caserole's Profile
Brunch in Cambridge/Somerville area with good coffee?
I'm on a quest for a tasty, cheap brunch spot that has good coffee.
I love S&S but the coffee is terrible.
Is it possible for a restaurant to have both good omelettes and good coffee?
Anyone Been to House of Chang in Cambridge?
One amazing thing that House of Chang does is that they will use a gluten-free soy sauce on special request.
However lousy you may have found their food (I personally thought it was perfectly fine), for people on a gluten-free diet it is like a Christmas miracle. I had not had Chinese food in five years with the exception of P.F. Chang's (they also have gluten-free options, but it's not great).
So if you need authentic Chinese flavors, and you can eat whatever you want, this place probably isn't worth traveling out of your way for. But if you are Celiac or otherwise gluten intolerant I whole heartedly recommend it.
Bergamot - outstanding!
I too just had a fabulous meal at Bergamot. Both the food and the service were outstanding.
I often find dining out to be rather perilous as I have very sensitive celiac disease. The staff at Bergamot were very accommodating and reassuring, and many items on the menu were gluten-free already. As far as I know, no substitutions needed to be made on the dishes I ordered and if there were it was seamless.
We started the meal off with cocktails, which were nicely balanced. I especially enjoyed the tart freshness of the Cooperstown.
The duck, duck, duck and the quail appetizers were both perfectly cooked, moist and flavorful, as was my entree of Halibut, and nicely garnished. For dessert we split the almond milk panna cotta with rhubarb. Delicious.
As mentioned in the first review, the portions are for savoring not stuffing. Classy joint.
-----
Bergamot
118 Beacon St, Somerville, MA 02143
Kolbeh of Kabob - Persian food
I noticed that no one's really giving much love to Kolbeh on these boards. I just wanted to give a shout out and say that their food is awesome.
Their rice is like a dream. I didn't even know rice could be that enjoyable before eating theirs. Each little grain is cooked to perfection. I don't know how they do it. Also, I think their falafel is the best I've ever had. I'm no falafel expert, but it's got that crispy outside with a really fresh tasting inside. And the grilled meats! delicious.
I feel like they have a problem with their pricing that keeps us from going there as often as we should. Basically, it's a little too expensive to just be the go to "I don't want to cook tonight" place. But it isn't fancy enough to make the cut for a special occasion place. It's in this weird grey area. The location for decades housed greasy sub shops and they've done a lot to spruce it up but it still has the old counter and retains a weird vibe.
However, the food is delish and I highly recommend that everyone try it. It looks like they get a lot of large middle eastern families as clients so I assume that speaks to the authenticity of the food.
-----
Kolbeh of Kabob
1500 Cambridge St, Cambridge, MA 02139
Need ideas for a toddlers day in Boston
Full Moon in Huron Village in Cambridge is a great place to take young kids. Their entire business model is geared towards young families: the menu is kid friendly, they have crayons, and there is is a large play area in plain sight with tons of toys and a wooden train set. The service has always been great too. My five year old niece loves going there.
But let me be clear, this is no chuck e cheese. It has a great atmosphere and adults can feel sophisticated and hip while dining.
-----
Full Moon
344 Huron Ave, Cambridge, MA 02138
Gluten Free Birthday Cake
The best gluten free birthday cakes around town are made by Vita Cohen in Arlington. She runs a business out of her home called CeliaCakes. They have a nice website and she is great with last minute orders on the phone.
I recommend the almond cake with orange icing. yum.
gluten-free bakery
Glutenus Minimus is a new gf bakery in belmont. I haven't made it over there yet but I've sampled their tasty goods at Porter Square Bookstore's cafe and Zing pizza.
http://www.glutenusminimus.com/Glutenus_Minimus/LOCATIONS.html
Looking for a dressy but affordable restaurant in Boston
I'd like to nominate The Helmand in Cambridge. It is a very classy place and the prices are quite reasonable; in the $15-20 range for entrees. Delicious food, too!
Zing Pizza, Porter Square, Cambridge - yum!
Zing is now offering gluten free pizza!
I have extremely sensitive celiac disease and find that even eating at restaurants with "gluten free options" leaves me feeling ill (cross contamination seems to be a major problem.
However, I just tried the gluten free blue october pizza at Zing's and it was a great experience. The pizza was delish (butternut squash puree, mozz, blue cheese, spinach, carmelized onions) albeit quite pricey ($17.50) for the GF crust (they don't offer GF by the slice). However, I still have half of it leftover for tomorrow and most celiacs seem willing to pay a premium to eat out with our friends.
The restaurant is tiny, with a laid back hippy vibe, really nice employees, and an emphasis on social responsibility. Very Cambridge.
