Boloco

[ron_newman]

Boloco's web site now lists a Davis Square location as "Coming January 2007" with hours of 7 am to 11 pm. O'Naturals hasn't taken the location off their web site yet. (Is it still open at all?)

Comments

[hahathor.livejournal.com]

I don't know much about Boloco's food, but if it's poorly done as their website, I doubt I'll be there much. I think O'Natural's is still open. I had lunch there about a week ago. I'll miss their grilled panini sandwiches.

[georgy.livejournal.com]

I've been to one near Tufts. The smoothees are pretty good, but the burritos (while serviceable) pale to Anna's (in my opinion). They have some great chocolate chip cookies, though. The minestrone soup I had the other day was also quite good, if not a bit small of a portion for the price.

[marphod.livejournal.com]

The Burrito's aren't, really.

They're more Wraps, and will be in much more direct competition with Blue Shirt than Anna's.

As for quality, I've been twice. Once was really good, one was okay. Anna's certainly better for traditional burritos, but for healthy stuff wrapped in tortilla, I'd go to Boloco's before Blue Shirt any day.

[georgy.livejournal.com]

This is true.

Why would you choose Boloco over Blue Shirt? I'm sort of obsessed with the Peanut Butter Delight, which I'm happy to report is superior to its Boloco competitor, the Jimmy Carter. I dont' care for wraps much anyway, so.

[marphod.livejournal.com]

I've never liked anything at blue shirt as much as the menu description.

I don't know why, or what it is about their wraps, but its an entirely personal thing. Some people in my old office were very fond of BLue Shirt, and I've had more than half their menu. it has always sounded better to me than it has tasted.

[nomirena.livejournal.com]

I wish there were a normal restaurant in Davis that didn't have some kind of gimick--not wraps, not crepes, not bar food, not Thai, not Indian, not Chinese, not barbeque, not Diesel, not Tibetan, not Italian. Just a cafe with regular old food. When I went to Francesca's in the South End this weekend, despite the wraps, it felt like the right kind of place. Soup, salad, sandwiches, breakfast foods, coffee and other drinks, ice cream, etc. Basic.

[marphod.livejournal.com]

Er, I'm not really sure ethnic food is a 'gimmick'. At least, no more than modern-American soup&salad is a gimmick in and of itself.

Regardless, in davis:
The Rosebud?
Cristo's 7 Stars?
Deli-icious?

Frank's Steakhouse isn't that far from the Square.

[nomirena.livejournal.com]

Yah, you are right--gimmick doesnt apply to ethnic. My stream of consciousness took over up there. Cristo's is a pizza shop primarily, right? The Rosebud has very little options of the non-meat variety, and this is embarassing, but what's Deli-icious? Frank's Steakhouse... meaty. I don't find Mike's appealing. Diesel would be fine, but my friend and I have had a couple of unpleasant food experiences there, sadly. I guess Orleans is ok, but the food is mediocre and pricey. Soleil Cafe would be good, if it were ever open.

Sorry, I'm feeling ornery. I should stop now before I get banned from the Davis community. I love Davis, I'm just feeling down on it lately. Lot's of good things lost in the past few years...

[ron_newman]

Deli-icious is the former Nick's(?) Roast Beef place up on College Ave. Haven't tried it yet.

Despite the ridiculous name ...

[closetalker11.livejournal.com]

I've tried Deli-icious once, and I like it. The guys behind the counter were super friendly, the portions were ginormo, and the sandwich I had was very good. And they deliver. So far, I'm a fan!

I wouldn't mind knowing more about the ownership, but I haven't gotten the chance to ask.

[gildersleeve.livejournal.com]

I agree that a general-interest restaurant would be nice - something with a menu like the Greenhouse in Harvard Square, where you can get breakfast, sandwiches, big salads, soups, and some more dinner-like things. Coffee shops/lunch counters like this are plentiful in New York City, and in other Boston neighborhoods as well. Something with waitstaff.

I find Deli-licious to be too much like a sub shop - of which there are plenty. Rosebud - either you love it or hate it, but it is too expensive for the food quality in my opinion.

[ron_newman]

Years ago, Bob Gregory, owner of Redbones, proposed to open something like this at the corner of Elm and Chester streets. His model was the Mount Vernon Restaurant in East Somerville. I believe he got all the necessary permits, but ultimately decided not to proceed. Eventually Diva opened in that locatio instead.

[ron_newman]

Mike's?

[ron_newman]

Something like the S&S in Inman Square, maybe? 400 Highland would be great for that, but I don't think that's what we're going to get there.

[matthew miller (from livejournal.com)]

That is exactly what I thought of Blue Shirt -- glad to see I'm not alone. Shame, 'cause I wanted to like it. They're just... boring.

[nomirena.livejournal.com]

agreed. I hate corn chips.

[badseed1980.livejournal.com]

I can dig that. They're ok, but not exactly exciting, in spite of the interesting concepts. But Boloco doesn't look that exciting to me, I guess. It sounds like every other generic wrap joint. Hardly "inspired". Meh. Even Anna's doesn't usually have as much flavour as I'd like. I guess I'm really picky about burritos. :)

[surrealestate.livejournal.com]

Agreed. For one thing, they use too much rice. Their tofu also blows - the sort of tofu that makes people think tofu sucks, and that bothers me on multiple levels. My friends and I have also found them to be very uninterested in feedback, which is a shame, since that's usually a bonus of a small locally-owned business.

[nomirena.livejournal.com]

Where can you get good tofu? Because I hate it usually. Guide me... I want to like it.

[schpahky.livejournal.com]

Boloco's tofu is awesome. Seriously. Even meat eaters start liking it. It's not all quivery and bland, they bake it or something. Given the choice between Blue Shirt and Boloco, I'm afraid I'll end up at Boloco. I agree with the poster above that I've tried so hard to love Blue Shirt food and am disappointed every time.

[koloratur.livejournal.com]

Ditto on that. I love Boloco's tofu...must be a matter of taste :D

[nomirena.livejournal.com]

I'll have to try it. I hate it when its all mushy and bitter tasting.

[terras.livejournal.com]

I've found that Blue Shirt takes the healthy angle to the point of omitting (too much) salt, which is a flavor enhancer. As a result, it just tastes a lot more bland than the descriptions on the menu would lead you to believe.

[an-art-worker.livejournal.com]

Blue Shirt always seems dirty to me so I usually walk on by. (I'm not a clean freak but something about the place seems run down).

[alphacygni]

I used to like Blue Shirt quite a bit (even if they'd never, ever listen when I asked for my wrap to be made smaller), but they recently switched to doing all the sandwiches on nothing but spinach-flavored wraps. Which pretty much ended my enjoyment. Spinach-flavored wraps are flat out wrong for some sandwich types, and I find them to be odd tasting and unappealing even when they might theoretically be appropriate.

But why did they make that change? I have no idea. When I asked (and asked if it was permanent), the person at the register said "Yeah" and just shrugged at me. So I haven't gone there in a while. Darn shame.

[ceo]

I was at O'Naturals last week, and they had flyers out from Boloco explaining that the O'Naturals folks had found Davis too far away from their home base in Portland ME to effectively run the store, so they went looking for a business with similar values to take over the location, "and that's where we come in".

[ron_newman]

But they still have a store in Acton -- which is even further from Maine.

I still miss Carberry's

[warlord-mit.livejournal.com]

I still miss the old Carberry's. It was SO MUCH better than O'Naturals..

Re: I still miss Carberry's

[ron_newman]

Still in Central Square and Arlington Center.

Re: I still miss Carberry's

[matthew miller (from livejournal.com)]

And well worth a trip now and then!

[magpie-leah.livejournal.com]

I tried to go to O'Natural's today and they are officially closed. :(

[masswich.livejournal.com]

I figured someone must like Blue Shirt since they have been open so long, but I have always been disappointed by their food as well. Just doesn't seem quite zesty (I know, an easy solution is salt but there are other ways to make food taste good.)

It seems that everything is turning wrap and burrito in this world. I will miss O'Naturals but will still go to their Portland location when I am up there... As for Boloco, I have been to their Medford Hillside location a few times and its fine, if a little corporate.

[bolopep.livejournal.com]

uhhh.... what's "corporate" mean?

Boloco/O'Nats/Anna's/Carberry's/BlueShirt

[bolopep.livejournal.com]

Wow, you all are a committed lot! I'm one of the co-founders of Boloco, and i'm not sure whether to be scared to death of our pending opening or to be on cloud 9 since a community as passionate as the Davis Square group is the very kind we always look for. Hopefully, we'll earn your respect and business over time... looks like we're going to have to prove ourselves every minute of every day - which is the way it should be.

Please know this: we are local (our head chef has been resident of Davis for last 10 years), we love what we do and will always be listening as we are right now. We don't pretend to be Anna's, we don't pretend to be Chipotle, or Blue Shirt, or anyone other than ourselves. In time, we hope you'll agree.

You can always reach me personally at pepper@boloco.com.

Look forward to meeting you all,
John

Re: Boloco/O'Nats/Anna's/Carberry's/BlueShirt

[ron_newman]

Thanks for stopping by here! Do you have an opening date set yet?

Re: Boloco/O'Nats/Anna's/Carberry's/BlueShirt

[bolopep.livejournal.com]

we're hoping Jan 26...
so send us your thoughts anytime before (and after!)

Re: Boloco/O'Nats/Anna's/Carberry's/BlueShirt

[bolopep.livejournal.com]

Ron,

Just an update... in case you are still following this thread. A reader reminded me earlier tonight that we had estimated Jan 26 back in December... due to permitting and the like, we're now targeting a Feb 17 open date.

If i can answer any other questions let me know!

John