New Thai Restaurant in Wakefield and More Nearby Bites

We know Winchester residents don't only stay in town when they want a night out and a break from cooking. 

Restaurant coming and goings, new businesses and the best dishes and recipes are among the items that have appeared on Patch sites around the region over the past month.

Here is a look at the restaurant and food stories covered in February:

Somerville

"Craigie on Main food is one of the themes that I have, and the other theme is the more rustic food that I cook for my family on Monday nights. It's a little more family style, and still great ingredients," Tony Maws, chef of Cambridge's Craigie on Main, said on WBUR's Radio Boston.

That's what restaurant fans can expect when Maws opens his new restaurant in the Somerville space formerly occupied by Kirkland Cafe, which closed in 2007.

Quick Look: Lotus Xpress Restaurant Opens on East Broadway

Lotus Xpress, a new Asian restaurant that specializes in Chinese and Japanese cuisine, opened Jan. 31 on East Broadway, and so far, "It's been going well," according to the restaurant's manager.

At 167 Broadway, Lotus Xpress opened at the former site of a KFC that closed at the end of 2011. The building has been renovated for the new restaurant.

Union Square Donuts to Open Thursday

The Union Square area is getting a new donut shop. Union Square Donuts, by the people behind Culinary Cruisers, makes donuts in flavors like chocolate chipotle, maple-bacon, and honey glazed with toasted almonds.

It officially opened its doors at 201 Somerville Ave. in mid-February.

Malden

New High-End Walgreens To Offer Gourmet Groceries - Even Fresh Sushi

Walgreens will invest over $3 million into its Centre Street location this year, with plans to re-open the site as one of the chain's new "gourmet"-style stores, offering Whole Foods-style groceries and other amenities. 

The new store will include some items that would seem out of place in a traditional Walgreens, including the sale of fresh produce, fine cheeses and even fresh sushi prepared on-site.

PHOTOS: New Cuban Restaurant Opens in Malden Center

Maybe you've walked past Oyá Cuban Cafe, a new Cuban restaurant in Malden Center that quietly held a soft opening last week – but there's a lot worth gawking at inside, too.

Chef/Owner Roberto Niubo left his native Havana for the United States when he was 26, and studied the cuisine both in his homeland and at Boston's Le Cordon Bleu. After graduating from the latter, Niubo decided to bring some Cuban flair to the Boston area, finally settling on opening a business in Malden after 12 years in the business.

Leaders Welcome 'Amira Market' to Pleasant Street

The Benlaatmania family opened the doors to a new Pleasant Street Middle Eastern market this week, offering groceries and meats from the region. 

Amira Market offers both halal and deli meats, among other Mideast culinary curiosities. 

Wakefield

New Thai Restaurant Opening Soon in Wakefield

Wakefield's newest restaurant is set to open up in the next couple of weeks at the 21 Princess Street location just off Main Street in downtown that was occupied by Zalek's until last summer.

Na Dongparteep and White Chanin are two of the entrepreneurs opening the restaurant. This will be the second location of Phuket (pronounced Pu-ket and named after the popular resort area in Southern Thailand), with the first one on Centre Street in West Roxbury. The West Roxbury location has been open since 2006. 

Woburn

Firehouse Subs Set to Open in Woburn

A casual dining restaurant that was founded by former firefighters and that does much to support fire and police is set to open in Woburn. Emily Oliver of The Zimmerman Agency, the public relations company for Firehouse Subs, said the restaurant will be opening at 103 Commerce Way, Suite C1, sometime in late March.

This will be the third Firehouse Subs in Massachusetts. Currently the company has locations in Danvers and in Copley Square in Boston. According to the restaurant, Firehouse Subs is a fast casual restaurant chain that has a "passion for hearty and flavorful food, heartfelt service and public safety."

What's Going on With Liberty Bell Restaurant?

The Liberty Bell Restaurant on Main Street has been locked up for the last couple of week. Readers asked Woburn Patch on our Facebook page if the restaurant is closed.

We were not able to get in touch with the owner of Liberty Bell, but we were told by someone who knows that the restaurant has been sold. It is as yet unknown if the new owner will keep the location the same or open a new business.