Hair in food alert! (All of us have curly hair, so there was no doubt.) I've spent lots of money at Mulan over the years and in the last three times my takeout was sub-par. I spent over $100 to bring my family Christmas takeout, got wings, chicken fingers, house special lo mein, and half a duck. Nothing had any taste. And then there was the hair in the lo mein. Never again. read more

Good foods overall, and especially great for the price. Service is surprisingly quick considering the quality and the size of the menu.

My office is located right next to it so when it burned down two years ago I was super sad. Finally it re-opened and the environment is a lot nicer. I only had four lunch take-out experiences here since they re-opened. The lunch specials (salt and pepper pork, fish fillet with spicy bean sauce) and the stir fried rice cake taste very good. The dumplings are a bit over cooked hence half of the dumplings have broken skin and the other half have loosen skin. This is super disappointing given the $8.51 price point for 12 dumplings after tax. Price point is the main thing that gave it a 3 star vs 4. Lunch specials are $2 more expensive than comparable places in Cambridge but it only comes with the dish and rice with no soup or appetizer (yet the dish is delicious and has good portion). I couldn't recall whether it was always like this or a new thing since the reopening. I also tried their salted duck for dinner take out and it is also delicious with premium price tag. On the bright side, the packaging is clean and the dish is always wrapped by a plastic bag to prevent leaking (except the salted duck which had sauce leaked everywhere) so it probably should be a 3.5 star. Overall, it is a convenient lunch location if I want authentic Chinese food and don't want food truck, especially for people closer to the MIT side vs Central. read more

This may be my new go-to for Taiwanese food. Ordered delivery from here and everything was nicely packaged with good portions. Ordered chinese squash (so good), pineapple shrimp, and minced pork with rice. Food was authentic and comforting - reminded me of my grandma's place in Taiwan. Also liked that the food wasn't drenched in oil and sodium like some other places downtown. Will be back for sure!! read more

Great family restaurant. Good food and generous portions . Small place with great service

I have been here couple of times with friends and I mostly ordered vegetable fried rice. It is full of white rice and very less veggies which is OK. However, one day I ordered a veggie fried rice to go and after digging in couple of bites I got a pink colored chewy bite which looked like meat and I saw one more in there, I had to trash everything. They say, they give 5% discount if paid through cash but never give the discount without asking. If they don't want to give a discount, they shouldn't tell about it in the first place. read more

Mu Lan - Pink colored chewy bites in a vegetarian egg fried rice. Wonder what vegetable it is- had to throw my lunch - Taiwanese Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Good food, decent prices! I highly recommend the Wonton Soup, the Brown and White Rices, the Crab Rangoons, the Veggie Spring Rolls, the Chicken Wings, the Chicken Fingers, and the Shrimp Fingers! read more

My family came to visit me from abroad and I took them here for lunch about two days ago. Despite the sign outside, it was obvious to us that the restaurant was not run by Taiwanese people. We had four people total so we ordered five plates of food, including dumplings, fish, layered cake, soup, and some stir-fried greens. Instead of ordering white rice, I decided to order minced pork on rice. Dumplings were overcooked and "broken," losing flavor. Minced pork on rice was dry and tasteless. I was only able to swallow maybe three spoonful max. Fish with Mu-lan special sauce was greasy and disgusting. I had one piece and refused to eat anymore of the fish. The other stuff was more than plain. Tabling service was BEYOND TERRIBLE. The waitress was very rude to us when she took the order and brought the food out. She also started to sweep the dusty looking floor, but to our abhor, we could see the dust flying around in the room because she wasn't using a dustpan. So basically, she was sweeping and gathering dust from one end of the room toward the other end of the room. DUST WAS EVERYWHERE. We asked her to wait a little bit and she became really annoyed at us and continued for another minute before walking towards 6 or more other waiters who were just sitting around a table in the restaurant, playing with their phones, iPads etc. and snickering. Also when they brought us our check, I gave them a more than reasonable percentage of the total cost which was about $50 (including tax) and gave her $55. Five mins later, the waitress came by and looked at it and told me that it was not enough. I PURPOSELY GAVE HER $5 (which is 10% of the cost with tax included) TO EXPRESS MY DISSATISFACTION WITH THE FOOD, SERVICE, NOISE etc. but she insisted on collecting 15%. I was offended by her rudeness and sense of entitlement because (1) I gave a reasonable tip since it was lunch (2) food was terrible (3) service was terrible (4) there was no disclaimer whatsoever in the restaurant, either on the wall or menu that informed customers that they're "required" to give at least 15% for tip. I gave it to her anyway because we didn't want to stay any longer. When I handed her the extra dollars, she murmured words, criticizing us and saying that we didn't know how to behave like real Americans and were ignorant about tipping at a restaurant.. I immediately informed her that I did not enjoy her services and I would write a review online expressing my dissatisfaction. She became really angry, started yelling at me, my parents, and my aunt. I responded to her a few times but she wasn't listening. Nor did my exit from the restaurant stop her from continuously complaining really loudly to another waiter.. I suspected that she did it for the others to hear, esp. because my parents and aunt walked slower and were still inside the restaurant. THAT DID IT FOR ME. WTF! I could hear her from outside. I came back in and argued with her, telling her that SHE NEEDED TO APOLOGIZE FOR YELLING AT US (the customers--ESP. at my parents), told her that she was NOT entitled to a tip to begin with. In fact, she had no reason to be upset because I added money when she demanded for more. It became apparent to me when I asked to speak with the manager or the owner that none was present. I think because there were only paid employees at the restaurant, they did whatever they wanted and asked for tips, despite it being extremely distasteful. They served POOR QUALITY FOOD & TERRIBLE SERVICES. All and all, this restaurant has the WORST SERVICE EVER, and I will not hesitate to tell this to my friends, co-workers, and family members because THE SERVICE WAS THE WORST I'VE SEEN AMONG ASIAN RESTAURANTS. And I sincerely hope that the owner of this restaurant, which I hear is a Taiwanese man will find this review eventually. read more

I have heard so many times that this place is great, so when we needed a lot of food for a meeting today I called to place an order for delivery. There was no moment when I was asked to pay a delivery fee, and I ordered $65 worth of dishes. The delivery arrived, I added a very modest tip to the credit card, just as a thank you to the driver, and he looked at the slip and started yelling at me. He told me that it wasn't enough to pay for his gas, and that the tip must be based on the total amount I had ordered. I said there was no table service and that it was just a formality on delivery, that the gratuity was not a delivery fee, and that I had not be asked to pay a fee, but would have had I been. (Full disclosure- I run a delivery business, and my folks never get tipped, they get a delivery fee) He pulled out his phone and told me to show him where it said that they delivered for free, though he still did not ask for a delivery fee. I've gone to look again, and they say that they charge a $2 delivery fee. I assume they included it. I'm fine with that. Finally he put down the bag of food, said he would never deliver to us again, that I was in America and that I was doing it wrong and drove off. What an unfortunate introduction, I hope now I can get my appetite back so I can find out whether the food is any good. read more

Why you gotta be so ru-u-ude? Don't you know I'm human to-o-o-o. Why you gotta be so ru-u-u-ude? I'm gonna write this review anyway. First of all, slow yo' ass down goddaym, trippin' over my chair every five minutes ain't gon' get you more tips in case you were wondering..shieet.... Second of all, calm yo' ass down, rudely addressin' and rushin' us on our orders ain't gon' get you more tips...shieeeet.. Thirdly, yo' food just ain't good. Mulan fish, why so salty? Beef hotpot broth, meh and soury. Your bland "stir-fried watercress" is not watercress, it's water spinach. Sorry, no encore. read more

It's not even 9 o'clock and halfway through our house noodle soup (okay) and our wonton soup (not up to much), the bill and two fortune cookies are slammed down on our table. What? You want us to leave quickly because you're so busy serving the other 2 people in your establishment for the next hour and 10 mins?? Well the bill was cheap, but then the food we ordered didn't merit much moolah. It was in truth a disappointment after our beef noodle soup cravings had not been sated (it wasn't even on the menu!) and the staff had been surly. My fortune cookie said "Tell Someone About It". So that's what I'm doing. read more

I'm sorry, what? I must have misheard you. Did you say you've NEVER been to MuLan? And.. what? You've never tasted Shredded Beef with Cilantro? Shame on you. I don't need to analyze any other elements of this place-- yes, it gets crowded, yes, they wash the tables with wayyyy to pungent cleaning solution, yes the parking lot is insane... but you know what? SHREDDED BEEF WITH CILANTRO without a doubt the most amazing, delicious, addictive flavor I've had in my mouth since the first time I tasted Pho, back in the Clinton administration They use the cilantro like a vegetable, rather than a seasoning, and shred the meat nice and fine- add some hot peppers, and you've got the hands down most delicious plate of food in all of Boston. I'm not exaggerating. I dream of this stuff. So does my girlfriend. Sometimes she dreams of me covered in this stuff. If you hate (are allergic to) cilantro, or need to order more than one dish, may I suggest Smoked Pork with Leek? It comes with fantastic slices of lotus root, which, though they don't taste like much, add a gorgeous visual aesthetic to the already succulent pork and leek What else what else? The point is that Taiwanese food is what American Chinese wishes it could be-- interesting, flavorful, respectful of its veggies, and loaded with yummy meat. Yes there are freaky things on the menu, like pig intestine or cuttlefish. But if you don't want to be a total freak, there's plenty of amazing options on the huge menu. Do it do it do it now!!! read more

I would call it tame Taiwanese food for non-Asians. It's not fake Taiwanese food, just...very safe. Yes, the food is authentic, and it's good, but it lacks the traditional edge that Taiwanese restaurants like the Gourmet Dumpling house and Taiwan Cafe have. Despite being the first Taiwanese restaurant I've eaten in in Boston (and despite there's nothing like it in Toronto where i grew up), the menu didn't really excite me. Seriously, my mom makes most of these dishes at home, and I know how to make most of them as well. When you go in, you are presented with pretty and fully-translated menus...lots of chicken, beef, and pork and vegetables, and not much crazy food that ppl who grew up around here wouldnt eat, like pickled vegetables with intestines, stinky tofu, or beef cooked in szechuan spicy broth that kills all your taste bud (which, admittedly, isn't really taiwanese food, but the taiwanese make it awesome). What is commendable, however, is how many "shredded" items are on the menu (e.g., shredded beef with shredded bean curd, shredded pork with shredded bamboo). That's definitely typical Taiwanese preparation of food, especially homely dishes, but a pain to prepare at home (just imagine cutting the pork into tiny slices). If I am going out to eat taiwanese with some coworkers who aren't into seeing internal organs on menus, or grimy and small chinese restaurants full of exotic smell, this is probably where I'd take them. But if I'm craving some comfort food (I'm from Taiwan, so comfort food for me is defined a little differently) I can't make at home myself , this is not where I'd go. read more

My new candidate for best lunch near MIT. When we arrived, the restaurant was nearly full; despite this we were seated and given soup instantly. 30 seconds later, spicy cabbage and lightly fried peanuts appeared. We ordered lunch specials. They came out quickly and were beautiful, huge and delicious. The eggplant with basil was the highlight of the meal -- brilliantly purple and green, in a fabulous sauce. It was so brightly colored that it looked like it had only been cooked for 30 seconds -- yet the eggplant was the perfect consistency. The shredded pork with green mustard (mustard greens) was more unusual. Suprisingly light for a pork dish, and with a whole lot of edamame mixed in, it was unlike anything I've had at a Chinese restaurant before (then again, I guess MuLan is actually a Taiwanese restaurant). Still delicious -- the worst thing you could say about it is that it wasn't as good as the eggplant. Service wasn't perfect -- we had some trouble getting the check, and the soup was warm but not hot when we arrived. Still, two of us ate a ton of delicious food for less than $20 (incl. tax and tip) and left with a large doggie bag, and the servers were fast about getting us our food. I'll be back! read more

The food is spectacular. If you like fresh, spicy Taiwanese food then this is where you want to be. The lunch specials are great, and great value, but they are cash under 10$ so keep that in mind. I've had the L17 maybe 25 times, in various levels of spicy, and it could be the greatest lunch dish ever. Just chopped chicken in chili sauce. Simple, and delicious. If you are going to the restaurant, it can be a little cramped, and if they are really busy, you may be asked to share a larger table with a couple smaller parties, but the service is quick and efficient. They do not really like lingerers, but won't actually ever say anything. The Salt and Pepper pork chops are out of this world. The Kung Pao is very good and fresh. The chicken in chili sauce is very good, as I said above. I would be giving this place 5 stars, but it's so hard to call any Asian in Cambridge the best, just because there are so many places that are awesome. read more

Tl; dr. Ordered delivery for lunch from this place after learning about it from a friend. Good food. Might go to the restaurant in person in the future but will not get delivery from this place again. The food was pretty great - maybe a bit overpriced for what it was (especially considering the portion sizes) - but the pork dish was excellent as was the spicy crispy chicken. The major issue I had was with the delivery. I was ordering from a mobile browser and did not see the place to tip the driver directly on the site, though I fully intended to tip decently - and did so! When the food arrived, from the initial phone call even to after I got the food, I felt like I was being talked down to (almost sarcastically). The mood from that interaction definitely killed the great taste of the food. Please do not assume that someone does not intend to tip and then treat them differently!! read more

If you would like terrible service in the form of any of the following, consider going to this restaurant: 1. Asking us multiple times if we were done when we have two plates that were half full still. (We ordered 3 dishes between 2 of us, certainly not a cheap order by person) 2. Having the bill slammed on us to get us going. 3. When presented with a 10% tip (due to 1 and 2), demanded that we tip at least 15%. At which point I got angry and asked to see where the 15% tip rule was posted and the waitress whimpered off to the corner. The only reason it did not get a 1-star was because the food is decent for a Chinese restaurant in Kendall Square. (which, in all honesty, isn't saying very much). read more

Just a bit too oily and hit or miss to merit that fourth star, this Taiwanese kitchen is nevertheless endearing. The menu is vast and disorganized. Stay away from typical Chinese takeout fare like chicken with broccoli or General Tso's. Pork and shrimp dumplings - homemade and satisfying House special pork chop platter - huge and an awesome bargain at $7. The fried pork chop comes with rice, ground pork, green beans and a hardboiled egg. Hunan lamb - deliciously sauced but curiously lacking the gamy flavor of lamb Eggplant in spicy garlic sauce - very good but oily Whole fish in spicy black bean sauce - crispy and tasty Chef's special fish - swimming in oil. Rescue these tender, spicy morsels of filet from the baby seal killing oil slick and you'll still have a good meal. Smoked pork with leek - a Mulan house specialty, flavorful with peppers and sliced lotus root but too fatty for my taste. Hole in the wall decor, entrees run around $12. They charge extra for rice. read more

Taiwanese restaurant with some of the best flavors I have had for good Taiwanese food. The flavors are amazing. My favorite dish is the Pork Shank. It's a large pork shin that has been slowly cooked for hours in a blend of sugar, soy, cilantro, ginger. The meat is so soft that it falls right off the bone. When I order this is need a huge bowl of rice to eat with this. It is so amazing. I highly recommend the this dish. read more

I've had two MuLan experiences and both have been great. The first time was with a group of five and we ate in the restaurant for dinner on a Wednesday night. Upon being seated (we didn't have to wait at all) our server told us they had homemade pork and vegetable dumplings that night so we ordered them along with the house special fish, chicken in garlic sauce, and Taiwanese style pan fried rice noodles with pork. Everything was good but the winner of the evening was definitely the house special fish. It was so good that I was dreaming of eating it again the very next day. If you can handle spicy food and like fish, order this dish because you will not be sorry. I wish that the chicken and noodles had less celery in them but I was able to pick around the celery pieces and the flavor was good. My second experience was ordering take out. I live near Union Square and was unsure I was in the delivery zone but they delivered to me no problem ($2 delivery fee). I ordered the house special fish, beef with leek wrapped in pancakes, and smoked pork with leek. I am serious when I say that this was one of the best delivery experiences I've had. The house special fish came carefully wrapped in plastic to keep the oil and sauce from getting all over the place and the pancakes were very fresh, not soggy at all. The food also came very quickly (30-40 minutes) Everything we ordered was delicious and I'm pretty confident that any dish marked as one of MuLan's recommendations will be good. I would have given MuLan 5 stars but I do think they are a bit pricey. That being said, price is not going to keep me from going back or ordering from them again. read more

A very authentic Taiwanese/Chinese restaurant, and surprisingly unlike some of the popular restaurants here,Mulan is very clean and comfy , i would say having tried loads of well-known restaurants,it beats quite a few famous Asian restaurants locally and internationally. read more

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Alright, I have been to MuLan once and ordered take out once for very different experiences. When I went with a group from my lab, I honestly quite enjoyed it. Perhaps a portion of this was due to being present with quite of number of native speakers who knew what to order and how to order it. I remembered the scallion pancakes, house fish, and spicy beef dish as especially tasty. I decided to give delivery a try last night as I was hankering for such tasty asian fair. Unfortunately the experience was a disaster. 45 minutes after I ordered, the delivery guy called completely lost. I basically ended up giving step by step directions over the phone to my house (even though i had mentioned major cross streets to the guy who answered the phone.) The food arrived over an hour after ordering and was entirely mediocre. The scallion pancakes this time were underdone. The house pork chop plate was very ok and the beef and crispy vegetable was almost beef-less. The dried bean sauce with tofu did have a nice flavor, but overall this experience cancelled out a review that would have been closer to 4 stars. read more

DISCLAIMER: I am not Asian. MuLan is a great restaurant (even my Chinese teacher recommended it to us, and trust me that means a lot). Just remember they are closed on Mondays. I generally go with friends (to eat family style) for dinner, or I place an order for pick-up (ready in 10-14 minutes). And if you are wondering if they are authentic, the answer is YES. During dinner the restaurants is generally packed with Asian families and friends. Quality is always high, but the taste can be hit and miss with some dishes. Sometimes the flavors of a dish are really subtle. I like to try a new dish each time I go, but I have a set of favorites. The "Shredded pork with spicy garlic sauce" is my most ordered dish. Be warned, it is spicy and mostly meat (probably want to order a vegetable dish with this). I also like "Smoked pork with leek", their dumplings, "dry bean curd with dry bean sauce", and "Sauteed seasonal vegetables" (not exciting, but balances a meat dish). Some other dishes that are okay but not my top picks are: "Shredded pork with baby bamboo", "Shredded beef with crispy well veggie" (my girlfriend really liked this), "kung pao chicken" (I know, I'm white), "Taiwanese style pan fried noodles", and "Cuttle fish with scallion and ginger". I have had some nasty dishes, but my Asian friends seemed to enjoy them so I attribute it to differences in taste. However, I would advise to not have their Sichuan style special fish (Shui Zhu Yu). Mulan is a Taiwanese restaurant and I've had much better Shui Zhu Yu at Sichuan restaurants (e.g. Sichuan Garden). All in all, a must try for anyone in the area look for some good Chinese/Taiwanese. read more

Good food for near-conference-hotel fare. I had the garlic chicken and a small bowl of wonton soup. The soup was fantastic, though it came out after my entree. The garlic chicken was equally delicious, though perhaps a bit heavy on the celery. Downsides: service was spotty at best. I was never asked for a drink order - had to ask the food runner for that. I was offered my choice of rice, without it being made clear that it cost a dollar extra (would have forgone it, as I don't eat much rice anyway). Nobody really stopped by to check on me, etc. So overall... good, not great. read more

Love this place. Especially love the pumpkin noodle. Portions are big. We purchased two orders of noodles for brunch.Seven of us ate it for brunch then three of us ate for dinner and the day after two of us ate it for dinner. The food isn't too flavorful but it is not bland either. We've also eaten at the restaurant and it is almost always packed in most cases by Asians (sorry I don't know the PC way to reference this fact) Anyway, the point I am trying to make is that if it is good enough to eat by the people that have grown-up eating this type of cuisine then it must be great for everyone else. read more

Food = Mulan serves Taiwanese cuisine. Scallion pancakes were mediocre for the price. Their boiled handmade dumplings are delicious and they have five different fillings. Orders of their dumplings include 12 pieces, and you have the option of ordering a bag of 50 frozen dumplings to take home. Their "Beef with Leek Wrapped in Pancakes" was OK in flavor, but definitely not worth $10.95. The "Kao Fu" is a cold tofu appetizer and is a lovely refreshing dish especially on a hot summer day. It has a texture many people are not accustomed to - it has a spongy texture. The "Pork Chop with Sweet and Sour Sauce" is delicious, and the meat is very tender and juicy. The "Roasted Pork Belly with Preserved Vegetables" and the "Brasied Pork Shin in Brown Sauce" are two of my favorite dishes and although Mulan does a nice job with these dishes, there are restaurants in Chinatown that do a much better job. The "Beef and Asparagus" as well as the "Lamb with Hot Chili" were nicely done, but they weren't spectacular. My favorite dish of this restaurant, and the most unique dish considering the other Chinese restaurants in the Boston area, is the "Shredded Duck, Pig's Tripe and Squid with Baby Chives." This dish is playful with the different flavors and textures of the ingrediants and is a must-order for all first timers of Mulan. The "Bean Curd in Spicy Sauce" is mediocre. The "Chinese Squash with Dried Shrimp" is terrible. The squash was not cooked well enough, and was still hard and very fibrous. Something that Mulan excels in are the Hot Pots. I have had almost all the hot pots and all of them are good. Be careful with the "Hot and Spicy Fish Fillet Hot Pot." If you cannot tolerate spicy foods, do not order this dish. If you love spicy, this dish will be heavenly for you. Service = Service is what you would expect from the average Chinese restaurant. Waitresses are attentive to when tea pots need to be refilled, and when empty dishes need to be taken away from the table. Ambiance = The decor is typical of a Chinese restaurant. Tables are spaced out decently, and the overall feel is homey. Overall Opinion = Most of the dishes at Mulan are average and at times overpriced, except the few unique dishes you can't find in other restaurants (eg. "Shredded Duck, Pig's Tripe, and Squid with Baby Chives" and the Hot Pots). Their appetizers seem to be more expensive than the prices you will find in Chinatown, and the flavors are either the same or worse. In the end, If you're tired of the Cantonese cuisine which dominates the Boston area, or if you are craving Taiwanese cuisine, then Mulan is certainly an option...but not the best option. read more

3.75 stars rounded to 4. This is the closest Taiwanese/Chinese restaurant from our house so we've tried many of the dishes on their extensive menu (they have over 150 items on it). I would suggest getting take-out instead of dining in the actual restaurant because of the quality of service and also how crowded it can get. Also their lunch specials are a great deal...but the hot and sour soup that comes with it no good, I usually request no soup and if they accidentally give it to is it goes straight into the trash. Some of their best/my favorite dishes in no particular order: 1. Smoked duck Taiwanese style 2. Eggplant with basil sauce 3. Chinese squash with mountain nagaimo and bamboo (or their sautéed chinese squash) 4. Shredded duck, pig's tripe and squid with baby chives 5. Stir fried pea pod stem with minced garlic 6. Kung pao chicken 7. House special pork chop on rice platter (great deal, comes with some mixed vegetables, pickled vegetables, and a tea-steeped boiled egg) 8. Beef tendon in chili sauce 9. Stir fried green bean 10. Salted crispy chicken 11. Chinese watercress with garlic My biggest complaint is that I wish their food that's indicated as hot & spicy was more spicy. For example their eggplant with spicy garlic sauce is hardly spicy and it tastes very similar to their eggplant with basil sauce. The only dish I've had here that was actually spicy was their beef tendon. I suppose Taiwanese food isn't known for its spiciness like Sichuan cuisine so perhaps they should just not advertise that dishes are spicy when they are clearly not. A few items I would avoid include their dumplings, their winter melon & seafood soup, chicken and cuttlefish casserole (worse dish I tried there, they did not properly clean the cuttlefish before cooking the dish) and their octopus with dry bean curd (not much octopus in it, bland). Since I'm Chinese I have high expectations for homemade dumplings and I thought the one's from Mulan were nothing special. I still haven't found a better restaurant in the area that serves Chinese/Taiwanese/Hong Kongnese food...if anyone has a suggestion please message me! read more

I really love the food here. I would say it offers the most authentic Taiwanese and Chinese dishes in Boston and Cambridge area. I cannot find any Taiwanese restaurant can beat it so far in MA. read more

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Good choice for Taiwanese in this area. It can get crowded during lunchtime and you might have to wait 10min or so for a table, but that only reflects the quality of the food (as does the fact that it is mostly frequented by Asians). The food is fresh, spicy and very reasonably priced (especially the lunch menu). Dishes come out in the order in which they are prepared and ready, so if you're in a group it's a good idea to just order many different things and share. Portions are big, so that we often can't finish everything. Food comes with complimentary hot tea, and I love the cabbage and peanuts they give you as "appetizers" while you wait for your mains. Service is usually very friendly and fast, although it can be a little slow on occasion. read more

I go here once or twice (actually sometimes three times) a week for lunch after I leave the tech corporate hive. Excellent authentic cheap Taiwanese food. Love the way they bring a fresh pot of tea immediately to the table as you sit down. My favorite is the lunch special "home-style tofu" (note not all tofu is vegetarian - ask). If I am with a friend I sometimes split this with the garlic green beans. Good vegan/vegetarian options. To avoid the crowds at lunch come after 1pm. Fridays are particularly busy. read more

In the GPS, MuLan is listed as "Hua mulan restaurant", which threw us for a loop (even though I KNEW it was on Broadway but hubby didn't believe me....). Found street parking right across the street, and walked in to zero wait and some very bored waitresses. After being seated immediately, we were bombarded with attentiveness: "What would you like?" times 1,000. I ordered a MuLan recommended dish, the Bean curd with Dried Bean (#137). When the dish came out, I was a little surprised with the presentation: four huge chunks of tofu covered by this brown, crunchy sauce, topped with cilantro, and accented with bright green broccoli. Now what I thought it would be, but when I tasted the dish, the crunchy sauce perfectly complimented the tofu, with a nutty salty flavor that zinged with the cilantro flavor. My mother and husband both loved my dish, and we were all disappointed with theirs. They ordered the shredded pork with bamboo and the beef with crispy well vegetables, both because of articles and reviews (on yelp) they had seen. Neither of those dishes were good. Both lacked some serious flavor, and essentially were just the meat and vegetables steamed on a plate with zero seasoning. We were all really disappointed, because those dishes had been highlighted and recommended. We cried all the way home. :( read more

Mulan is my favorite Asian restaurant in the Kendall Square/Central Square area. Their rice noodle soup with pork and mustard greens is the perfect lunch for a brisk fall day. Or any day, really. The immediate gratification side of me also loves that they immediately bring you a bowl of peanuts and pickled cabbage to start. They get an extra star for only playing music from the Mulan soundtrack. Just kidding - they don't actually do this, but wouldn't it be cool if they did? read more

Mulan helped keep me warm during the chilly winters in Boston. I probably ate there at least 4 -5 times a month and had take out delivery for about 35 people without any issues. Of course you want to call a day or two in advance for large catering orders. The cuisine is perhaps the most authentic Taiwanese that I have had in the US, except for in San Gabriel, CA. The restaurant can be a little bit difficult to find in Cambridge, MA and I have been yelled at by the pizza man next store for "parking illegally." Parking can be a bit difficult to manage. My favorite dish there is the Cod Fish with Dry Bean Sauce, which comes with watercress. Other notable items include the following: Lamb and Pickled Napa Hot Pot Scallion Pancakes Shredded Pork with Dry Bean Curd Shredded Beef with Scallions House Special Pork Chop on Rice Platter Stir Fried Snow Pea Leaves Ma-Bo Bean Curd Eggplant with Spicy Garlic Sauce read more

So decided to try a new place today, probably should of just stayed home and cooked. When arriving at Mulan the parking lot was no larger than my driveway. We parked down the block so wasn't a big deal. Upon turning over our tea cup we notice it had leftover food, strike 1. Then the second cup had a wet piece of paper, strike 2. How disgusting is that?! But nevertheless we decided to stay since there were not a lot of other places around and it was cold out. We ordered and ate our food, lackluster and nothing special. After packing our food to go and ready time leave, my friend noticed a piece of fiber on one of the plates which we didn't think much of at the time. However after getting home and packing some leftovers for lunch tomorrow I noticed a short curly hair which you can all decide What that may be! I am absolutely disgusted by this place and how they can run a business like this! To think they have another location! Trust me don't ever come here! They should not be in business!!!! read more

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First thing first, MuLan is definitely not an authentic Taiwanese food place. Jojo Taipei in Allston is much much better. HOWEVER the food here is not bad. I mean if you live or work nearby and crave for some real Chinese food instead of orange chicken, MuLan will satisfy your appetite. Staple dishes that i stick with: MuLan fish(slightly spicy and tangy), beef roll and stir-fried eggplant. Friendly service, clean dining area plus nice decor. Couldn't complain. Oh and they offer 5% off for cash payment. read more

I've only had MuLan for catering, so I cannot really speak to the restaurant itself. However, one of the msot important things I noticed about Mulan's food is that the food speaks for itself: I didn't feel like it was overdoused in the various sauces/broths/etc. On top of that, the food is fresh and well-made, and they're good on time, which is also helpful. I also learned the word for "he" in whatever dialect the fortune cookies are made, which if I remember correctly, is "ta". So, yeah. read more

Very good. Among the best Chinese / Taiwanese I've tried in Boston. I can't really comment on how authentic it is but I can share my delivery experience. After spending over an hour saying and repeating my address, phone number, food order and credit card number (4x each to a non-English speaker) we received our order about 45 -60 minutes later. Bad start. But the food was good. Very good. And out of the ordinary...enough so that I would endure the pain of ordering again (I'm going to suggest they sign up with Foodler or devise their own online ordering system...they need to do *something*) Anyhow here's a breakdown of what we ordered tonight: 10. Beef with Leek Wrapped in Pancakes. Outstanding! Really delicious and will order again. I may have committed a sin by cracking open some Hoisin sauce (sorry to all the purists and Taiwanese grandmas)...but it only enhanced the deliciousness. 108. Shredded Beef in Peking Style. This was, um, different. But in a good way. I didn't love it, but I have the feeling there is a shredded meat dish out there that I will fall in love with. Will try again. 57. Kung Pao Shrimp. So I made fun of my wife for ordering this (why didn't we just go to PF Chang's?) but she was quite happy and said it was a cut above what she gets from other places. 27. Hot and Sour Soup. Hey, I wasn't feeling well and wanted a comforting soup. What?? Anyhow, it wasn't that good and would skip it. That's it for now. As Bourdain says...I'm hungry for more! read more

Had mu lan fish and house duck. Mulan fish is rich, spicy. House duck was a bit salty but delicious. It's not as crispy as what we would expect when we hear 'fried.' Overall, recommendable. read more

Mu Lan - Taiwanese Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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It's really nice to find a Chinatown-level chinese restaurant that isn't in Chinatown. The crispy chicken is outstanding. Spicy and salty and crunchy and not at all greasy. I love the sour cabbage and peanuts they offer as a snack. I would recommend getting spicy entrees, or ones with the little flower next to them on the menu (house specialities). read more

Um...yes and no. So you do get some Taiwanese flavors here, but they are as far as Taiwan actually is from Boston. I mean, if this place were in Taipei, it would be a major fail. Still, for a craving, it is not a bad fix. And I am delighted that they have Chinese squash. Woohoo! I had Chinese squash with shrimp (clear, light and soupy, just like how it is supposed to be), bean curd skin with bamboo and black mushrooms (heaps of bean curd skin, very few bamboo and maybe 4 black mushrooms), and shredded pork with dried bean curd and baby chives (possibly the most authentic dish I had, and also the biggest). The portions here are absolutely ginormous. And I do not typically do leftovers, but there was so much left, I had to pack it up and bring it home for later. The decor is totally bizarre. Those space themed lamps are hysterical. And the bathroom is gross. Service is typical of any run-of-the-mill Chinese place: super hurried and not especially polite. read more