Hyde Park Update

Could Hyde Park be seeing the start of a turning point for being a food wasteland? Here's the latest that was in Wednesday's Herald. I will be really excited to try out Townsend's when it opens. Also I was interested to hear they are revamping Vintage in W. Roxbury. Meanwhile, there seems to be continued slow progress at the future CF Donovan's on HP Ave. It's really starting to look nice - I hope they open soon!

New tastes in the ’hoods

Chef and restaurateur Jeff Fournier is piling plenty of new projects on his plate.

Fournier, who has earned critical acclaim for his 51 Lincoln in Newton, recently partnered with Michael Talon, the former owner of the Kendall Cafe in Cambridge, to create Irish-themed Townsend’s Restaurant in Cleary Square, Hyde Park. When it opens next week, look for high-end pub fare, such as duck confit tacos, along with the warm glow provided by Irish poitin and a large, stone fireplace. The pub will abut the duo’s new cafe, TC’s Coffee House.

Fournier also took over Vintage in West Roxbury a few weeks ago. He’s eighty-sixed the steakhouse menu and replaced it with “my take on contemporary American classics.” And he plans to launch a new catering company sometime in the near future