We finally got the chance to check out Kuya Jay's Ube Cafe in Somerville, Massachusetts, and it…read moreabsolutely did not disappoint! I can honestly say it's one of the best little cafes we've ever visited. I had never tried ube before, and for anyone unfamiliar like I was, it's a purple yam. I ordered the Banana brulee Cold Foam, and it was incredibly refreshing and packed with the perfect blend of flavors, topped with fresh bananas. It was absolutely delicious! The bread completely surprised me. It was evenly baked, incredibly moist, and somehow crafted to pure perfection. The ice cream was a treat as well, but honestly, everything we tried was phenomenal. We can't wait until our next trip to Massachusetts just so we can enjoy a few more bites. I also loved the purple theme throughout the cafe, although maybe I'm a little biased since purple happens to be my birthstone! One of my favorite touches was the owners' book, where you can see pictures and learn more about their story. It really adds a personal touch to the experience. The staff was incredibly friendly and welcoming, and we would definitely recommend this place for a quick snack, dessert, or beverage. There is some temporary street parking available as well. If you're in the area, Kuya Jay's Ube Cafe is absolutely worth a visit!

Came here for a sweet treat in the afternoon on a weekend and the place was a bit busy, but not…read moreoverly so. The wait wasn't too bad and the menu had a good selection of ube flavored drinks and treats. The spot is located in this public space with nice lighting and some seating. The area also does cooking classes and has some areas to study. I actually got two drinks to try both and they were tasty - not amazing, but not bad given the price. Overall, I didn't mind the experience, but I have seen some troubling things online regarding permits that deter me from coming back unfortunately. Drinks tasted fine though!

Sometimes, a dish/meal hits the right spot, and this was the case with Bibim Box! An absolutely…read morefantastic food truck. I ordered a Classic Bibimbap box (no modifications), The veggies were bright and flavorful. The mixed greens were at the peak of their freshness, the pickled carrots had great flavor, and I liked the textures offered by the sauteed spinach and bean sprouts. The rice was cooked perfectly, and the beef was delicious, also. The Gochujang sauce added a mild but perceptible level of heat and sweetness, only enhancing, not overwhelming or drenching. While I admit I would have liked just a bit more meat (when do I not? & this can be purchased for an extra fee), the dish was well-balanced overall. The food came out reasonably fast too, which is excellent when lunch is only 45 minutes!

Really liked this place. We visited the MIT campus and were super hungry so we went into the campus…read morecafeteria area and saw Bibim Box along with some other food options. We got the box with the spicy chicken and the fried egg, and the spicy pork. Both were really good and we'd get them again in a heartbeat.

Delicious food, quickly prepared. We got a traditional…read morechicken sandwich, beans, and a rice bowl with veg. The purple beverage is corn-based, and tastes like sorrel or punch. The atmosphere is clean and modest with enjoyable music (without getting too jumpy).

Machu Picchu, a well-known Peruvian restaurant in Somerville, has opened a budget-friendly branch…read morespecializing in roast chicken. The roast chicken was indeed good, but the other dishes were a bit lacking. 1/4 Dark: This is the lower-end option, while the white one is the upper-end. The chicken thigh meat was roasted until tender and juicy, easily falling off the bone with a fork; unfortunately, the skin was also soft and a bit too salty. Fries: The fries were piping hot, but without any seasoning, which detracted from their appeal. The restaurant offers three dipping sauces: yellow/green sauce and white dressing, which tasted essentially the same as yellow mustard mayonnaise, Thousand Island dressing, and regular mayonnaise--the flavors were actually quite similar.

Found this place on Google, saw that I'd had great reviews and had to give it a try! I was on…read morevacation and touring the Harvard campus, Manoa was a short drive from the campus. Street parking was a little difficult in the area, but the food was so worth it! I ordered a poke plate, which came with two proteins of choice, plus macaroni and cucumber salad. While everything was good, the fish was definitely the stand out! I've never had poke where the fish pieces were so large. The fish was soooo fresh, melted in your mouth, and had great flavor. The inside is small and intimate with a few seating options. Service was fast, my food was ready within 5 minutes. So good!!! Definitely a need to try if you're in the area!

I've been wanting to try Manoa Poke Shop for YEARS but never got around to it until recently…read more They're open 4 days out of the week (Weds-Sat) & are only open for a few hours, so it's hard to find a day to go in to try. Luckily, I was able to go on the weekend after 5pm. Hours-- Weds: 5pm-8:30pm Thurs: 4:30pm-8:30pm Fri+Sat: 3pm-8:30pm So, I totally didn't expect there to be such a longgg line to order @5:30pm on a Saturday! We were all packed in there like sardines. By the time I got to the front of the line & was able to order, they ran out of most things. Originally, I wanted to get the spicy salmon + ahi tuna, however, they had ran out of both. I ended up getting a mix plate with spicy tuna + ahi oka. I wanted to try the Manoa chip dip but that was also out by the time I got to order haha. I liked the spicy tuna but wasn't the biggest fan of the ahi oka, which is raw tuna with coconut cream, lime juice, onion, scallions, ginger, + chilis. I found the rice, kimchi cucumbers, + Mac and cheese to be just all right... wasn't very impressed by the plate overall. I still felt hungry afterwards and ended up going to grab dinner. Mind you, it doesn't take much food to make me feel full & for $21, this wasn't the most satisfying meal in terms of taste + portion size. Fish tasted fresh though at least but I don't think I'll be back. Seating: there's only like 3 tables; two for parties of 4ish and one smaller table for 2.

The food tasted fantastic and the combos were amazing value but there are some negatives that need…read moreto be addressed. Food: We ordered two combos that left us super full and with leftovers. Our favorite were the tangsuyuk and the soondubu. The pork was super crispy and the dipping sauce was refreshingly tangy. The soondubu had a great heat that was flavorful but passed quickly so you could enjoy sweating too much. Service: Our waiter was pleasant but with the dining area pretty empty more frequent check-ins would be appreciated. Atmosphere: The interior was clean but I would describe the decor as nondescript Asian. Our primary complaint was definitely a fruit fly that kept buzzing around us. Some fly traps would solve the issue.

HUGE portions of deliciousness!! Quick and friendly service. Every dish we tried was full of…read moreflavor. I ordered the japchae but kept sneaking bites of my friends' stone pots because it was all so yummy! I'll definitely be back to try more of the menu. Great neighborhood spot.

Love this place to get my adobo fix, since it's rare to find Filipino food in the Boston area!…read more The sandwiches are made from scratch with love and high quality ingredients by the owner. I've had the tortang talong (seasonal) and fried chicken adobo and both were memorable and packed with flavor. The fried chicken is double fried and then dipped in adobo (soy, vinegar sauce) and has a really nice crunch before you get to the juicy chicken, topped with pickled papaya slaw for added zip. Maple potato bread is nice and fluffy and holds up to the chicken. Tamarind tots are freshly fried and coated in tasty seasoning. My partner is Filipino and he and the owner usually chat a bit about Filipino food when we visit. Owner is a genuinely nice and personable guy who wants to bring more Filipino flavors to this area. Space is in the Juliet Social club so it's a nice hang, and you can go next door to Juliet Cafe/Restaurant to grab a nice coffee or tea to have with your meal. Operation is a regular pop up in this space so be sure to check hours to make sure they are open. Will definitely be back!

Absolutely blown away! Classic Filipino flavors repurposed into your everyday bites. The owner…read moreJeff, is all class; homie knows what he's doing. Ordered the longganisa & adobo fried chicken sandwhich. INSANE! The longganisa sandwhich is classic. The pandesal bun on it was nuts. Loved the acidity of the adobo sandwhich. Chicken was super tender and well balanced. Both very light! Didn't feel terrible after eating them LOL. & the space! What a beautiful, open-concept, community spot. Pumped to come back and see the menu and team grow! Bravo, Jeff & Jon!

Authentic Chinese in a imple digs with no decor. A combination of booths and round tables. Deep…read moremenu. Friendly service. -- Chongqing Style Spicy Chicken: The classic dish with as many red chile peppers as bite-sized chicken nuggets. Smaller pieces than most, but crisp without being dry, and full of flavor even beyond the spice. Solid. -- Crispy Fried Pork W/ Sweet Sour Sauce: This isn't your daddy's old school Chinese American sweet and sour, and that's a good thing. But first, the pork: thin, flat slices with an even thinner batter reminiscent of tempura-- so light and crispy it crackled like broken glass. The sauce had syrup consistency, golden color instead of the old school red, and more sour than sweet. A spectacular dish if you like sweet and sour, and a good one even if you don't. -- Sautéed Pork Belly with Hot Pepper: Firm slices of pork with so little fat you can eat the whole thing without inspection. The hot peppers weren't so hot, so while this was enjoyable as a simple pork and vegetable dish, it had no spicy flavor pizzaz suggested in the name and evident in similar examples elsewhere. On the other hand, it did have pleasant black bean flavor. -- Sautéed Shredded Beef With Long Horn Pepper: Numerous slivers of tender beef with more of an understated thin gravy than sauce, with the peppers crisp but not that peppery. Mild but substantial. Bonus points for all of the following: - The server coming back and double checking to make sure we still wanted a dish we ordered after letting us know it was cold. - A tablet on the table with the menu showing photos of every dish to assist in ordering decisions. - A municipal parking lot across the street. - Cute branded takeout bags.

Decided to give this new place a try. This location has changed ownership a few times in the past…read morecouple years. Parking can be tricky because they don't have a parking lot. We usually park at Stop & Shop and walk over instead of wasting time looking for street parking. They did a little bit of remodeling and the place is very spacious. The service was wonderful. Our waters were always full and the staff are all so pleasant and helpful. My family doesn't eat too spicy, but our serve gave us some recommendations, and they were all very good. My favorite was the braised Japanese tofu and the sweet & sour fish. They debone the whole fish while maintaining a beautiful presentation on the plate. It was fried perfectly and didn't come out soggy even with the sauce on it. I would definitely come back to try more dishes.

Came here on a saturday evening for dinner. We didn't have a reservation so we had to wait roughly…read more20-25 minutes. Service was friendly and helpful, we got everything we needed and within a reasonable time. For appetizers we ordered the banh khot which were tasty and crispy, the shrimp tasted fresh. For entrees the table shared the signature fine vermicelli platter. The menu stated that the proteins are the chef's choice and the server mentioned that portions were enough for 3-4 people. The meat included in the platter were all deliciously flavored and cooked nicely. It came with fresh lettuce and herbs to pair with the meat. Our table also ordered a clay pot catfish which was caramelized in a tasty sauce that paired perfectly with the plain white rice. Overall, this is a good place for a meal with family or friends. The seating is comfortable and the restaurant interior is clean and nicely decorated.

There's not a lot of Vietnamese restaurants in Somerville so An Nam was much needed. They also have…read morea location in Cambridge. It's a little bit of a more upscale Vietnamese experience. The prices are higher and the portions are smaller compared to other Vietnamese restaurants, but the food was overall good. The beef that came with the vermicelli was awesome and delicious with a nice grilled taste and char. The broth of their pho is delicious and I finished every drop. The service was average. The ambiance was modern and they have a bar area. Parking is free at the garage for 3 hours or you can pay for meter parking.