| Rating |
Date Attended [v] |
Reviewer |
Gender |
Age |
Where From? |
Group Type? |
 |
Fabulous and fun! |
| |
Sat, Jul 7, 07 9:00 AM |
mlaham |
Female |
50-59 |
Domestic Tourist(s) |
Other |
| |
Highly recommended!!! Great tour!! Made our stay more meaningful and learned so much!
Our tour guide, Jim, was excellent - very informative and thoughtful - we were pleased that he knew so much about cuisine, being a former chef. The stops we made at the local shops were excellent, and we later returned to them to purchase items (the recommended olive oil, balsamic vinegar, striped pasta, herbs...). We plan to order the prosciutto, etc. online from the Italian deli and have it sent to us in Florida.
Jim also spent time with us after the tour, and gave us wonderful recommendations on local restaurants.
The tour was well-organized and all of the information needed was printed on the ticket sheet, website, and reiterated at our meeting spot (Marignelli's (sp?) Liquor store. Thank you for a terrific day.
Michele & Jim LaHam |
|
thoroughly enjoyable |
| |
Fri, Jul 6, 07 10:00 AM |
jprestejohn |
Female |
40-49 |
Local |
Family Without Children |
| |
We had a wonderful time, our guide was very knowledgeable, he shared many interesting facts about food, the Northend, its history, and also about the Italian culture. |
|
Fabulous Tour! |
| |
Fri, Jul 6, 07 10:00 AM |
LynneRodrig |
Female |
50-59 |
Domestic Tourist(s) |
Individual |
| |
The North End Culinary Tour was wonderful. My friend and I are both pretty good cooks and consider ourselves to be very knowledgeable with regard to cuisine, having made lots of trips to Italy. We were surprised to learn many new things on this tour, not only about food, but also about the history of the North End and the Italian culture in general. Our guide was very informative, interesting and fun. I would highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting the Boston area. Mangia!
|
|
Unique and Excellent |
| |
Mon, Jul 2, 07 2:00 PM |
hacnac |
Male |
50-59 |
Domestic Tourist(s) |
Family Without Children |
| |
Great tour, extremely informative, great guide, very knowledgable, great handouts...
a wonderful and educational experience. Thank you !!!
|
|
Excellent Tour! |
| |
Mon, Jul 2, 07 10:00 AM |
Momthra |
Female |
50-59 |
Domestic Tourist(s) |
Other |
| |
Our tour guide is a chef, so he spoke with that particular set of skills, knowledge and attitude towards food. There were nine of us on the tour, two sets of four friends, and myself. Our guide got all of us involved, with questions, encouraging feedback, etc. We went to a variety of locations, and had multiple tastes of a variety of food items. Before we tasted anything, he would give the background on the regional origins, the preparations, the local preferences, and tie it all in together. Then he would give us a taste of a particular item, which enhanced our understanding and appreciation of each item.
I am ethusiastically recommending this tour! |
|
The North End Market Tour was fantastic! |
| |
Mon, Jul 2, 07 10:00 AM |
AnnaBelle62 |
Female |
40-49 |
Local |
Group of Friends |
| |
Our guide for the morning, Jim, was an absolute gem! His friendly and approachable manner definitely lent a little "something more" to this tour.
I went on this trip with three of my fellow culinary student friends at the conclusion of our Italian unit classes. It was a wonderful complement to our education and Jim reiterated and reinforced so much of what had been taught to us. But I would highly recommend this tour to ANYONE who would simply like to expand their knowledge of Italian regional cuisines and learn more about the purveyor's in the North End who can supply them with all of the ingredients necessary to prepare a sumptuous feast. Also, if you are interested in the history of this part of Boston and some of it's early inhabitants and their lifestyles, you will find this trip illuminating in that area as well.
Following our tour, we took Jim's advice and visited one of the restaurants he recommended and I was not disappointed.
If you are considering this tour, I can whole-heartedly tell you it is worth it in every way.
|
 |
recommended |
| |
Sat, Jun 30, 07 1:00 PM |
malkin |
Female |
50-59 |
Local |
Family With Children |
| |
My husband, myself and my 24 year old daughter attended the tour. The gentleman (David?) that conducted the tour was lovely and quite informative. I would have enjoyed a bit more history on the tour as that is an integral part of the North End aura. Also the stop at the grocery store to point out Brocolli Rabe was a bit simplistic...I did however enjoy the bakery, the liquor store and the deli...I thought those were the highlights...the tastings were delicious. I also thought that the tour was a bit long. All in all, we did have a great time. |
|
We had a great time! |
| |
Sat, Jun 30, 07 10:00 AM |
lesron |
Female |
40-49 |
Local |
Group of Friends |
| |
Our guide, Beth was very informative and a great host for the tour. She shared a lot of information in a very casual but interesting way. The four of us went back to a lot of the shops and enjoyed sharing all of our new knowledge and treats with our families! The price is a little high for the tour but I think that it was worth it. |
|
We Loved It! |
| |
Fri, Jun 29, 07 3:00 PM |
troyster |
Female |
40-49 |
Domestic Tourist(s) |
Other |
| |
We were tired after being up since 3:00am and weren't sure whether this tour could keep us awake but we were wrong! We loved the tour; the tour guide was extremely knowledgeable regarding the area and the food and it was obvious he loved giving the tour. The samples of food gave one a good overview of the italian section of Boston and we tried foods we never would get to sample in our hometown. Highly recommend this tour for foodies - even my 15 year old son loved it. |
|
great tour for adults and older kids |
| |
Fri, Jun 29, 07 10:00 AM |
AdelMitchel |
Male |
50-59 |
Domestic Tourist(s) |
Family With Children |
| |
Our tour group consisted of about 15 people, mostly adults. I attended as part of two adults and three children, ages 9-12. Our tour guide, whose name escapes me, is also a High School teacher. This was ~ her third time leading the tour. The tour covered a 1-2 mile radius over several different streets. We toured bakery, grocery, wine, coffee and candy stores. Participants received a packet listing authentic, recommended Italian restaurants on the north end, as well as other information regarding food and drink. We tasted various pastries, meats, cheeses, vinegar, and candies.
I found the tour fascinating and highly recommend it to anyone wishing to learn more about Italy, Italians, and their food and drink. The tour guide clearly feels passion for the topic and conveyed that passion during the tour. We learned how Italians eat, when they eat, differences between Italian-American and Italian food, what to look for in food packaging, Italian coffee, groceries, candies, wines and liquor, etc. I learned a great deal and found it very worthwhile. Our guide was patient with the kids, answering their questions and enlisting their help in passing out materials and tasting food.
Finally, here a few thoughts and tips. First, while the guide was patient and kind to the kids, the nearly three-hour tour requires an interest in authentic Italian cuisine, a fairly adult vocabulary, and a strong attention span. My wife's 12 year-old daughter enjoyed the tour, while my 12 year-old daughter with limited attention span seemed bored, as did my wife's nine year-old daughter. You'll want to consider that information when you register. Next, I recommend that you bring a pen or pencil as most information is not in the packet. |
