Virgies? No. Madison's on The Ave? No. Highland Kitchen? Yes.

When I first moved to Somerville there was a dive bar up Highland Ave called Vergies. At least I think it was called that. This wasn't a dive bar like the Model or the Silhouette. This was a real dive. After I lived there a little while, Virgies was closed for renovations, and Madison's on the Ave sprung up in its place. I went there once. Not too much later, Madison's was closed for renovations, and now, the Highland Kitchen has popped up. Rumor is, it's pretty good, and it might actually be there for a while.


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Highland Kitchen satiates Somerville neighborhood's cravings

By Katie Johnston Chase Globe Staff / January 19, 2008

SOMERVILLE - I've always dreamed of living within walking distance of a restaurant with delicious, affordable food, a decent bar, and a comfortable vibe. A place I could go to a few times a month to have dinner or a drink. A place I could call my hangout.

So when Highland Kitchen opened around the corner from my house last month, my hopes were high. I knew it was owned by the former chef at Green Street Grill in Central Square, where I had feasted on mahi mahi with mango-avocado salsa and sampled lip-scorching curried goat stew. And when I heard Tom Waits playing on the jukebox the first time I walked in, and saw the silver menus gleaming with promises of brandy flips and chili cheese fries, I was instantly smitten. Halfway through our first drinks, my husband and I were on a first-name basis with the bartender.

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http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/food/articles/2008/01/19/highland_kitchen_satiates_somerville_neighborhoods_cravings/