Onion Rings

Once upon a time, bars were for drinking and restaurants were for eating. Beer nuts, onion rings, and mozzarella sticks were the middle ground. Bar food was there for you when you needed it, but you didn’t go out of your way to get it. As restaurants became more “chef-driven,’’ and chefs more ambitious, bar food evolved. Today, many bars are dining destinations in their own right. The food offered is increasingly serious — as much a distillation of the chef’s vision as the fare in the dining room.

Dough in East Boston takes its laid-back vibe seriously. Psychedelic posters of the band Phish cover much of the wall space. The SiriusXM station Jam On provides a fitting soundtrack. With only three tables and countertop window seating, it's more of a takeout than dine-in spot, but you can order from the counter and, well, chill. And on a quiet weeknight, we immediately feel like we own the joint. "You guys ordered a lot of good food, so this is going to come out tapas-style," announces co-owner Kevin Curley, delivering roasted garlic bread ($2.95 and $4.95)

The Lobster Barn 996 Hancock St., Abington Telephone: 781-871-2433 Hours: Wednesday through Saturday, 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Sunday, 10:30 to 7 p.m. Extended summer hours begin in mid-June. iTakeout only MasterCard and Visa accepted On a Friday night during the Lenten season, it's best to call ahead when you're ordering plates of steaming seafood from the Lobster Barn in Abington. It's their busiest time. We didn't know that, so we squeezed in alongside about a dozen others who had ordered their food, then took in the smells of cooking and the sound of phones ringing off the...

RENZO BRICK OVEN PIZZERIA 381 Revere Beach Blvd., Revere, 781-284-5600, www.renzorevere ma.com/renzo-brickovenpiz zeria.html. All major credit cards. Wheelchair accessible. Prices Appetizers, salads, sandwiches $5-$15. Pizzas and entrees $9-$15. Desserts $4-$5. Hours Mon-Sun 11 a.m.-midnight Liquor Full bar. May we suggest Spinach and artichoke dip, lobster ravioli, chicken Parmesan. Renzo Brick Oven Pizzeria in Revere has floor-to-ceiling windows facing Revere Beach, and the menu offers wood-fired pizza.

Serves 4 with leftovers If you grill the vegetables in batches, allow 40 to 60 minutes. When the coals cool, grill thick slices of rustic bread, such as ciabatta, to toast lightly. Za'atar is a Middle Eastern blend of dried herbs. 1 pound baby Yukon Gold potatoes Salt and pepper, to taste 2 medium eggplant, cut into ½-inch-thick rounds 2 red, orange, or yellow bell peppers, quartered and seeded 1 large sweet onion, cut into ½-inch-thick slices (rings intact)

Serves 6 This is a hearty main course salad that’s especially easy to assemble if you have cooked chicken on hand - or buy a rotisserie chicken. The salad pictured here is served at Bryant Park Cafe. 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar Salt and pepper, to taste 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1 teaspoon honey 1/2 cup olive oil 1 head romaine lettuce, cut crosswise into 1-inch-thick slices 1/2 bunch watercress ...

5 NAPKIN BURGER 105 Huntington Ave., Boston 617-375-2277 www.5napkinburger.com It’s no longer a surprise to find sushi on the menus of Korean and Chinese restaurants. It doesn’t really make sense, what with sushi being from Japan and all, but it’s become accepted. New to me, and to Boston, is sushi at a restaurant that specializes in burgers. 5 Napkin Burger opened last week in the Prudential Center, in the space that used to be Daily Grill. It’s an import from New York, where there are Manhattan and Queens branches.

A collective ‘‘Huh?’’ could be heard in HBO homes across the country last night, as ‘‘The Sopranos’’ left the air with a major fake-out — a nonending ending. The final seconds of the final episode of TV’s best-ever drama series surely confused and angered some fans, while striking others as just exactly perfect. Essentially, creator David Chase, who wrote and directed the episode, left the ending entirely up to us, the viewers. Before anything conclusive happened — before Tony, Carmela, Meadow, and/or A.?

116 Main St. (Route 109), Medway Telephone: 508-533-1343 Website: www.mickeycassidys.com Monday through Wednesday 4:30 p.m. to midnight, Thursday through Saturday 11:30 a.m. to midnight, Sundays noon to midnight Smoking in lounge only Reservations for parties of six or more Accessible to the handicapped Major credit cards accepted Function room seats up to 75 Open mike every Thursday evening, live entertainers...

The BrickYard Authentic Pizzeria and Burger Bar 371 Main St., Woburn 781-935-6699 brickyardbar.com Hours: Sunday through Wednesday, 5-10 p.m.; Thursday through Saturday, 5-11 p.m. Major credit cards Handicapped-accessible with indoor elevator to lower-level lounge About three years ago, Anthony Contarino of New Hampshire was overseeing dinner preparations at TreMonte Restaurant & Bar in Woburn center when...

Serves 4 with leftovers If you grill the vegetables in batches, allow 40 to 60 minutes. When the coals cool, grill thick slices of rustic bread, such as ciabatta, to toast lightly. Za'atar is a Middle Eastern blend of dried herbs. 1 pound baby Yukon Gold potatoes Salt and pepper, to taste 2 medium eggplant, cut into ½-inch-thick rounds 2 red, orange, or yellow bell peppers, quartered and seeded 1 large sweet onion, cut into ½-inch-thick slices (rings intact)

The BrickYard Authentic Pizzeria and Burger Bar 371 Main St., Woburn 781-935-6699 brickyardbar.com Hours: Sunday through Wednesday, 5-10 p.m.; Thursday through Saturday, 5-11 p.m. Major credit cards Handicapped-accessible with indoor elevator to lower-level lounge About three years ago, Anthony Contarino of New Hampshire was overseeing dinner preparations at TreMonte Restaurant & Bar in Woburn center when...

5 NAPKIN BURGER 105 Huntington Ave., Boston 617-375-2277 www.5napkinburger.com It’s no longer a surprise to find sushi on the menus of Korean and Chinese restaurants. It doesn’t really make sense, what with sushi being from Japan and all, but it’s become accepted. New to me, and to Boston, is sushi at a restaurant that specializes in burgers. 5 Napkin Burger opened last week in the Prudential Center, in the space that used to be Daily Grill. It’s an import from New York, where there are Manhattan and Queens branches.

Once upon a time, bars were for drinking and restaurants were for eating. Beer nuts, onion rings, and mozzarella sticks were the middle ground. Bar food was there for you when you needed it, but you didn’t go out of your way to get it. As restaurants became more “chef-driven,’’ and chefs more ambitious, bar food evolved. Today, many bars are dining destinations in their own right. The food offered is increasingly serious — as much a distillation of the chef’s vision as the fare in the dining room.

It was a sad day when Bob’s Southern Bistro shut down two years ago: the end of a long run, the end of “glorifried’’ chicken, the end of listening to live jazz while eating soul food. Bob’s (perhaps better known by a former name, Bob the Chef’s) meant something. In the South End, on the Roxbury side of Mass. Ave., and in the heart of Northeastern nesting grounds, it was a place where people from all walks of life came together. It felt real. When a new owner appeared on the scene wanting to turn it into an upscale lounge for young professionals called Night Town, it...

Serves 6 This is a hearty main course salad that’s especially easy to assemble if you have cooked chicken on hand - or buy a rotisserie chicken. The salad pictured here is served at Bryant Park Cafe. 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar Salt and pepper, to taste 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1 teaspoon honey 1/2 cup olive oil 1 head romaine lettuce, cut crosswise into 1-inch-thick slices 1/2 ...

Maddie's Sail Loft 15 State St., MarbleheadTelephone: 781-631-9824Hours: Open seven days, 10 a.m.- 10 p.m.Credit cards acceptedReservations acceptedNot handicapped accessible For 62 years, bartenders poured drinks with a heavy hand, and you could grab a cup of chowder or a plate of fried fish at Maddie's Sail Loft in the Old Town section of Marblehead. But last January, the lights went dark in one of Marblehead's most popular watering holes, and by the time spring rolled around, locals figured it had become just another victim of the souring economy.

RENZO BRICK OVEN PIZZERIA 381 Revere Beach Blvd., Revere, 781-284-5600, www.renzorevere ma.com/renzo-brickovenpiz zeria.html. All major credit cards. Wheelchair accessible. Prices Appetizers, salads, sandwiches $5-$15. Pizzas and entrees $9-$15. Desserts $4-$5. Hours Mon-Sun 11 a.m.-midnight Liquor Full bar. May we suggest Spinach and artichoke dip, lobster ravioli, chicken Parmesan. Renzo Brick Oven Pizzeria in Revere has floor-to-ceiling windows facing Revere Beach, and the menu offers wood-fired pizza.

The Lobster Barn 996 Hancock St., Abington Telephone: 781-871-2433 Hours: Wednesday through Saturday, 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Sunday, 10:30 to 7 p.m. Extended summer hours begin in mid-June. iTakeout only MasterCard and Visa accepted On a Friday night during the Lenten season, it's best to call ahead when you're ordering plates of steaming seafood from the Lobster Barn in Abington. It's their busiest time. We didn't know that, so we squeezed in alongside about a dozen others who had ordered their food, then took in the smells of cooking and the sound of phones ringing off the...