurants website, the varieties of acts included indie, metal, and folk groups. Church has live music starting at 9 p.m. every night of the week.

Church is located at 69 Kilmarnock Street. The restaurant is open until midnight every night, and the club is open every night until 2 a.m.

Thaitation

Not all students who are out long past their typical dinner time want a quick burger before heading out again or to go to a rock show. For those in the mood to sit down with friends in a bright, welcoming atmosphere and indulge in drunken noodles or mango curry, there is Thaitation.

The restaurant, located on Jersey Street, has big, open windows, and bright yellow walls adorned with paintings depicting colorful flowers and elephants. Also, it is affordable. Like Church, it has dishes that are priced around $20, like the Green Ocean Salmon and the Rama Duck at $19; however, a student could order pad thai or another noodle dish along with an appetizer like golden triangles or spring rolls and still pay less than the cost of one of the more expensive meals.

“I love it there, and all my friends think it’s great,” Simmons student Rachel Goldberg said. “The food is really good.”

Thaitation is located at 129 Jersey Street. It’s open until 10 p.m. Monday-Thursday, and Sunday, but until 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

Neighborhoods Coffee & Crepes

Neighborhoods, with its combination of white tiled and red and white wallpapered walls, quaint plaid red curtains, and blue old-timey framed paintings, is not the typical venue to be swarming with people on a Friday night, but sometimes that’s a good thing.

“It’s a really cute place. It’s different then going out to party,” said server Paulie Meyer. She crossed her arms over her chest. “I like being able to go out and do something that’s not terrible—I like cafés like this.”

With its quirky drinks like the Iced Kerouac, and the Bee Stinger—milk, honey, espresso, nutmeg, and cinnamon—and crepes like the Robinson Crusoe—Belgian chocolate hazelnut spread, kiwi, strawberry, and coconut—it’s the perfect place to sit and relax with friends, or, as Meyer suggests, go on a date.

The price is also right at Neighborhoods. All the coffee drinks are less than $4, and a tea bag of one of Neighborhoods’ five teas is only $1.85, though it is $3.99 for one the café’s flowering teas. Meanwhile crepes are priced between $3.95 and $8.80, and other sweets like muffins and lemon bars are all under $2.95.

“It’s such a sunny place. I love it there,” Simmons student Fernanda Tapia Rosas said about her visit.
Neighborhoods Coffee and Crepes is located at 96 Peterborough Street. It’s open until 10 p.m. Monday-Friday, and until 7 p.m. on Sundays.

Mixx Frozen Yogurt

Students grasping for those summer nights and craving a refreshingly cool sweet treat will find exactly that at Mixx.

The frozen yogurt store, located on Brighton Avenue, has a hip atmosphere with its colorful purple, white, black, and blue walls, and the upbeat pop playing through the speakers. It also has over a dozen flavors like watermelon, cookies ‘n cream, cheesecake, and coconut that customers can mix and match. Mixx also has an enormous variety of toppings like Fruity Pebbles, Kit Kat Bars, granola, bobbas, blueberries, and brownie bites.

The store has colorful signs explaining “How to Mixx,” that are divided into four easy steps: “1. Grab a cup, 2. Fill w. yogurt, 3. Mixx toppings, 4. Weigh & pay.” It’s as simple as that. Customers can fill up their cups with as much frozen yogurt and toppings as they desire, and pay by the weight.

According to Lindsey Stokes, Simmons student and frequent customer at Mixx, after filling her entire cup and adding a few choice toppings, her yogurt is usually around $6.

“It’s a really cool atmosphere and it’s relatively inexpensive,” Stokes said.

Mix Forzen Yogurt is located at 66 Brighton Ave. It is open until 11 p.m. Monday-Sunday.