![A restaurant exterior with a bright yellow sign and yellow patio tables and chairs set out front.](https://cdn.statically.io/img/cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/NRBfa_7XgBxvyGT6jxHp4ADwf24=/0x0:3848x2338/1200x800/filters:focal(1617x862:2231x1476)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73381054/carolicious_bow_market.0.jpg)
Welcome to Eater Boston’s best dishes column, where the team shares the dishes they couldn’t stop thinking about each month. See past installments here.
![A hand holding up an arepa in a brown wax wrapper in front of a yellow wall with the restaurant’s logo on it.](https://cdn.statically.io/img/cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/YAB4dKEboGLCydQ_SGW-_vh7Ifc=/0x0:4032x3024/1200x0/filters:focal(0x0:4032x3024):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25472658/IMG_4112_EDIT.jpg)
Ham and cheese arepa at Carolicious Gourmet
Arepas are an easy crowd-pleaser — what’s not to love about meat and cheese sandwiched on griddled corn cakes? — but these arepas from Venezuelan restaurant Carolicious Gourmet are in a category all their own. I dropped into their shiny new space inside Somerville’s Bow Market this past week and bought a smoky ham and cheese arepa. As I unwrapped my order, I knew I was in for a treat. The made-to-order sandwich features a mountain of thinly sliced smoked ham layered with melty white cheese. To top it off, the order came with a serving of a creamy basil sauce that added just the right amount of zing to each bite. — Erika Adams, Eater Boston editor
![A cocktail glass with an orange liquid inside, garnished with a small purple flower.](https://cdn.statically.io/img/cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/108pGJ7e2ZV8xFaqxkUe4saWREo=/0x0:5712x4284/1200x0/filters:focal(0x0:5712x4284):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25472581/IMG_4636.jpg)
Florplay cocktail at Good Neighbor
I’m glad I finally made it to Courtney Moy’s Good Neighbor pop-up at Barlette! Her creations were just as stunning as the drinks she poured me at the Koji Club. One of the standouts was a refreshing yet complex drink called Florplay, which incorporated a Hendricks gin that’s distilled with wildflowers and botanicals. It smelled like a bouquet of flowers picked from a summer garden; it was largely delicate and sweet, which was then balanced by a touch of tangy and dry grapefruit. I may be biased because I’m obsessed with filmmaker Wong Kar-Wai, but I loved how some of Moy’s moody and sensual cocktails were inspired by his and other Asian pop culture icons’ works. If you’re a cinephile like Moy, be sure to pay her pop-up, Good Neighbor, a visit. — Valerie Li Stack, Eater Boston contributor
Tea service at the Courtyard Tea Room in the Boston Public Library
I was diagnosed with celiac last year and I’ve been mourning flaky croissants and hunting for gluten-free goodies ever since. One of several items on my allergy-friendly bucket list was high tea. Finger sandwiches and cookies don’t typically lend themselves to the gluten-impaired, but at the Courtyard Tea Room in the Boston Public Library, alternative options abound. Almost every item in the three-tiered tea service can be replicated with gluten-free bread, scones, cookies, and more. So even us celiacs can live out our pinkies-up Bridgerton dreams in digestional peace. — Celina Colby, Eater Boston contributor