I vote cheap as well- I am BROKE now that we're paying for daycare. Wasn't Pierrot Bistro the site of the infamous "fisting" hilarity? I think we all liked that place. Or what about Exchange St. Bistro in Malden? Were we all too put off by the terrible service for brunch?

Hello Ladies-
Sorry for the late entry into the blog (had some issues accessing it, apparently I changed my password). So, I am a maybe for the 7th. I have a work event...but not sure if I really want to go and if I do go, how long I will stay.

I agree French feels right. All the suggestions sound good to me. FYI, I heard Jacky's Table is either closed or a full fledge Petit Robert.

Hope to see you all on the 7th. Who is up for the next list?

I am all for keeping it cheaper and a place where it is easy to find parking.

My reservation on Sel de la Terre is the cost - I remembered it as pricey and looked at the menus and entrees are in the $26-35 range compared to teens for the Petit Roberts. Alternatively, there is Pierrot Bistrot on Cambridge Street near MGH that is also more mid-priced. In between is Brasserie Jo which has mains in the low $20s. Sorry to be scrimpy - the beginning of the year is my tax season (and it always seems to go out, not come back in...)

I am fine with Sel De La Terre as well, I've never been. I have been to both Petit Robert and Jacky's table (Phil Collins anyone,? ) so I'd be up for something new....

Never mind, I see it now, 7pm. Okay, I'm going to stop posting now.

Oh and Kelly, what time is the reading on 2/28?

Well, whatever... if Stearns and Hill is a Bistro, maybe it is close enough to a French restaurant? The menu looks great there so if that is where everyone wants to go, let's do it!

I vote for Sel de la Terre. It's a local chain, right? To me that's different from Applebees or other horrible national/regional chains.

I'm not opposed to going to Melrose but I don't know if Stearns and Hill fits the theme of the book. Is there a french restaurant in Melrose?

and i remember how already stressed and grumpy you were (not least about the difficult parking situation) when you arrived, thus requiring a few extra glasses of wine ;) Lucky Emily Jean!

Funny, remembering the Subaru getting hit and how RIDICULOUSLY upset I got about it.........because it turns out I was pregnant and didn't know it yet. How time flies.......

Hey folks! As a bookclub aside, Andre Dubus III is doing a reading on Feb. 28th at Newtonville Books for the paperback release of Townie. I'm totally up for going if anyone is interested!

++Tues, Feb 28, 7PM - Andre Dubus III, author of TOWNIE: A MEMOIR

I'm happy to do Stearns & Hill, too, though to be fair, it describes itself as an everyday steakhouse. And Sel de la Terre would be good too, or my favorite of the Petite Roberts is the one on Columbus Ave in the South End. I do remember Kathy's sad incident last year - though, fingers crossed, the snowbanks should not be so much of an issue this winter!

Just bought the book last night - they do have it in paperback here in the UK - and at £6 it was even cheaper than the US kindle version. This -never- happens. I started reading just the first bit and thought about hopping a train to Paris so, yes, a Parisian option feels most right to me :)

I've actually been wanting to try Stearns and Hill, so I'm down with that. Otherwise I was thinking Petit Robert or Jackys Place (though the parking sucks there- that was where my BRAND NEW CAR got hit last year).

Looks like the 7th or 8th works for most of us. So, why don't we stick with Tuesdays and do the 7th. Hopefully, Erin, you will not have to travel????
Anyway, I am about 1/2 way through the book and feel obviously, a lot of Paris/French/Romantic/Bistro theme...

There is a great Bistro in Melrose, Stearns and Hill. I've been but it's great food, great ambience, and tons of parking. Not sure if you'd be willing to drive up there though...Another option is Sel De La Terre, but i know it's a chain and that might turn some of you off.
Any other suggestions?