Roslindale? Is that in the South Shore?

No. Roslindale is not in the South Shore. It's actually part of the city Boston. I swear. When most people ask me where I live, I get a blank stare when I reply, "Roslindale." My standard explanation is, "it's sorta between JP and West Roxbury." Oh, ok! That seems to be enough to offer a little orientation for most folks. So, you can imagine my surprise the other night when, having just met another couple at a fundraising event, they informed us that they were basically our neighbors. We'd actually started up a conversation with them because I'd overheard the woman referencing working for a Boston PR agency. We played a brief game of "do you know so-and-so" and then launched into a lengthy discussion about the state of the industry. Almost as an afterthought, Paul inquired as to where they lived in the area. When you find out that someone else is from Roslindale, there is only one place to take that conversation - restaurants.

Yup, that's right, I said restaurants. If, by chance, you have yet recovered from "Roslindale is a part of Boston," I am sure that you are now certain that I am playing a joke on you. There are restaurants in Roslindale? Good ones? Oh, yeah. Talking about the dining establishments in Roslindale, I almost feel like I am betraying my community. Aren't they our little secret? Should we let others know? I'm torn. However, the desire to brag about this little foodie-oasis in the city and to promote our local economy wins out. So here goes.

By far, the most well-known - and, arguably, the best - place to eat in "Rozzie" is Delfino. Delfino turns out the finest Italian in the city, outside of the North End. When Delfino opened in 2001, it helped jump start a major revitalization in Rozzie Village, our little downtown area - which is now, relatively speaking, booming. I have one friend that I believe would die happy, if it meant drowning in a bowl of their Bolognese sauce. One warning on Delfino - have a snack before arriving. A ninety minute wait is not unusual. It's worth it.

Around the corner from Delfino is a trio of restaurants that share a "secret courtyard." Seriously. You could walk up and down the street fifty times and not know that this place existed, but on that fifty-first time - if you are lucky - you might notice a small black tin sign that reads Sofia's Grotto at the end of an alley. Trust me on this one - go down that alleyway. When you get to the other end, you will have been transported to an old Italian streetcorner, complete with a brick terrace crowded with Bistro tables, shaded by overgrown trees in the daytime and lit by tiny string lights at night, all set to the soft music of a bubbling fountain. I KNOW YOU THINK I AM MAKING THIS UP. You'll just have to go and see for yourself. But wait until a warm night in May - it's so lovely, you'll never want to leave.

The terrace is shared by three restaurants, though many little shops also keep their back doors open in the nice weather to allow for browsing while you wait for a table. The first place, Sofia's Grotto, has a tiny interior with a huge open wood fire and a sizable bar decorated with Mexican tiles. The Mediterranean food is good, especially the paella. They also have a nice wine list, with a great Spanish rose.

Also on the terrace is the Birch Street Bistro, which has an interior just as nice as the courtyard with a dark, chic, Pottery Barn-esque look. The BSB has a lot of great wines available by the glass and comfy bar at which to drink them! The food used to be totally passable, but in the last year, the kitchen has really improved and now turns out consistently good bistro fare. The fish dishes are good bet. As an added bonus, they have live blues music every Thursday night.

The last restaurant on the courtyard is Village Sushi & Grill. I've only eaten at Village Sushi once and it was fairly disappointing. I'd ordered the udon noodles and they were somewhat tasteless. However, I am assured by several faithful Village Sushi fans that the sushi is excellent, so I am certain to give it another go at some point.

Across from Village Sushi's "street side" is the Blue Star Diner, which is a great spot for breakfast. Blue Star serves standard diner options, punctuated with Greek specialties.

Bordering the Village on one side is Washington Street. Turn on Washington heading towards Boston and you'll come to Nuvo Restaurant and Robyn's Bar & Grill. I've not yet had chance to go to Robyn's, but I've heard that their pub-style food is very tasty. Nuvo has a small side courtyard for outdoor eating in the good weather and cozy wine bar seating in the back of the restaurant. Both are better bets - decor-wise - than the main dining room, which has a weird hodge-podge style. I get the impression that they inherited a myriad of furnishings from former tenants of their space and just sort of kept everything. The food, however, is very good. Their spicy tomato soup is outstanding and nice comfort on a cold night. The also serve a killer Sauvignon Blanc by the glass from a vineyard in New Zealand called Zed.

If, coming from the Village, you were to head up Washington Street, towards Dedham, you'd find another great treat - Geoffrey's Cafe. Geoffrey's is somewhat new to Roslindale, having moved from Back Bay. Word is that the owner wanted to relocate somewhere with more of a neighborhood feel, but that could still support a bustling restaurant. There is nothing I don't want to eat at Geoffrey's and - from what I've sampled - it's all very good. I especially recommend the comfort foods, like the meatloaf and mac & cheese. And - this is important - do not leave without having dessert. They are homemade and to die for, especially the Devil's Food cake which is slathered in buttercream frosting. The atmosphere is also very nice with a trendy bar area and - again - a lovely patio with a few fountains. For those interested, it also has an active, super attractive gay scene.

If you are looking for just some good American grub, we have that too. The Boston Brickhouse offers over twenty burgers and all of them are juicy and delicious. I especially like that they have a great veggie and turkey burger, for the nights that you just don't feel like being weighed down by beef. The menu also has a few offerings that hark back to its previous life as an Albanian restaurant. The Brickhouse has a GINORMOUS projection television - perfect for big game nights (which, living in Boston, we get to have plenty of thanks to - it must be said - the WORLD CHAMPIONS, my boys in the rouge socks, not to mention the barely adequate - ha ha! - Patriots).

I am also yet to make it to two of Rozzie's ethnic food destinations, the Bankok Cafe and the new Yucatan Mexican Grill, but I've heard that both are turning out tasty, affordable fare.

In addition to all of these restaurants, Roslindale has some amazing food shops. There are six bakeries in a three block radius, each with different specialties, including homemade pita, baklava, and Irish soda bread. A gourmet cheese shop, the Boston Cheese Cellar, sells amazing cheeses and Greek olive oil by the gallon. And Tony's Market sells hard-to-find Italian ingredients, plus they make their own sausage.

Hungry yet? I am... gimme a ring and I'll take you out for a delicious meal in my little Roslindale. First, you'll probably need to pull out your map to find it. I'll wait. Till then, I'll just enjoy having the place to myself.