The unofficial start of summer falls a little early this year. Whether you’re inclined to hit the road for Memorial Day or linger in town reveling in the post-academic-mass-exodus quiet, there’s a new crop of restaurants screaming to be checked out. Stroll down Boylston Street where new bar-restaurant, George, is getting comfy in the space that once housed The Rattlesnake. Chef Al Soto, formerly of the Beacon Hill Hotel and Bistro is behind the scenes to dress up the menu in this…well, George-themed restaurant. A few doors down the very soft opening for Excelsior, Lydia Shire’s eagerly anticipated venture in the former Biba spot, is underway. Expect an impressive assortment of signature cocktails in addition to the lunch, dinner and bar menus. Head a little further downtown for a Chinese restaurant like Boston’s never seen. Peking Tom’s, chef Marc Orfaly’s recent collaborative effort with designer Kristine Irving and restaurateur Michael Conlon, is up and running.