One of our travel guides partners, Not For Tourists, has several unique offerings for travelers on their website this week. Check out the following highlights from their Boston correspondents this week...

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NFT Boston Party: March 20th!  By: Aaron Schielke

Hong Kong Lounge

Alright non-Tourists, we've got some news for you: The 2009 NFT Guide to Boston is now published and available in stores, so it's time to party. Ok, sure, we'll take any excuse to have a good time, but this is a release party--so at least we have a decent reason for a change. So what does this mean for you faithful reader? First, we would like to meet YOU. To see the people that use our little black book and website to explore the city. Second, for choosing to meet us, we're going to be giving out free 2009 guides, free snacks, and complimentary drinks (while supplies last) to make us seem all the more charming. So come on down to one of our favorite watering holes in Cambridge--The Hong Kong Lounge and Restaurant--where the scorpion bowls will knock you unconscious and the teriyaki skewers will bring you back to life. Food, music, dancing--The Hong Kong has everything you need in a bar, and it's crawling distance back to the T, so our more eco-friendly public transportation crew can come and go safely. We're talking food, we're talking hooch, and you're talking to us about what you love about NFT. Come to the Hong Kong on March 20th at 6 pm and celebrate in style. And spread the word. This party is free and open to anyone and everyone!

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BanQ for Your Buck By:  Emily Doutre

BanQ

If I'm going to spend $30 on an entree, the food had better be "something different." Luckily, BanQ pulls this feat off fluently with an executive chef direct from New Delhi. Many different fun flavors collide on your plate, combining traditional Eastern ingredients with innovative recipes. Definitely check out the flash seared Vietnamese shrimp, the pan seared scallops, and the Muscovy duck breast. But beware: unlike many upscale restaurants, the portions at BanQ are huge. I was actually so full after decimating my dinner that I couldn't bear to look at the dessert menu. The only critical point I can give about BanQ is that the chef is a bit overzealous in the number of ingredients per dish, and could benefit from employing a bit more simplicity. That said, everything was still delicious and worth every penny (as long as you have a lot of pennies). But if the economy is dragging you down, consider checking out BanQ's Bailout Menu, a 3 course prix fixe at $29.95, Sunday thru Thursday, from 5:30 pm-7:30 pm. That's the kind of bailout we can all get behind.

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Too Legit To Quit  By:  Patrick Hellen

Open Boxes

I feel I'm crossing some unseen barrier by bringing attention to this store, and that mere moments after this appears on the NFT website, I'm going to feel an icy chill behind me, and a cold claw of a hand will tap me on the shoulder and ask me if I would like to see the inside of their van. Bygones. I must soldier on, and inform you people about the creepiest store in Boston--Open Boxes.Ok, it's not really that creepy, it's just the concept itself is a bit daunting. Used electronics? They've got em, and we’re talking electronics you've never even heard of, or know what they’re used for. Think Victorian age and vapors. The real treat here is the namesake of the establishment, the previously mentioned Open Boxes. Now, I'm assuming that this place is legit, and that a Circuit City or Best Buy must use stores like this to get rid of some of their opened and returned merchandise, but I can't help feeling like the entire store fell off the back of a truck, and that I'm on some FBI video somewhere. I wonder if they bought the camera from here.

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In the Buff  By:  Todd Strauss

Buff’s Pub

You're not in Buffalo and you are craving wings...What are you going to do?  You're sure as hell not going to drive 7+ hours to get to the Anchor Bar. You can run to any pub and grab some mediocre wings, but, really, that doesn't cut it. The only option is to get a bit out of the city and head to Buff's Pub in Newton. It's been years since I've been in Buffalo so I can't tell you how these compare, but the wings at Buff's are by far the best that I have had in Massachusetts. If wings aren't your thing, their other food is also a notch above other pubs, but Buff's is really all about pints and wings.

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Flaunt Your Flauta By:  Patrick Hellen

Taqueria Casa Real

As you may know, my love for Mexican food knows very little bounds, and as it forces me to move ever outward in my search for that perfect taco, that exquisite burrito, that incredible quesadilla, occasionally I miss places in my own backyard. That is the case with Real Taco, mere minutes down the road in Dorchester. Located a few blocks down from Andrew Square, Real seems to do Central American comfort food pretty well. They've got the homemade street cart favorites like fried plantains to hit your sweet-tooth, fantastic salsa and guac, (although the chips are bleh if you get them a bit late), and decent burritos. I'm going to draw your attention to the tacos, especially the Taco Flauta, which is Spanish for fucking A. We're talking chicken, potato, peppers, wrapped in tortilla, and DEEP FRIED. Toss that to me with a side of beans and I'm pretty stoked. It's cheap, it's quick, and the staff prepares everything right in front of you, so if you're driving down Dot Ave and you need a salsa fix, Taco Flauta to go. It's worth it.

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Check out their website  - they have free downloadable guides, maps, gear, and of course, the travel guide books. Not to mention, they are pretty funny people. I am always laughing when I visit their site, or read their newsletter.

They also have sections of their guidebooks available for download at only $1.50.

Not For Tourists has offered a coupon for Wandering Educators - please use the coupon code: WE for a 10% discount.