Dignitary Sighting at the Osaka Japanese Restaurant in Cambridge, Mass.

Many years ago, my dad took a lunch break with some teacher friends at Osaka Japanese restaurant on Concord Ave. in Cambridge, and came back home with a story that he could virtually call his own.

Just as about he was about to be seated, a man that looked like an older version of Dennis the Menace's father almost ran right into him. It wasn't Dennis the Menace's father, however (fictional character!). It was Henry Kissinger, our 56th United States of America Secretary of State!  He joined my dad and friends for lunch and they shared some delightful, intellectually based conversations.

In my young mind, I was very happy for my dad that he met such an esteemed, accomplished figure, but was also jealous that I wasn't there. At seven years-old, I had learned to memorize every president's name and could recite them, in order, backward and forward. I wanted to show off to Mr. Kissinger this knowledge.  I also wanted to meet a celebrity like him. Heck, my only celebrity interactions, at that point, were with Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Lee Stange and comedian Soupy Sales!

As I matured and started to appreciate Japanese food, I recognized Osaka as a wonderful little Japanese restaurant that prided itself on chef-inspired cuisine, friendly and humble service and a living room-like atmosphere -- too bad it's not around anymore.  It was a bit of a hidden restaurant, so I found it quite interesting that Dr. Kissinger found this place!

Do you have any memories of celebrity/dignitary sightings back in the day? If so please feel free to comment below!

Elsie's Sandwich Shop, Cambridge, Mass.

Our readers greatly miss Elsie's Sandwich Shops that were once located in Cambridge and Falmouth on Cape Cod.

Steve wrote, "The best deli sandwiches around ... I liked them better than Jack and Marion's. Especially "the Fresser's delight."

Evan from London, England, sent us a message stating, "that landmark that marked the beginning of any vacation on the Cape for decades. I still remind my family of how much I miss those turkey sandwiches with the thinnest slices of turkey I have seen anywhere. Melted in your mouth-no chewing required."

Stuart wrote us a while back saying, "Can you add Elsie's in Harvard Square to your list?  I was just back for my 35th Harvard reunion and everyone is still talking about it!"

Stuart, sorry we are a little late with this but we'd be more than honored to mention Elsie's!

Elsie's was simply one of the best sandwich shops ever in this region. I don't know much about the Falmouth location, but can tell you a little about the Cambridge spot by saying this was the place to meet whether you were a student, professor, townie or out-of-towner.  Elsie's trumped other local sandwich shops and certainly offered a superior alternative to college dining hall food. Plus, it was open late at night!

I remember the roast beef sandwiches tasting so much better than any other places -- including those famous places on the North Shore -- and no competitor could match the delicious turkey club. The Fresser's Delight that Steve mentioned consisted of turkey, roast beef, and corned beef on three slices of sissel bread. Elsie's also served a juicy, oversized burger that would give any of those trendy burger chain a good run for the money Yum!

The Cambridge location closed in 1995, staying in business for about 30 years. We miss you, Elsie's!

Joan and Ed's Deli, Natick, Mass.

Joan and Ed's Deli in Natick, Mass., always satisfied.

Pretty much everyone loved Joan and Ed's except for a few malcontents including the proverbial whiners complaining about Boston having no delis comparable to New York City,

First located at Shopper's World in Framingham and then at the Sherwood Plaza in Natick, Joan and Ed's represented everything good about dining out: large portions of food, reasonable prices, an upbeat atmosphere, and long-time staff -- including Joan and Ed-- that took every effort to get to know their customers. Joan and Ed's made a fine pastrami sandwich, awesome chicken soup and matzoh ball soups, potato pancakes that would make grandma proud, and desserts out of huge display cases that were not only delicious but huge. I will always remember the Devil Dog cake!

Joan and Ed's also served as a general restaurant, offering excellent chicken, steak and seafood dishes.

Remember the pony-tailed man working the front counter?  He always seemed slightly gruff and intimidating, but ultimately was a very nice person that has a place in our unofficial customer service hall of fame. The guy never made a mistake.

Joan and Ed's sadly closed in 2010. The location is now occupied by Zaftig's Deli, another fine deli that has a great local reputation. I would still take Joan and Ed's, though. In its 33 years, Joan and Ed's hit a home run with virtually everything they did -- what a great run! We miss it very much, though.

Remember Rick's Cafe, Newton, Mass.,Located in a Former Church?

Does anyone remember Rick's Cafe, a Newton, Mass., restaurant that was located in a former church?

Owned by Weylu's -- the huge Chinese restaurant in Saugus, Mass., that is also no longer with us -- Rick's Cafe featured, as expected, a most unusual atmosphere, with dining rooms located on several floors of this tall church. Dimly-lit and quiet, the atmosphere worked as a cozy destination but also somewhat unsettling as many felt a church should not change into a commercial endeavor.

Rick's Cafe gained a lot of attention when open in, as best I remember, the early 1980s, but do a Google search today and nothing comes up. The steak, chicken and seafood offerings were done better at other local restaurants, and the church setting novelty wore off quickly.  Plus the large size of the restaurant demanded crowds to stay financially viable.. As a result, Rick's Cafe was not in it for the long run but, nevertheless, remains a fascinating piece of Boston area restaurant history.