September 21st has passed and you know what that means: it is officially Autumn. The leaves are changing colors and falling off the trees, the Halloween decorations are making their way into storefronts, and Crema has put out their Autumn themed “Fall in Love with Our Seasonal Drinks” sign.
The sign boasts maple lattes, warm apple cider, and chaider (chai cider). On a chilly Wednesday morning, I waited in the long line of Crema-lovers to make the season change official.
I decided to opt for the first of the suggested fall beverages, a maple latte. As someone who has no sweet tooth, I was nervous about how sweet my maple latte would be. It finally arrived with a beautiful white leaf drawn into its maple brown surface. I was pleasantly surprised upon my first sip. This latte hits you first with a rich coffee flavor that gets sweeter and lighter until it becomes a maple aftertaste. As someone who generally does not make it through an entire small coffee, I was surprised to finish my entire latte in under ten minutes. It was flavorful, but not overwhelming, and left a taste in my mouth that left me wanting more. It will definitely be my go-to drink of the season!
In nearby Somerville, the buzz and activity of Cambridge and Boston seemingly do not exist. Quaint is the only way to describe the rustic buildings and quiet space. A mere ten minute walk, and you are able to escape the infamous “Harvard Bubble.” If you need a reason to allow yourself to leave Harvard to Somerville, go to Bergamot.
Bergamot is inconspicuous, sharing a building with a cable store and a kebab shop. It may not catch your attention immediately, but a glance inside the space reveals a sophistication that is unexpected.
My dining companion and I had a reservation for two at 5:00 pm (opening time), and we were promptly seated. Our waitress greeted us and informed us of our options. The two most popular offerings are the $44 dinner prix fixe, composed of an appetizer, entrée, and dessert of your choice, and the $75 tasting menu, a creative sampling of the chef’s choice. Given our time restriction, we opted for the $44 prix fixe (menu items can also be selected à la carte). After some careful deliberation, we ordered our appetizers and entrees and waited patiently.
The customary bread and butter were delivered and were pleasantly surprising. The unique apple mustard butter paired excellently with an almost burnt crust and custardy crumb. My appetite was stimulated. I excitedly watched as plates of food began exiting the kitchen. As my plate was placed in front of me, I could barely hold myself back out of courtesy for my companion. The instant both plates touched down, we ravenously began to eat.
Squid Ink TagliatelleSea Bass Crudo
The jet black squid ink tagliatelle left an immediate visual impact: a contrast of colors with a white plate and brightly colored heirloom tomatoes. The pasta itself was cooked a nice al dente, which gave it an almost meaty characteristic that complemented the sweet juiciness of the tomatoes. The light saltiness of the pecorino cheese plays on the palette like a light ocean breeze. My appetite slightly sated, I tasted the sea bass crudo and was confused by the complex saltiness from the avocado dressing, the floral notes from the petals, and the sweetness from the two types of melon. While these flavors bounced around my mouth, I was slightly off-put by the amalgamation of flavors. I could see the inventiveness in the exploration of taste, site and smell, but this particular dish was not appealing. We finished our courses and waited for the entrees.
Scallops ProvencalKorean Grilled Short Ribs
As our waitress deposited the plates in front of us, I sat in awe of the meticulous plating of each course. I started with my course, the scallops provencal. My knife sunk through the scallop like a warm butter. The scallop simply melted in my mouth but simultaneously retained the meatiness of a protein. In a state of sheer bliss, I was amazed by the sweet scallop with minor notes from the tomato sauce and dill. The green beans served as the necessary textural component to give the dish a crisp element. Enjoying my course, I sampled my friend’s dish, and experienced an entirely different sensation. In contrast to my dainty scallops, I was almost overwhelmed by the rich meaty short ribs. The slightly sweet Korean glaze was apparent, and it balanced the plate with the crisp salty wild rice pancake. Nothing could describe this course besides a masterful expression of umami (savory flavor). Fairytale eggplant and shiitake mushrooms only contributed more to the savory nature of the course.
As our meal wound down, we prepared for our dessert courses. To say the least, I was underwhelmed. My peach ice cream was a nice reminder of the end of summer, but the ice cream was slightly icy and detracted from the overall dish. The tres leches was also unimpressive, so we finished our meal on a slightly more subdued note.
Despite this, Bergamot provided an incredible meal and experience. While the wait times between courses may have been longer than expected, they allow time for a truly enjoyable dining experience. Prepare yourself by bringing friends and companions outside of Harvard Square and enjoy a phenomenal meal. While Bergamot may appear to be a formal white tablecloth restaurant, it exudes a familiar and homely vibe. Keith Pooler, Executive Chef and Owner, has created a comfortable dining environment for those seeking a good meal and a nice conversation.
Bergamot
Location: 118 Beacon Street, Somerville, MA 02143
Reservation: OpenTable or by Phone (617)-576-7700
Stand out dishes: squid ink tagliatelle, Korean grilled short rib
Overall Rating: 4.5/5
Food: 4.5/5
Service: 4.5/5*
Ambience: 5/5
* Note: the $75 7-course tasting takes 2 hours, so be prepared.
As a Korean from Orange County, California, I have frequent cravings for my Korean-style chicken wings. When I heard good things about BonChon Chicken, “excited” doesn’t even begin to describe how I felt. I made plans to eat dinner there with my fellow Korean friends who were also originally from Orange County, and we were all anticipating a night to finally satisfy our longing for some food from back home.
The place was pretty full when we arrived, which I took as a positive sign. The wait wasn’t unreasonable for a party of three, although the waitress couldn’t give us the approximate wait time. After about 15 minutes, we were seated, and I took in the surroundings as we were given our menus.
I could see that BonChon obviously wanted to create an “oriental” atmosphere with its red seats and overhead lamps. There was also a grill in the table for Korean barbecue – something that I’m looking forward to using soon.
About five minutes later, the waitress returned to take our orders. We had Edamame as our appetizer, and a medium-sized Half-and-Half Soy Garlic and Spicy Chicken Platter (10 pcs) as our main dish, which the waitress had recommended for our party of three. The prices were reasonable, although they weren’t on the cheap side ($5.95 for Edamame, $20.95 for the platter).
What I found interesting was that our main dish actually arrived earlier than our appetizer, but the wait times for both were normal. We were also given radishes and a salad as sides for the main dish.
I first had the salad, which – as you can probably see from the picture – had too much mayo. It also had too many spices, which made a very strange combination that did not impress me. The edamame was better, but it was a bit overcooked. But, I really liked the radishes. They were crisp and refreshing, just as radishes should be.
I then tried the Soy Garlic chicken. The outside was crunchy, and the inside had a nice texture. The garlic was thankfully not overpowering at all, but instead complimented the chicken well. The Spicy chicken was very, very spicy. People who really love spicy food will definitely enjoy this dish – as for me, a person who can’t handle super spicy food, I couldn’t finish the chicken wing after one bite.
Overall, I felt underwhelmed. This might be because Orange County offers so many mouthwatering Korean-style chicken wings (if you ever come down to Orange County, you MUST try out Flying Chicken Pa-Dak), but BonChon was just “meh.” It wasn’t bad, but not particularly amazing, either. I’ll come here again to check out the Korean BBQ, and maybe once in a while to satisfy future Korean-style chicken cravings. For those of you who have never had Korean-style chickens, I’d recommend you to try this place out, only on one condition: Think of BonChon as an introduction to the amazing world of Korean food, but remember that it can get so much better.
One week ago today, Liquiteria opened its doors to the public for the first time, its bright blue and yellow interior the only beacon of hope on the otherwise dismally cold June day. While the New England weather may not always show it, Liquiteria radiates the tastes and smells of summer, offering an extensive variety of smoothies, cold pressed juices, cleanse kits, and to-go food items.
Sitting on the corner of Mass Ave and Church St. (translation: right near the once 24-hour CVS, or 20 steps from Johnston Gate), this outpost is the first to open in Massachusetts. The original three locations reside in New York City where Liquiteria began as cold pressed juice shop. Cold pressed juices became very popular a few years ago, as big names such as Starbucks and ‘the west coast’ caught on to the trend, and Liquiteria seems to have benefitted from the juices’ widespread success.
So what’s the difference between cold pressed juice, and well, regular old juice? Chances are the apple juice your mom used to buy at Walmart is ‘hot pressed juice,’ made by heating, boiling, or steaming the fruit so that its skin and pulp will separate. The pulp then becomes very easy to press, making for a smooth, skinless juice. However, with the benefit of easy-pressing comes the risk of losing flavor and nutrients. When juice is heated, volatile flavor compounds are the first to go. (If you are familiar with the use of what are called glass, or cellophane, noodles in Asian cuisines, these noodles absorb the volatile compounds released while stir-frying vegetables, retaining the flavors that would otherwise be lost in the cooking process. This is conceptually similar to what happens when making a hot pressed juice, except these compounds are lost.)
Cold pressed juices are a different story. To eliminate the negative effects of heating, thousands of pounds of pressure go into squeezing all the juice possible from the fruit or vegetable, a method known as high pressure processing. Furthermore, as compared to hot pressed juices, much more produce goes into a single bottle of juice. For example, some companies claim that up to 6 lbs of produce can go into one 16 oz bottle of cold pressed juice, whereas Tropicana orange juice (a hot pressed juice) has less than 2 lbs of oranges per 16 oz bottle. Thus, cold pressed emerges as the nutritionally, and most likely flavorfully, superior choice.
Liquiteria offers twelve different juice flavors daily, ranging from the obligatory All Greens (Kale, Spinach, Romaine, Parsley, Celery, Cucumber) to some funkier blends, such as Turmeric Tonic (Turmeric, probiotic, lemon, maple syrup), the unfortunately-colored Skin Trip (Parsley, Spinach, Cucumber, Carrots), and my personal favorite, the refreshing, much-needed-wakeup-call-to -your-taste-buds, the Killer XX (Apple, Lemon, Ginger, Cayenne). As a seasonal extra, they are currently offering Watermelon juice, which essentially is like drinking the 4th of July from a plastic bottle. Each juice flavor comes in a 16 oz bottle, and is always available in the grab and go section.
A particularly intriguing set of options on Liquiteria’s menu are the fruit juice cleanses, sold in either 1 or 3 day packs. Four cleanses are available, ranging from the introductory/beginner level in which one is still allowed to snack intermittently throughout the day, to the final level which is described simply as “aggressive.” If you’re interested in giving your body a boost, or just want to see if you can “drink your body weight in ounces of spring or purified water per day”, check out Liquiteria’s website for more information.
While I was only able to try one smoothie flavor during my visit, the smoothie options seemed on the whole very promising. Whether you’re feeling fruity, craving peanut butter, dreaming of açaí, or still can’t get enough of kale, there’s a smoothie for you. Even if you’re not sold on the pre-made combinations, you can customize any of the smoothies to your liking, as well as substitute almond butter for peanut butter if you have an allergy. There is also the option to add boosters to your smoothie—chia, vitamin c, aloe vera, spirulina (a blue-green algae purported as a “superfood”), bee pollen, and flax seed oil, to name a few—and many of these ingredients are also featured in the 1 oz juice shots in the grab-and-go section.
Sure to be a campus-wide favorite, during my visit I decided to try the too-good-to-be-true Hangover Cure smoothie. While I admittedly did not have the proper qualifications to participate in a controlled study of its efficacy, I can attest to its perfectly blended texture, and mild, satisfying taste. I would say this smoothie as a whole lacked any sort of “wow” factor in terms of taste, but this may be mainly the fault of the typically milky taste of its main ingredients: papaya, peaches, and bananas.
Hangover Cure Smoothie.
[But then again, no one who actually needs this smoothie would want anymore surprises after hearing from their blockmates what happened last night…]
The service at the newly opened location is the perfect blend of excited and sassy. Having gone through an extensive training before the opening, the staff have memorized the ingredients of each item and are also capable of speaking to their health benefits. They also have had time to pick favorites. One staff member raved about the PB&J Parfait, as well as the Blue Velvet smoothie, which she said tastes like you’re sipping blueberry cake. Sounds good to me.
Besides the great staff recommendations, Liquiteria is notably staffed with enoughpeople, and also enough blenders, to get the orders out quickly. This cannot be said of all smoothie places— I know I have waited considerable amounts of time for blended drinks, as most places only have one or two blenders, and not always enough staff on hand.
So… what’s the catch? As you might have already suspected, Liquiteria is not exactly a bargain like our beloved Noch’s or Felipe’s. While theoretically we should all invest in our general wellbeing (remember, there could be up to 6 lbs of produce in one 16 oz bottle of juice), up to $9 for a juice or smoothie seems outrageous for the average college kid on a budget. With that being said, the staff were quick to mention that many of the smoothies contain whey protein, meaning they can serve as a meal substitute in terms of the nutritional content. In that sense, $8-9 does not seem too terrible, especially if you are in a rush between classes and don’t have time to chew.
Only time will tell if Liquiteria lives up to all its pulp and circumstance.
To give you a better idea of how Liquiteria fits into the current smoothie-scene on and around campus, check out the chart below!
*Walking distance with Harvard Yard as the starting point.
Whenever I talk to strangers about food (which happens more often than you’d think), my favorite question to ask is, “Where’s your favorite place to have brunch?” Brunch is, after all, the most important meal of the day—nay, week. Over the past year and a half I’ve been in Boston, the most frequent answer to my question has been the Friendly Toast.
Located in the heart of Kendall square—a 30-minute walk from campus, or a 5-minute walk from the Kendall/MIT T-stop—this old-timey-but-still-modern diner is a gem. Most of the decorations are typical of a classic diner (think old ads for Dr. Scholls and figurines of Barbie from the 60s), but the bright green walls give the place a more modern feel. Overall, the Friendly toast has a very fun and lively atmosphere, especially on a dreary Sunday morning.
Now, for the reason we came: the food. The menu offers both breakfast and lunch options, and many stood out. The oatmeal raisin pancakes with berries and homemade whipped cream and the Rob Roy, a burrito stuffed with chicken, corn salsa, black olives, brown rice, jalapeno jack cheese drizzled with chipotle and Jack Daniels BBQ sauce, both looked tempting. However, my friend and I ultimately settled for the King Cakes—creamy peanut butter sauce sandwiched between two banana chocolate chip pancakes and topped with bacon and homemade whipped cream—and the smoked salmon eggs benedict. I also opted to try the coconut-flavored hot cocoas, and my friend ordered orange juice.
Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict
The orange juice was not fresh-squeezed, the cocoa was obviously made with syrup, and my friend described the eggs benedict as “good but not great”; the toast was too thick and the hollandaise sauce not creamy enough.
However, we both agreed that the pancakes were out of this world. The sinfully rich peanut butter sauce soaked into the fluffy pancakes, giving them the perfect consistency. The pancakes themselves were stuffed with perfectly ripe bananas and chocolate chips, but their sweetness was offset by the crispy bacon. Elvis would be proud to have these pancakes named for him.
King Cakes
If for no other reason, make the trek to Kendall Square to try these pancakes, but be sure to beat the morning rush. We got there at about 9am and barely had to wait, but by 11am, it was packed! That said, those pancakes are worth the wait.
Watch out Thin Mints! There are new cookies in town, and they are not only supporting the Girl Scouts of America, but are also gluten free and incredibly delicious!
This year the Girl Scouts of America introduced not only one, but two new gluten free cookies. The first ever gluten free Chocolate Chip Shortbread cookie made its debut in select markets in 2014. Next up is Toffee-tastic, a buttery cookie with toffee bits distributed throughout the soft dough. Trios have a peanut butter base with chocolate chips and whole grain oats added.
Before the Girl Scouts started selling gluten free cookies, I was not able to enjoy the delectable treats that everyone raved about. Now, I am able to indulge in the delicious cookies. My favorite new gluten free cookie is Trios because the peanut butter, oatmeal, and chocolate combination is amazing. The gooey chocolate chips melt in my mouth and are the perfect bite size snack.
These addictive gluten free Girl Scout cookies are available for purchase online through a Girl Scout who has her own smartphone app, individual scout sales, and at various locations around Harvard Square. Finding cookie sale locations is quick and easy by downloading the Girl Scout Cookie Finder app to locate the nearest cookie sales booth, which is usually a temporary location set up near a business or store.
So gluten-free eaters, rejoice! And go grab a glass of cold milk and a gluten free Girl Scout cookie.
There’s nothing like a good burger: 8 oz (maybe even 16) of perfectly grilled cow, nested in a toasted bun, globs of ketchup spilling out the sides, meat juice trickling down your chin. But from Tasty Burger to Shake Shack, B.Good to Mr. Bartley’s, Harvard Square is so inundated with burger options, it’s hard to know which is going to give the best burger for your bite.
And yet, another contender has been added to the mix. This past Monday, Boston Burger Company celebrated its first month anniversary at its new location at 1105 Mass Ave, just a two minute walk outside of Harvard Square.
The Jumbo Burger.
Taking advantage of another day off from school, The Crimson Crave, plus a few friends, took the opportunity to check out how the new eats compare to our old favorites. Somewhat comparable to Mr. Bartley’s and Charlie’s Kitchen, Boston Burger Company offers a menu of decked-out burgers. With everything from the standard Boston Burger, to the stacked 420 Burger (mozzarella sticks, fried mac & cheese, onion rings, fries, bacon, golden bbq sauce, and american cheese), BBC is more or less a classic burger joint with some unexpected twists.
A perilous, structurally unsound tower of Eliot Grille items: the 420 Burger.
Each burger comes with a sizable 8 oz patty made in house — that is, unless you get the Jumbo (pictured below) which is an entire pound of beef, smothered in cheddar, caramelized onions, bacon and BBQ sauce. Instead of fries, homemade potato chips play the role of supporting actor to each burger. Skeptical? We were too, but surprisingly these chips are a perfect combination of much fried and so flavor for any burger. That’s not to say BBC doesn’t have an impressive range of fries; while we were too full to order any, the buffalo cheese (buffalo sauce, cheddar jack cheese, and bleu cheese dressing) and the BBC sweet potato fries (sweet potato fries tossed in caramel and cinnamon) looked quite promising.
How to eat a Jumbo Burger correctly.The Killer Bee: An obelisk of fried onions.
We strategically selected six different burgers in order to test the range of the menu. Like having the midnight munchies for lunch, the 420 Burger (mentioned above) looked and tasted as if all of the items at Eliot Grille were stacked neatly inside two buns for support. The Killer Bee definitely got the award for height, boasting an impressive stack of onion rings atop a cheese covered patty. With its fried egg, ham, bacon sautéed peppers, mushrooms, and three types of cheese, the Kitchen Sink Burger tasted like the breakfast burger you’ve only dreamed of. Another favorite came from the special menu; it’s called the Sophie Burger and it was covered with prosciutto, goat cheese, balsamic reduction, arugula and candied walnuts. Comparably, the Jumbo and Bruschetta Burger were not as awe-inspiring. Devoid of toppings, the jumbo lacked flavor and intrigue. The Bruschetta Burger was accompanied by tomatoes, basil, olive oil, and pesto, but the usually delicate flavors fell flat under the weight of the hefty beef patty.
The Sophie Burger
The kitchen definitely knows how to cook a burger to order, something you unfortunately can’t always take for granted. Although the beef patties themselves were not the most flavorful, we found that the best burgers were cooked to medium. For those of us who got medium rare or well done, the undeveloped flavors of the burger were more apparent, and we ended up stealing bites from the people who wisely ordered medium burgers. Hey, what are friends for?
The Kitchen Sink
In the end, at Boston Burger Company, it’s really the creative, artery-clogging toppings that add flair and quality to the burger. Compared to Bartley’s, BBC is definitely the better choice for larger groups. It has a spacious dining area, complete with seats available at the bar, and some high tables that are the perfect place to catch the game. With full length windows at the front, natural light adds to the open atmosphere making it a perfect setting to enjoy a burger with your friends.
The Boston Burger Company completes its stylish industrial interior design with a full bar that features as much variety in their local draft beers as their burgers. The decorative tap handles showcase the twelve delicious beers that flow freely, tantalizing those of us that are still underage. The bar is the perfect setting to eat a massive burger paired with a stout brew while watching the game and shooting the shit with your buds. Overseeing it all is an excellent staff with very friendly and attentive servers.
Though the beef patties left something to be desired, we went home with the now-it’s-time-to-take-a-nap feeling, which is all a group of hungry students can ask for from a $12 meal. And maybe Harvard Square didn’t need another burger joint added to the mix, but with a burger called the Mac Attack, it’ll be hard to stay away.
As my friends and I sat down for dinner on Thursday night, they had no idea what HUDS had in store in the servery. I, on the other hand, had been anticipating this meal all week: a Chinese New Year celebration. After doing my research, I learned that the traditional meal served on New Year’s Eve typically includes both meat and fish, as well as eight individual dishes which reflect the number’s significance as a good luck symbol.
HUDS certainly delivered its version of the traditional Chinese New Year feast. I walked away with a full plate, excited to try the dining hall’s take on (the vegetarian) Buddha’s Delight, the hoisin glazed salmon, spicy green beans, peking cabbage, and some egg fried rice.
While I might be alone on this one, I was most excited for the Buddha’s Delight (pictured below). The elaborate vegetarian dish is one often served by families on Chinese New Year, and the dining hall staff created a great replication. Their version included tofu, water chestnuts, carrots, pea pods, baby corn, broccoli, and scallions, with soy sauce and sesame oil tossed in, and topped with a nice blend of ginger, sugar, and garlic. While the ingredients created a perfect combination, the dish was a bit too saucy, but a tasty addition as it leaked onto the cabbage and green beans underneath.
Continuing to break outside the normal veggie offerings this evening, the Chinese New Year fare included spicy green beans (read: green beans with crushed garlic, diced tomatoes, jalapeno peppers, cilantro, and cumin) and peking cabbage. The green beans definitely had an extra kick, making them an exciting and delicious break from the usual, but not quite what I would call spicy.
The fried foods were all table favorites: vegetable egg rolls (top) and pork dumplings (middle). I can speak for the egg rolls, and they were spot on this evening. Perfectly crisp on the exterior, without too much breading, and enough to give all of the inside veggies just the right flavor. The egg fried rice (bottom) was also well executed – filled with celery and mushrooms for an added touch.
Last but not least on my plate was the hoisin glazed salmon, cooked just right. Hoisin sauce, similar to American barbecue sauce, is made from a combination of soybeans, garlic, sugar, sesame seeds, and chili pepper. The slightly sugary sauce adds a sweet and savory marinade to the dish without taking away from the main attraction.
HUDS’ Chinese New Year meal was a complete success if you ask me. With a few tweaks and improvements, next year’s edition could be even better, but watching my friends walk into the dining hall to find the surprise was worth my full week’s wait. While my Chinese friends were able to celebrate a taste of home, my American ones (myself included) were able to enjoy a cultural experience we won’t forget.
Darwin’s Ltd. 148 Mount Auburn Street
Cambridge, MA
By Danielle Leavitt ’17
Darwin’s Ltd., located at 148 Mount Auburn Street is the perfect place for a Valentine’s date. Eclectic decor, a vast array of natural, organic soups, made-to-order sandwiches, wines, and fresh veggies and fruits — it’s a great place to either pick-up a picnic lunch or eat in. Take a seat in the cozy seating area with your date, and sample many of the different flavored coffees and fresh bakery items. However, no great Valentine’s date would be complete without a gluten free option, and Darwin’s is no exception. Their gluten free sandwich bread is incredibly tasty, and the homemade gluten free pastries and scones are to die for. My personal favorite sandwich is the Hilliard: sprouts, Havarti cheese, and turkey on gluten free bread. For the yummiest and best kept secret in Cambridge, take your date to Darwin’s Ltd.!
Giulia 1682 Massachusetts Ave
Cambridge, MA
By Victoria Piccione ’16
There are few things more romantic than really delicious Italian food. It makes sense: the country is romantic, the language is (quite literally) (R)omantic; it only follows that the food be romantic as well. Giulia on Mass Ave. has mastered this romance – and everyone knows it because the restaurant is always packed. The lighting is dim and the venue is small, the perfect amount of cozy for you and your Valentine. And despite below-freezing temps and below-zero wind chill, the food will warm you from the inside-out.
For the antipasto, you can’t miss the burrata: kind of a cross between mozzarella and ricotta, this is probably the best cheese you’ll ever eat. Choosing a main course is virtually impossible, with countless mouthwatering pastas on the menu, each prepared fresh daily at the big wooden pasta table featured right in front of the kitchen. And with amazing secondi, like homemade lamb sausage, you may be better off sharing, so you can both get a taste of everything. Of course, Valentine’s Day is the chocolate holiday, so your meal wouldn’t be complete without the chocolate terrine or the affogato. (The latter may just be the best gelato on this side of the Atlantic.) No matter what you choose, though, you can’t go wrong.
With a three-course meal averaging around $35 per person, I wouldn’t really call it a bang-for-your-buck kind of place. But you will certainly be getting your money’s worth. Let’s be honest: great food evokes feelings of pleasure–all the better to share it with your partner. But even if the date is a total flop, you’ll undoubtedly find yourself falling in love with Giulia.
Beat Hôtel 13 Brattle Street
Cambridge, MA
By Orlea Miller ’16
Looking for somewhere new and exciting this Valentine’s Day? Try the Beat Brasserie (the Beat Hôtel)! The regular Bohemian-themed menu will be offered, along with specials including a Duck Confit Salad, the Blue Crab Crostini, and Roasted Lobster with Squid Ink Pasta. You can’t miss this season’s dessert offerings: banana bread pudding, raspberry and blackberry mousse, and flourless chocolate cake! Live music and drink specials are sure to add to the special occasion. Reservations are highly encouraged, call 617-499-0001 to make yours.
Taranta 210 Hanover Street
Boston, MA
By Caroline Gentile ’17
Located in the always romantic North End, Taranta boasts an unlikely fusion of Italian and Peruvian cuisine that is actually a match made in heaven (perhaps like you and your date!). Any of their six pasta dishes are to die for, but the lobster ravioli are by far the most popular. As for the main dishes, the Petto di Pollo –chicken stuffed with fontina cheese and spinach– and the Amazon paiche are sure to impress. The dim lighting, friendly service and delicious food make Taranta a perfect place for a Valentine’s Day date. Be sure to make a reservation by calling 617-720-0052.
Café Algiers
40 Brattle Street
Cambridge, MA
By Dana Ferrante ’17
Tables for two, apricot cookies, a spiral staircase, peppermint orange hot chocolate. The only thing missing? That special someone. If you’re looking for an intimate environment, made for conversation, warm beverages, and classic coffee shop romance, Café Algiers is the perfect place to go and hide from the sure to be snowy Valentine’s Day weather this year. Chances are it won’t be teaming with people, and you won’t have to wait an hour to get your delicious tabbouli salad or cheese plate with arabic bread. For a causal Valentine’s Day, where you’ll be warm, well-fed, and able to hear what your date is saying, Café Algiers is the place to go.
It was a crazy idea, and one that was unlikely to come to fruition: my freshmen roommates and I would taste and critique General Gau’s chicken from every Chinese restaurant in the Greater Boston area.
Why General Gau’s? Well, we love it, every respectable Faux Chinese restaurant serves it, and with a calorie count upwards of 1300, it is a better nutritional deal than a big mac. For us the choice was obvious (especially for Tim– he’s an economist).
Unconcerned with fickle municipal boundaries, we decided to start off our culinary quest in our figurative backyard: The Hong Kong. Located directly outside our freshman dorm, its golden sign beckoned us to consume animal proteins and simple carbohydrates when the time for worrying about such simple matters of nutrition was naught (2am).
As I walked in, the owner looked up, and gave me a warm smile as he patted my back and sat me down at a window table as far away from the bar as possible. (I had a bit of a reputation). After being given chopsticks, playing drums with my chopsticks, and having the waiter take away my chopsticks, I was joined by my compatriots. Tim: rowing extraordinare, economics degenerate. Greg: six pack, piercing green eyes. And me, Adam Wong, waggish cavalier conspiracy inventor.
Team assembled, we quickly named our project: THE SEARCH FOR THE GREATER GAU. As fledging food bloggers, we observed our surroundings to judge the full experience of the Kong and its general Gau’s chicken.
(But first, the bathroom. It is calm, quiet, and the gentle Lysol massages your senses into catharsis. It is a pentagon– a very strong choice. As a unisex bathroom, it unfortunately lacks the convenient urinal and fortunately lacks passive aggressive sharpie graffiti.)
The water came out early and judging from the ice, condensation on the outside of the glass, and the way my teeth hurt while drinking it, the water was cold. Check plus! Knowing the importance of hydration on a crazy Friday night we downed our complimentary waters. Noticing our desperation for hydration, our waiter left a pitcher at our table, showing conscientiousness to our plight. The ice, not quite toothsome, was none the less chewable.
The ambiance is familiar: a painted relief of a Chinese mystic flying on a dragon, her hand formed in a Buddhist symbol, or more likely (judging from the tasteful Steve Miller Band playing in the background) the symbol for “rock on”.
About five minutes after we placed our fateful order, the General ambushed.
Marmalade heaps of deep-fried chicken floated onto our table. The feeling of seeing an old crush fluttered into our respective hearts. Bite-sized pieces glazed in a sweet-and-sour chili orange sauce, sprinkled with creamy white sesame seeds, and broccoli (because we are dignified, thank you very much). Each man mercilessly stabbed a piece and flung it into his gaping mouth. As the chicken came near, the characteristic sweet-and-sour smell wafted into our noses and ticked our sinuses. We put it in our mouth. It was sexy. I fully embraced the hot, sticky chicken, delighting as my teeth cut easily through the sweet, succulent meat. As the tangy orange sauce dribbled down the corner of my mouth, the sour vinegar gave way to the sweet of the sauce, and finally the savory of the chicken. I swallowed, and kept the mouth party going with a subsequent mouthful. I looked up from my mouth meditating, and saw Tim, slumped over his chair in bliss, and Greg, staring comatose into the ceiling. How could so much satisfaction come at the low price of $10.95?
Once we went into beast mode, it didn’t take long to finish the plate. There was a significant amount of the sauce left-over, which went well with the non-sticky, long-grain rice that came with the Gernal Gau’s combination plate.
The check was delivered soon after and we all received fortune cookies of the Lucky Panda brand. To our delight, the fortune cookies were delivered uncracked, unopened, and most definitely containing fortunes. Cracking the two, golden-yellowish sides in half, we put them in our mouths in such a way to avoid ingesting the paper. The cookies themselves –mildly sweet but otherwise flavorless — fragmented like chips in our mouths as we bit down on them. To our surprise, the papers had words, and to our amazement, the papers told us our fortunes. Realizing the terrible nature of predetermination, we busted the heck ‘outta there, but only after leaving a generous 20% tip.
The Boston Burger Company completes its stylish industrial interior design with a full bar that features as much variety in their local draft beers as their burgers. The decorative tap handles showcase the twelve delicious beers that flow freely, tantalizing those of us that are still underage. The bar is the perfect setting to eat a massive burger paired with a stout brew while watching the game and shooting the shit with your buds. Overseeing it all is an excellent staff with very friendly and attentive servers.
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