Cambridge

Sumiao Hunan Kitchen Cambridge

December 18, 2018 by Rich

[4.18/5] I was wrong, like dead wrong. When I first came to Sumiao Hunan Kitchen for their soft opening last year, I was not impressed. Mainly because it had the makings of a PF Changs clone. You know very well what I mean, overly fancy interior decor serving small portioned, okay chinese food at ridiculous prices. I told myself I would not go back there. That was then. A year later, to my surprise a few friends of mine convinced me to go back. Read more to find out how they’ve changed my initial impressions.

Review #057
Restaurant Type: Casual Dining.

Food (65%)
Taste to price 4/5
Quality to price 4/5
Portion to price 4/5
Average = 4

Service (20%)
Friendliness 4.5/5
Promptness 4.5/5
Average = 4.5

Cleanliness (15%)
Bathroom 4.5/5
Dining area 4.5/5
Kitchen area 4.5/5
Average = 4.5

Overall Score = [F(.65)]+[S(.20)]+C(.15)]
= [2.6]+[0.9]+[0.68]
= 4.18

The Pluses…
+ Great place for any occasion and any time of the day, really. Lunch, Dinner, Seasonal, as well as Drinks Menu galore. Perfect restaurant for dates, family, and friends. The AMBIANCE makes this a special one. You’ll see a mixed crowd of both Chinese and non-Chinese which tells me this restaurant offers something for everyone. The energy is great and when I went, they had LIVE MUSIC playing. I couldn’t ask for a better night out.
+ Free WIFI. What Chinese restaurant offers free wifi do you know of?
+ QUALITY dishes. Each one was actually SPICY which is what I liked. None of that weak sh*t! I had the BEEF STRIPS W. PICKLED RADISH, HOMETOWN SAUTEED EEL POT, and the HOT KISS. They were all oh so delicious. Because these plates were so good, I wouldn’t change a thing. I’d get these dishes again within a heartbeat.
+ For a restaurant of this caliber, I was surprised by the PORTION SIZES. Lets just say ‘skimping’ is not in their vocabulary.
+ CUSTOMER SERVICE. Full wait staff with knowledgeable bartenders. You will see lots of staff walking around available for any need. They’re also friendly which can make a difference. Waiting 30 minutes for water shouldn’t be an issue.
+ Full Service Bar. Great variety of Chinese themed cocktails, both Chinese and local brews. Try the JASMINE TEA LAGER, the beer I never knew I wanted. Ever since then, I’ve been looking for it but have come up disappointed at the packaging store. Tell me where I can find this!
+ CLEAN! It’s just as clean as it first opened and a year has passed. Amazing job.
+ Somewhat open kitchen over by the corner. Open kitchens are always a plus for me and even better when staff are fully uniformed because it tells me they take cooking seriously.

The Negs…
– No major negatives here.

The Neutrals…
o PRICEY. Be warned that it is on the pricier side but for good reasons, not without merit. You get exactly what you pay for here which means a fully staffed restaurant, quality, authentic foods, and extra clean facilities. If you can find me a restaurant that offers all that at low prices feel free to call me out!

In Conclusion…
Do not underestimate the power of word of mouth and restaurants listening to their customers needs. It’s amazing to me what Sumiao has done the past year. It’s like they read the reviews and have a team working to make adjustments. That, to me, speaks volumes. Prices maybe high, but honestly I can’t think of another Chinese place that offers a similar overall package as Sumiao Hunan Kitchen. They really outdid themselves here. I don’t see another restaurant contending with them for years to come. Until then, I will keep coming here for one of the best Chinese food the Boston area has to offer.

#ChowYouLater

Sheger Cafe – Cambridge

November 20, 2018 by Rich 7 Comments

[4.21/5] This is part 2 of my quest in search for Boston’s best Ethiopian Restaurant (you can check out my other review of Habesha by going to my profile). Who would have known, a conversation with an Ethiopian Uber Driver got me here. At first, seeing the scarce number of reviews I was a little skeptical but this is what I do to help my fellow restaurant enthusiasts. How did Sheger Cafe do?

Review #055
Restaurant Type: Casual Dining.

Food (65%)
Taste to price 4/5
Quality to price 4/5
Portion to price 4.5/5
Average = 4.17

Service (20%)
Friendliness 5/5
Promptness 4/5
Average = 4.5

Cleanliness (15%)
Bathroom 4/5
Dining area 4/5
Kitchen area 4/5
Average = 4

Overall Score = [F(.65)]+[S(.20)]+C(.15)]
= [2.71]+[0.9]+[0.6]
= 4.21

The Pluses…
+ GREAT MENU. Easy to read. Simple layout with just enough images to make a sound decision on the order. Good variety for Ethiopian food beginners and authentic cuisine seekers alike.
+ Awesome customer service. I was greeted with a nice smile and the waitress answered my questions and even recommended me her favorites.
+ Feels much like a family business which I always have a soft spot for.
+ For the main entree, I had #18 THE ULTIMATE COMBINATIONS OF SHEGER CAFE and THE KITFO SPECIAL. See attached video. That explains it all.
+ Keep in mind, the KITFO SPECIAL is raw. If you’re going to have Ethiopian food, you have to accept going raw (lol). I thoroughly enjoyed it. Lots of flavor and fresh, red meat. The KITFO SPECIAL has got to be a staple to the order.
+ Great portions. If I’m at an Ethiopian restaurant and I don’t take anything home, then it ain’t an Ethiopian Restaurant.
+ Great ambiance. Just like Habesha, there is a big screen TV playing contemporary Ethiopian music. Various Paintings/Photos on the wall are cool.
+ Very CLEAN restaurant and bright atmosphere due to lights and interior colors.

The Negs…
– Not really their fault, but parking in the area can be a little tricky.

The Neutrals…
o They don’t have a real sign outside. It may be a little difficult finding this place since the previous tenant’s sign (Oriental Market) is still up.
o I had the HONEY WINE. That was my first time having it. My best description is it tastes like a mix of apple cider vinegar and honey. A little too sweet for me as I prefer my drinks on the dryer side. Spoiler alert: there is no alcohol in it.
o When you walk in you’ll see a Traditional Ethiopian Coffee Ceremony Set which was pretty darn cool. Makes me wonder if they hold a ceremony on some days. I’d love to watch and drink it.

In Conclusion…
They opened about 5 months ago and it’s still a relatively unknown. At less than 20 reviews, I have to say this place is very underrated and a very much a hidden gem. I’m glad I was one of the first to step foot. I owe that Uber driver a glass of Honey Wine and I will gladly come back here. In all, Sheger Cafe is a must visit if you’re into Ethiopian foods.

#ChowYouLater

Happy Lamb Hot Pot Cambridge

August 27, 2018 by Rich 17 Comments

[4.11/5] I was getting tired of my usual hot pot stops and wanted to try something different for once. Happy Lamb, you guys have great reviews and I happen to be in the area so, why not?

Review #039
Restaurant Type: Casual Dining.
My short summary sentence: Keep the lambs happy and you’ll keep me around.

Food (65%)
Taste to price 4/5
Quality to price 4/5
Portion to price 4.5/5
Average = 4.17

Service (20%)
Friendliness 4/5
Promptness 4/5
Average = 4

Cleanliness (15%)
Bathroom n/a
Dining area 4/5
Kitchen area 4/5
Average = 4

Overall Score = [F(.65)]+[S(.20)]+C(.15)]
= [2.71]+[0.8]+[0.6]
= 4.11

The Pluses…
+ Great Lunch Menu at approx. $13!
+ You get to choose a protein, broth, and comes with a set of veggies.
+ The variety of veggies is pretty good.
+ Large selection of meats and veggies.
+ Great portion sizes. Not too much and not too little.
+ The slices of the meat was nice. Not overly frozen like some places.
+ Friendly waiter and a clean kitchen.
+ Broth was full of flavor :). Lot of herbs and spices most notably cumin.
+ Delicious Lamb Skewers! They were perfectly tender and hot! They should make a Chili Powder option. I would have loved it sprinkled all over.

The Negatives…
– No major negatives here.

The Neutral…
o Broth was a little salty which make sense since dipping sauce is not encouraged.
o I repeat, this is not the place for dipping! In case you absolutely need to dippity-dip, they have Sesame oil, Sesame Sauce, Minced Garlic, and Chili.
o Despite having only one waiter (who was also, strangely, the host) for the whole restaurant, he was pretty efficient. I don’t recall needing to find the waiter to get my water filled or something else. He always came before I needed anything.

Rangzen Tibetan Place Cambridge

August 9, 2018 by Rich 38 Comments

Everytime I head to H Mart, I’m always passing by Rangzen Tibetan Place. This went on for about 2 years and finally I told myself, “Enough already. Let’s try some Tibetan food!”

Restaurant Type: Casual Dining.
My short summary sentence: Momo for the Millionaire Guru.

Food (65%)
Taste to price 2.5/5
Quality to price 3/5
Portion to price 3.5/5
Average = 3

Service (20%)
Friendliness 4/5
Promptness 4/5
Average = 4

Cleanliness (15%)
Bathroom n/a
Dining area 4/5
Kitchen area 4/5
Average = 4

Overall Score = [F(.65)]+[S(.20)]+C(.15)]
= [1.95]+[0.8]+[0.6]
= 3.35

What else to know: I found myself torn and yet again a minority here. I really wanted to like the place. I mean, they did a wonderful job with the exterior and the prayer flags hanging outside their veneer. The menu was nicely curated with a thoughtful intro on the first page. The ambiance and the wait staff were all too kind but when the food came, things started to go a little south. At $15.95 for 8 pieces of lamb momo, I expected complex flavors and textures. When I bit into it, all of it was absent. Don’t get me wrong, they were good but not at that price point I was anticipating much more. I would have felt quite differently at half the price which brings me to their lunch buffet. At $14.77 per person, this may address my price complaints and change my review. Perhaps, this is the experience reviewers rave about. For that reason this review remains to be finalized. Until then, 3.35/5 sounds just about right for dinner time.

Langsha Tsel Nezom w/ steamed buns!
Langsha Tsel Nezom

Little Donkey

April 23, 2018 by Rich 5 Comments

Apartment hunting in Cambridge is a pain, but somehow it led me here so I’m glad I got something out of it.

Food: See pic (65%)
Taste to price 4/5
Quality to price 4/5
Portion to price 3.5/5
Average = 3.83

Service (20%)
Friendliness 5/5
Promptness 4/5
Average = 4.5

Cleanliness (15%)
Bathroom 4/5
Dining area 4/5
Kitchen area 4/5
Average = 4

Overall Score = [F(.65)]+[S(.20)]+C(.15)]
= [2.49]+[0.9]+[0.6]
= 3.99

What else to know: This place was packed. I was here on a Saturday night. Luckily there was a table by the window for me. I was immediately greeted by the waiter who was uber-friendly and helpful. He talked me into having Percebes (Yeah, what the hell is that right?). I also had the beef tartar and the Matzo ball ramen. I was most excited for the ramen because it was listed as one of the top ramen by Eater to which I’ll confess is pretty good. For a tapas place, the portion size is decent. Ambiance and crowd gave me good vibes. Great place to chill if you’re looking for higher end food and drinks. At 3.99, Little Donkey is so close to 4 Stars yet so far. I can’t round up given my rating system and I wish Yelp would allow me to display a 3.99 instead of 3 stars. Next time, I’ll come back and order different plates. As for service and cleanliness, they’re top notch.

Percebes
Matzo Ball Ramen
Black Pepper Popovers

Cambridge

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