I got take out from this silk for the first time. The hostess was very friendly and was quick to…read morehelp grab my food. The chicken Tikka was delicious, and you seemed to get two servings for one order which was nice for the price. I will be going back!

I had really been looking forward to trying this place and was finally able to on Valentines Day…read more The decoration was adorable and I'm pretty sure they were booked out for the evening. There was a great singer, pianist, and sax player to really set the mood. They were super fun, especially when a couple got engaged! To start, I got their ginger martini and while my friend went with a Do-er neat (not a whiskey drinker myself, lol). He tried to order 2 of their beers but they were out of both. My drink came after 15 mins and then we had to remind the waiter about his whiskey. That took another 10. We started with the chicken bao buns and the samosas. Both spectacular! My only complaint is the little size for the samosa size. For our mains we got the short rib and the white butter chicken. The butter chicken could've used a bit more chicken for the price and was frankly a bit tough. The sauce was great. The short rib was flavorful and packed the perfect punch. Dipping the garlic naan in both sauces was my fav part!! Overall an ok experience. I want to give the restaurant grace because it was very packed but service was poor. I think we had 4 different staff members help us total which probably led to lots of miscommunication.

Two weekend visits to this relatively new subterranean Sichuan eatery in Harvard Square (Eliot…read moreStreet) with a very inviting interior and some VERY spicy dishes. -- Vegetarian Cold Noodle: Firm, peanut buttery, satisfying. Not spicy. Not too saucy, so you can "feel" the noodle, but I would have liked more vegetables. -- Yibin Fiery Noodles: Warm and similarly al dente, these were manageably spicy. Meat crumble, seeds or nuts, scallions, and heat. -- Red and Green Pepper Chicken: Batterless but crisp, tender, and not boneless. Relentlessly spicy from several heat sources and kaleidoscopically delicious. The closest comparison is dry hot chicken that also goes by a few other names, but this was better. Elite, and the best thing I ate in all of 2025, but sadly no longer on the menu. -- Stone Pot Tofu: Billed as Ma Po Tofu sizzling in a stone pot, but no sizzle and no stone pot. Identified as very spicy but minimally spicy and more numbing (more "ma" than "la"). I enjoyed the overall flavor (heavily seasoned) and the saltiness of the fermented black beans. Despite some of the menu discrepancies, this was a really good version for my tastes. Near-elite. -- Green Beans With Eggplant: Strong flavor, not too hot spicewise, but volcanically hot temperaturewise. Decent. -- Chicken and Clams: Black bean flavor, whole peppercorns, spicy but loaded with flavor beyond the spice. A deceptively huge and quite delicious. Elite. -- Beef Spring Rolls: Not my choice. Crisp, beefy, and chili sauce on the side added contrast. Solid, but boring, more typical of an Americanized offering, and a waste of an opportunity given Too Hot's killer menu. -- Pork Belly with Fermented Beans: Superb rendition, not drastically different from twice cooked pork, but much more flavor and giant pieces. Near-elite to Elite. -- Shrimp in Dry Hot Pot: Tons of dry rub spiciness, giant shrimp, chopped vegetables, and crinkle cut potatoes. Near-elite. -- Brussels Sprouts w/Shallots: More subtle flavors here but hardly bland. Fried shallots had sort of an onion ringy presence in miniature. Cooked just right. Outstanding overall experience, with the best dish on the first visit and almost all winners on the second. Kudos to the friendly and helpful service, including a server suggestion to switch an item after noticing we ordered two very similar items. Eager to return often and try even more of the menu.

Pretty solid szechuan spot in Harvard Square! I made a reservation to ensure no wait time and at…read morethe time, I had to make it quite early so it seems like a popular spot. Interior felt very modern and sleek - it was a bit small as well so it was a little cramped between tables and walking areas. The menu had a good selection of szechuan fare and we ended up sharing some of their popular dishes. I enjoyed the large fish one which was a good size for a family. Everything tasted authentic, my only qualm was paying for rice - you can't not have rice and it seems ridiculous to pay $3 for one bowl. Overall, a solid restaurant and option for Chinese food in Harvard Square.

Located in the heart of Brighton Center, this restaurant offers jianbing, tang hulu, and beef…read morenoodles. The jianbing ($8 w/o tax) is delightfully satisfying with a crunchy texture and good chew. The stars are the beef noodles ($16.95 w/o tax) and the General Gao's chicken ($12 w/o tax). The beef noodles comes with soft chewy noodles, beef shin meat, and some vegetables. Shockingly, the General Gao's chicken tastes like Panda Express in the best way and comes with vegetable fried rice. Service is friendly and there are two tables for people to dine in.

Beijing Taste is a cozy Asian fusion takeout place on Washington Street in Brighton that offers a…read morevariety of noodle dishes, meat & vegetable dishes, dumplings, small appetizers, Chinese crepes, soy milk, snacks & drinks. This place used to be Happy Garden. There are a couple of booths here and seats near the door to wait for your order. I stopped by later in the evening for some light fare takeout. I ordered the Chinese Crepe with Pork Sausage ($9) and the Takoyaki ($6.50) and it was ready in about 10 minutes. I also snacked on a free Japanese Kit-Kat mini bar while I waited. The savory crepe was made with wheat/grain & eggs and soft and rolled with small sausages (similar to vienna sausages) and topped with corriander. The 6 Takoyaki balls were fried, soft dough mix filled with octopus meat, another good savory snack. If I am hungry next time, I will probably order the Noodles with Soybean Paste with some Fried Dumplings.

We went to Coreanos for a Sunday lunch, but I have eaten here multiple times before. It is…read moreKorean-Mexican fusion, and to me, this is fusion done right! - Coreanos bowl: The star of the meal. It came in a foil bowl, packed with saucy rice and bits of meat/veggies (onions and carrots), then topped with a perfect sunny-side-up egg. The protein I got was spicy pork, but you can also choose other proteins. The yolk was still runny enough to mix in and make everything extra rich. The portion was huge. Not too spicy. It also came with miso soup with a few bits of tofu and green onion in it. - Quesadilla: filled with beef and kimchi, with two different sauces drizzled all over (one creamy, one a little spicy). A lot of meat inside! Not too spicy. - Peach limeade: a very refreshing drink, but on the sweeter side, I wish it were a bit more sour. Overall: This felt like the ideal casual lunch: fast and filling. You order at a counter and they bring the food to you later, if you choose to dine in. There aren't too many seats. You need to fill your own water cup, and they have cold and warm water. The portions are generous and the food is pure comfort. Would definitely come back anytime I'm craving something saucy and satisfying.

I recently stopped by Coreanos for a Korean-Mexican fusion meal…read more I ordered the bulgogi, shrimp tempura, and short rib tacos. While waiting, I was surprised with a bowl of miso soup, which was warm, comforting, and flavorful. The tacos were generously filled and served on flour tortillas. I went in expecting the short rib to be my favorite, but the bulgogi taco emerged as my favorite. That said, because they were so well-stuffed, the tacos were a bit soggy. I also paid extra to add kimchi to one of them via the ordering screen, but it seems that addition was missed. I paired this with a Thai coffee, which was refreshing and delivered a noticeable caffeine kick. I'll definitely be back to try the kimbap. My partner, Anna F., ordered it, and after stealing a bite, I was left craving more. The restaurant is small, but we were able to find a table without issue.

I'm honestly glad that I waited to post my original review with a lower rating and thought through…read morethe experience a little bit more. As always, I find it a bit harder to review fusion spots. Not just any fusion either, but one that is all over the world map. It's easy to just nitpick one dish and use it to judge everything else; but what about that is remotely fair? For example, their Beef Rendang (a dish that I'm very familiar with - including the different regional renditions) is more like a hint towards what "real" Beef Rendang is. I don't even need to speak on behalf of the Filipinos regarding their adobo (which I also grew up on) who are infamous to show up on public forums to criticize and say "that's not how my grandmother makes it" (lol). What did come to mind is the old quote that many often find negative but actually was meant to be a positive phrase (if the last part isn't so often omitted). "Jack of all trades, master of none, though often times better than a master of one". That definitely applies here with their style of food. There's a lot going on and a good portal to the true potential of each dish. Definitely give them a try! Portions are good and the food is definitely tasty!

Sadly, this place used to be really great but has gone way downhill. I ordered the chicken Karahi,…read morewhich used to have a nice thick flavorful sauce and now is quite dry and unappealing with a thin runny sauce. They also add in an automatic tip on their order screens, which is quite annoying.

Highly recommend this local gem!…read more Fresh, delicious sushi and hearty well-made udon noodle soup! The menu has a wide variety of options for fish-lovers, landlubbers and vegetarians alike. Also, as an extra bonus, the prices can't be beat. We've enjoyed this restaurant twice now and can't wait to go back. The restaurant is conveniently-located and open late. The owners/chefs are very nice and take a lot of pride in their work, and it shows! Thank you Super Fusion Cuisine!

Yet another Brookline restaurant I regret not trying sooner!…read more This past weekend I stopped in for a quick solo lunch around 1:30. I happened to be the only one in there, but could tell the staff was working on some online or takeout orders. I was nicely greeted and shown to a seat. After giving me water they took my order. I got the crab wontons, their take on crab rangoons, as well as three different rolls (yes my eyes are bigger than my stomach). I went with the eel avocado roll as well as the spicy tuna and yellowtail rolls. I was REALLY impressed by the quality of all the food. I was given the wontons first and they were perfectly crispy and filled. I dislike when the ratio of filling to wonton is too heavy on the filling side and things get messy. They were also SUPER hot which is a personal must. My only qualm is I would've loved a bit more sauce, there were a lot of wontons for that small dish of sweet chili sauce. In terms of the sushi I surprisingly loved the spicy yellowtail the best. Normally the other 2 are my favorite but I might've found a new go-to. The others were great as well, though. You could seriously tell the tuna was JUST cut from the fish (I watched the sushi chef do so!). Notably, the ratio on the eel-avocado roll was great as well as the amount of eel sauce. No need to pay for extra on the side! I will most definitely be ordering or dining in from here soon, this time bringing friends along!

We made a reservation ahead of time for our large group of 12 people at Baby Cafe. They have a tiny…read moreparking lot with 3 narrow spaces in addition to street parking. Our food came with a complimentary drink so we had to try the "Ice Baby Milk Tea" drink which came with a frozen "baby chef" that later melted---the milk tea was absolutely delicious that tasted just like the milk tea I've had in Hong Kong. Favorite dishes of the evening: The hand-shredded chicken. Our cousin orders this every time they come and I can totally see why. It was tender and so flavorful! String Bean w/Ground Pork--it's diced up pretty small and my daughter loved this dish. Popcorn Chicken--crispy crunchy and so flavorful--I like that these aren't spicy Sour/spicy fish and pickled mustard greens stew--this was my favorite dish of the night. The pickled mustard worked so well with the tender flaky fish!

I'm going to go on record and say this is probably the best hainanese chicken I've had in awhile…read more It was juicy, moist, and flavorful. The way it was prepped and packaged, there were barely any bones. Our good friend got this delivered to us and it still tasted amazing. Imagine dining in?? The minced string beans with beef were so addicting, I couldn't stop eating it with white rice. She got us a whole chicken that came with two side orders of rice. Not sure if it comes with one or two, maybe she ordered an extra one for us. The salt and pepper squid were ok. A little soggy due to the delivery but were still solid after placing it in the over. The ginger scallion that came with the chicken, amazing. I love the ginger aroma. It had more ginger to scallion ratio. I highly recommend giving this place a try. And if you can, dine in!

Full Blog: https://tantorski.com/f/black-ruby…read more Friday nights in Cambridge have a great energy, and Black Ruby fully leans into it. The restaurant was buzzing when we arrived, but we were seated right away at the last available table. The space felt both lively and cozy, perfect for a date night. Service started a bit slow, but once it picked up, the pacing was excellent. Our server was more hands off, which worked well, letting us settle in and enjoy the night without feeling rushed. We started with the Larb Pork Dumplings, which were beautifully presented with chili lime mayo, fresh herbs, and crispy greens. They were fried perfectly, packed with bright Thai flavors, and the added crunch from the greens made the dish even better. With five dumplings, it was a great portion to share. For dinner, we ordered the Crispy Basil Burger and the Thai Garlic Burger, both cooked medium and full of flavor, with Thai seasoning adding a unique twist to the beef.

Once I tried Black Ruby, it immediately became one of my favorite restaurants in Cambridge. The…read morecocktails are creative and delicious--I love the Thai Tea Martini--and the food is fantastic as well. The Khao Soi burger is my go-to. It has all of the flavors and textures of Khao Soi, with pickled mustard greens for acid, crispy noodles for a crunchy flair, and just the right amount of spice. I find myself craving it often! The one and only bone I have to pick with Black Ruby is that the service, while very attentive, is almost TOO fast. I get that they want to turn tables over efficiently, but the last couple of times I've come, I kind of felt like they were rushing me out. I came here to catch up with a couple friends and our food came almost instantly, before our drinks, and the waitress seemed eager to keep us moving. I think our entire meal was less than 50 minutes. While I'll definitely be back, I think it won't be somewhere I'd bring friends anymore since it's just not enough time for a full conversation.

The food was absolutely delicious! The service was great and we were easily accommodated despite…read morebeing early for our reservation. The restaurant has a bar, second floor, and a side with booths. It was the perfect ambiance with amazing food. We ordered two of their appetizers and split an order of the BBH. It was the perfect amount of food for us! I highly recommend Esmai's if you want to try something a little different and elevated.

I came here for a date night as I've seen great reviews about the drinks and the food here. I made…read morea reservation for 6 on a Friday night - it was initially quiet inside but began to fill up more once we were seated. The interior was clean and modern. Our server was very welcoming and able to provide us with great insights into the menu. The cocktails were refreshing and tasty. I ordered a 'Spill the Tea' with gin and my husband ordered the matcha colada. I'd love to come back and try more out! As for food, we ordered the mini beef wellington, the banh mi & bone marrow, the curry chicken, and the loco moco. I loved the variety of dishes on the menu and was super impressed by the execution of all of them. They were very flavorful and cooked to perfection, with the mini beef wellington having crispy puff pastry and the bone marrow very tender. Overall, I was impressed by Esmai's creativity and would love to come back to try out more of the menu.

The scallion pancakes are among the best I have ever tried. Love that they include some braised…read moreand organ meat dishes. Hope we can still get a table after their recent award.

Nice location, has good dining room and decor. We arrived…read morebefore kitchen close, and ordered super quick because we didn't want to be those people haha. Our server definitely didn't seem like he was too happy about that and it showed most the night, but it could be me reading it wrong but that's what i interpreted it as. So i would say service was lacking. - Jahunger noodles thought this was tasty and the meats were cooked well and tender. The star was the noodles chewy bounce and had nice flavor. - Meefen noodles - ooooweee after a few bites definitely spicy and numbing haha probably the peppercorn bit i enjoyed this dish (paid for it later tho when digested haha) - Kavap (lamb kebab skewers) wasn't worth the price to portion ratio, well grilled and seasoned with cumin. Lamb was prepared well, no hint of gaminess. - Hand-made Lamb dumplings - hard pass for me next time, came out cold and bland. - not your avg honey cake- not my cup of tea but the lady enjoyed it! Reminded me of carrot cake consistency, mild sweetness which is nice. Not the dinner i would gravitate toward again but it was enjoyable dishes for trying it the first time.