Bishop's in Lawrence, Mass.

During its heyday, Bishop's in Lawrence, Mass. served the best Middle Eastern food and French fries in New England.

That's right, Middle Eastern food and French fries. The lamb kabobs, hummus, babba ganoush, stuffed grape leaves and, yes, perfectly cooked, shoestring french fries had no rival. The atmosphere was memorable too, with, as someone described, a dining room that resembled an aircraft carrier. Bishop's always had amazing service, with many "career" waiters -- the professionalism showed. We never thought Bishop's would close, but it did, and we had to find another restaurant to call a tradition for a revered annual family birthday celebration.