The Best Dishes Eater Boston’s Team Ate in May 2024

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.

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

Valerie Li Stack/Eater Boston

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

Celina Colby/Eater Boston

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