News Nearby: Tulip Asian Cuisine Opens in Stoneham

Each Saturday, Melrose Patch will run a round-up with links to stories from surrounding communities that are of interest to Melrosians.

STONEHAM—It's been roughly one year in the offing, but Tulip Asian Cuisine's long-awaited grand opening was held on Memorial Day.

At 4 p.m. Monday, the restaurant opened its doors to patrons, according to Manager Chris Tsao. The establishment is located at the former Ames location at 121 Main St. at Redstone Shopping Center in Stoneham.

The 82,000-square-foot restaurant, which was , features an 80-seat dining room, 76-seat Teppanyaki grill room, 32-seat lounge area (equipped with flatscreen TVs) and an eight-seat sushi bar. The restaurant also plans to introduce outdoor patio seating in the near future, according to Tsao.

WAKEFIELD—A customer pulled a knife on an employee after a verbal fight between the two men at the Shell Gas Station on Lowell Street turned into threats to physically harm each other, police said. 

Police were notified around 9:25 a.m. on Wednesday that an employee and a customer, both from Wakefield, had been arguing over work done to a car at the Shell vehicle repair shop.

The customer told police the employee was threatening him and was going to do him harm, so he pulled out a knife, police said.The man claimed the employee was going to punch him. Police are summonsing both men to Malden District Court for their roles in the argument, one on charges of assault with a dangerous weapon (knife) and the other for assault for holding up clenched fists.

MEDFORD—Piles of trash bags are often set out on sidewalks in Medford's squares days before garbage trucks make their rounds, according to city councilors, and they're sick of it.

"The mayor could pick up the phone tomorrow and have this addressed, there is no doubt in my mind," City Councilor Robert Maiocco said in a Tuesday meeting. "The only word I can think of is disgrace.”

Maiocco brought forward a resolution calling for Mayor Michael McGlynn to review and enhance the trash pick-up program for city squares; it was approved by the council unanimously.

READING—Perfecto’s Caffe is still brewing plans to move to south Main Street in Reading. Two town boards approved revised plans for the site, just north of eCars, in March, according to Town Staff Planner Jessie Wilson.

Max Gabriello and his brother started Perfecto’s Caffe in 1992, Gabriello told Patch, in Andover. Some of the customers in the Andover store are from Reading, he said, explaining why they wanted to open here. The brothers own three stores, in Andover, Tewksbury and Kennebunk, Maine, he said, and franchise two, in Peabody and North Andover.