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Atasca Hampshire
Category: Restaurants Portuguese Portuguese [Edit]
50 Hampshire StCambridge, MA 02139
Neighborhood: Kendall Square/MIT
(617) 621-6991
- Nearest Transit:
-
Hampshire St @ Webster Ave (85)
Hampshire St @ Clark St (85)
Hampshire St @ Cardinal Medeiros Ave (85, CT2)
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Ambience:
- Romantic, Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
117 reviews for Atasca Hampshire
Review Highlights
-
"The fried potatoes are very authentic, as well." In 14 reviews -
"The fried potatoes and salt cod are also heavenly." In 12 reviews -
"The Febras de Porco was quite flavorful with complimenting..." In 3 reviews
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117 reviews in English
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Review from Melissa B.
Cambridge, MA
3/13/2012
I am still talking about the shrimp appetizer the next morning! Spicy tomatoes, goat cheese, jalapenos, yumm! The fish with seafood stuffing was seasoned in a fantastic way and served with lots of fresh, steamed veggies.
The wine was fabulous, the gentleman was so excited to interview us and bring us three reds to try before we decided on a bottle -- felt like a table side wine tasting.
I went on a Monday night a little after 8pm, only about 4 tables were occupied, and they did not rush us out, we were by far the last to leave, but they did not seem to mind.
This was a fun, refreshing, interesting place -- that definitely got me out of my restaurant rut!! -
Review from Connie S.
3/4/2012
Portuguese restaurant in Kendall Square with with a warm atmosphere. The dishes are classic Portuguese in style (with standard dishes like piri-piri chicken and dry salt cod) but not as flavorful as the cuisine is meant to be. Upside: there's a pretty good wine list (I also go for a vinho verde when available).
Entrees:
- I had the Caldereida de Peixe (stew of fish and potatoes) which was a large dish, generous with fish, but bland.
- Those who got the Bife Atasca com Ovo (Steak with Fried Egg) seemed to enjoy that and thought the steak was nicely cooked.
- Big warning for vegetarians: this is not a vegetarian-friendly restaurant... there is just one entree available, off the menu, without meat/seafood, and it's a pretty simple veggie/rice dish
The atmosphere is charmingly rustic-- there's a great lit-up patio area that should be nice once it gets warmer, and dozens of ceramic plates and pitchers lining the walls of the interior (although it was somewhat disappointing that the plateware for food was plain and generic). Our server was well-meaning but unattentive, though we didn't need to wait to long for the food itself.
Overall, Atasca is a nice destination for a cuisine that is severely underrepresented in the States, but if you've had authentic Portuguese food before you'll find that it falls a bit short of expectations. -
Review from Steven D.
Cambridge, MA
2/23/2012
For those like me who appreciate Zagat, this has a twenty for food. Which is fair. I like Cool, Funny or Useful marks on my reviews, but it is hard when the place was fine.
I was there for lunch mid-week and am fairly unfamiliar with Portuguese food. My impressions are of a good business meal alternative to Legal Seafood, equally good service, slightly better food.
However, the nearby Emma's Pizza and Mulans offer distinctly better food, albeit it in less corporate environs.
Pro; Good service, spacious and harmless environment.
Con; Food was lightly flavoured sea-food. -
Review from Lydia K.
Somersworth, NH
3/28/2012
Food was divine. Everything was super fresh and prepared so well that you will need to control yourself - so easy to over eat when food is this good! We ordered 8 small plates and there were no dogs in the bunch. Service was excellent and the wine was divine. I highly recommend this place. So does the worldly food snob that I was with - he had eaten here 2 yrs ago and had been thinking about it ever since. You need to make reservations - not a big place but it has a huge following. LOVE IT!
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Review from Amanda N.
Manchester, NH
1/18/2012
My husband and I decided to try this place out while we were in Boston. The menu looked a little on the pricey side but since we had an Open Table AMEX card we decided to go for it. Being that both my parents are Portuguese and I am used to Portuguese cooking I really wanted to try this place overall.
First, the place itself is very nice when you enter, it has a nice atmosphere and has music playing. Parking is street parking, but what else can you expect from Cambridge.
When we went it was a Friday night around 8pm. We had made a reservation just in case but there were only 2 other (larger) parties there. Our service was excellent right from the start.
We both had Kale Soup for a starter and it was delicious, just like my Mother makes.
For dinner my husband had CARNE DE PORCO Á ALENTEJANA and was very happy with it.
I had FEBRAS DE PORCO which was delicious and enough for two meals. The fried potatoes were very much "authentic portuguese style" and the vegetable side was cook and flavored perfectly. The pork itself was very flavorful and tender. For dessert I had Queijada de Coco with fresh cream and a "sprinkle" of spiced rum. It was delicious. Although I think there might have been a little too much rum...but I also don't really care for spiced rum.
Overall, I would definitely visit here again and plan to take my parents and sibling. -
Review from Aboud Y.
Cambridge, MA
1/14/2012
Very solid Portuguese place...I'm a fan. Need to compare to a few others though. That said, I've had several great meals here...the food is outstanding. Service is also top notch and there is something really warm and inviting about their dining room (I always feel at ease). Would definitely recommend.
Trivia Time: not really related to Atasca but did you know that the Portuguese introduced the concept of Tempura to Japan? Who knew? Don't believe me? Check it out... http://foodportraits.c... I must say though...while the Portuguese introduced it, the Japanese (like so many other things) perfected it. -
Review from Andrea T.
Boston, MA
4/20/2012
Food was fabulous! Service was just okay.
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Review from Ken L.
Wareham, MA
10/21/2011
This may be the best Portuguese restaurant in Cambridge, but I live on the South Coast with a very high Portuguese population. The food here was good, but not the best I've had this year.
I would like to give this Restaurant 3.5 stars, but that is not allowed. On food alone, I would give it 4 stars, but price and service pulled it down. The waitress was very attentive, but not annoying (restaurant mostly empty), so I went for the 4 star rating.
I know prices in Cambridge have to be higher then out in the sticks, but this seemed a bit high even for Cambridge. Costs: 4 adults, 3 appetizers, 4 entrees, 2 desserts, 3 coffees, 1 lower end bottle of wine, tax and tip. Total: $184. This restaurant should NOT have a $$ rating.
The waitress was very friendly and pleasant. However she was not able to discuss wine choices and was not very knowledgeable when asked specific questions about the food.
Our table was the furthest from the kitchen and the waitress was only able to carry two plates at a time. She had no serving tray and no help from other staffers. It took several trips for each part of the meal. After two appetizers were delivered and the waitress disappeared for several minutes we started wondering if my order got lost. It eventually came, but it would have been much better if she had said "Your crab cakes will be out in just a minute".
I was not impressed with the tacky fake fire place.
I had crab cakes for my appetizer. The portion size and consistency were good, but there was very little taste. What saved the dish was a large supply of a great tasting sauce.
My pork medallions had a great taste and a great sauce, but were slightly overcooked. The thin sliced potatoes may have been the best I have ever had, but due to inconsistent thicknesses, could have been even better. I was not overly impressed with the veggies.
My wife had a spicy shrimp dish which had good consistency and taste, but was a bit too spicy for my taste. It was not too spicy for my wife.
We had a full body red wine from the lower end of the price range. It was somewhat better than expected.
My deaf coffee was better tasting than 90% of all restaurants. I love real coffee, but I can't drink it at night. -
Review from Theodore D.
Cambridge, MA
6/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
Went there to with a date to give her the experience of classic Portagee food. It was great. The staff was all from the Azores (as am I) and the food was straight out of the old world. We had a bunch of Azorean apps.
Linguica with Pineapple = Awesome
Definitely get a bunch of the apps everyone of them was awesome.
I sometimes dislike going to "Portuguese" places because they aren't Portuguese at all - but Brazilian. I like Brazilian food - but it's a different food from a different continent. In Brazil they speak Portuguese - but they're not Portuguese... Big difference. Sorry little rant.
BUT the food was awesome. I ended up with the Cod. I usually like seafood. But.... This was Freaking amazing. FAR and AWAY the best Cod I have ever had. She ordered the Lobster Tail and Steak - and I wasn't jealous at all. She ended up trying to trade with me.... I was like nah nah nah. You want to order the most expensive thing on the damn menu you eat it. I'm gonna eat all of this god damned Cod and let you know how good it is. Maybe, just maybe, I'll give you a bite.
Pretty sure they don't even eat "Lobster tail and Steak" in Portugal anyway...
It was a great place with amazing food and the prices weren't bad (even her Lobster tail and Steak). They also have cool Portagee wines, and exotic Liquors.
***Highly Recommended*** I'm going back soon :) -
Review from Buddy S.
Boston, MA
6/22/2011
We've been to Atasca before and wanted to go back because they really have good Portuguese food and we weren't disappointed. The menu may be pricey (a bottle of Vinho Verde was $21.00 and you can buy it for $6.00) but the food is good.
I was disappointed that the soup of the day was butternut squash and not something Portuguese.
The meal started off with bread and olives. They also bring some delicious olive oil with roasted garlic in it. (try to save the bread for the entree...read further down)
We started off with the codfish cakes, veal cakes and shrimp dumplings. I got them because of the codfish cakes, however, I liked these less than the other two types. The veal cakes were really tasty.
For our entrees we split the cantaplana and the Pork Alentejana. One recommendation is to save the bread you get at the beginning of the meal for the entrees since the broths are so delicious. I really enjoyed the cantaplana which had shrimp, clams, mussels and ham in it. Also the potatoes in the Alentejana were quite good.
Overall, it was a very good meal. They have outside seating (which you can't reserve ahead of time but is on a first come first serve basis). I liked the outside seating even though I don't typically like to seat in sidewalk cafes. -
Review from Elvis K.
Santa Clara, CA
4/28/2011
Coming from a Portuguese background, this is by far the best Portuguese restaurant in the Boston area! The food is delicious!!! The charicio pate is to DIE FOR! Sangria delicious - and everything I've had thus far from chicken, beef, pork and seafood has been yummy! A good amount of food - I always take left overs home. I suppose the price is a bit on the high side, but for its authencity its well worth the money. The staff is friendly, the restaurant is clean and the owner is very personable and social.
My mom is a traditional Portuguese woman who dislikes to eat out - but after one visit to Atasca, she wanted to come back again. She devoured everything, haha...
Just writing this review is making me hungry... -
Review from Vivian C.
4/21/2011 10 photos
It was my first time at Atasca, but my friends' 3rd or 4th. They hadn't been impressed from their previous visits and only came this time to humor me I think, since I had a Groupon that I wanted to use, and of course to hang out.
To start us off, their doughy bread came with a few roasted garlic cloves swimming in olive oil... sure makes me miss Vinny T's...
We decided to treat this place as a tapas spot and ended up sharing a meal of 7 appetizers/salads and 1 dessert... which seemed to be the way to go, since my friends were happier with this meal than those in the past.
We ordered the following:
LINGUIÇA COM ANANÁS 6.95
Grilled linguica, served with pineapple, a traditional Azores combination
PASTÉIS DE CARANGUEJO 9.95
Crab Cakes served over baby greens, tossed with a balsamic vinaigrette
LULAS Á ALHO 8.95
Sautéed squid with garlic, white wine and lemon juice, topped with milho frito croutons (polenta)
PASTÉIS ATASCA 9.95
Pasteis de Bacalhau (codfish cakes), Rissois de Camarao (shrimp dumplings) and Croquettes de Vitela (veal cakes) served with blackeye pea sala
ÍSCAS NA CACAROLA 6.95
Sauteed calves liver with garlic, onion and wine sauce
POLVO NA CACAROLA 8.95
Chilled salad of tender bits of octopus tossed in a light cumin vinaigrette
CAMARES 9.95
Fried Shrimp in a crispy batter with a shrimp piripiri and roasted red pepper cream sauce
Pasteis de Nata 4.95
Creamy custard tart in a flaky buttery pastry shell with cinnamon and Beirão, the Portuguese orange liqueur
Everything was pretty good, but what especially took the cake was the fried shrimp with the yummy sauce. The only dish I would prefer to not get again would be the calves liver, but that's just me realizing I'm more of a chicken liver person than a calf. I did have a little, and it wasn't too livery, but still, not something I'm interested in.
There's a patio outside with a cool looking fake fireplace. A great option for when it gets warmer. -
Review from Andrew H.
Arlington, MA
2/3/2011
I used to go to this place when it was a little hole in the wall outside of Inman Square. It was great food, great service, and a cozy homestyle feel.
This location is in what appears to be an office building so it's missing a bit of the homestyle soul. I was hoping to repeat what was a very memorable meal 6 or 7 years ago. Not even close. The food was - meh. Not bad, but totally bland and uninspired. Two dishes, an app, and a couple glasses of wine for almost $100. Maybe worth half that. Not a chance that I'd go back. The food that we got in the tourist trap type places in Portugal was much better.
The service was attentive and polite - granted the place was basically empty, but it was nice just the same.
Don't waste your time, get a gourmet pizza at Emma's next door or hit the Blue Room instead. -
Review from Jonathan S.
Boston, MA
6/18/2011
We'd been meaning to try Atasca for some time. We were not disappointed.
The bread with olive oil and garlic was a great start -- very good bread, dense and tasty that went well with garlic (re the comment about wishing for Vinny T's bread -- you've got to be kidding; this was head and shoulders above that, a serious chewy bread that did great things to whatever you put on it or dipped it in).
We had the Mini Kabobs de Carne (Sirloin steak skewers with peppers, red onions and a goat cheese cream sauce) appetizer. Tasty and tender meat, fantastic sauce.
For entrees we had Cataplana (Clams, mussels and shrimp, steamed in a copper steamer, with onions, red peppers, prosciutto and linguiça served with jasmine rice) and Carne de porco á alentejana (Sautéed pork loin with clams, paprika, garlic and cilantro with cubed fried potatoes).
Both were excellent, both had wonderful sauces (yes, there seems to be a theme here -- Atasca makes great sauces). We asked for extra bread to sop up the sauces.
We also tried a glass each of the Periquinta Castela, Tricadeira Aragonez and the Frei Joao Touriga Comanje. These are the least-expensive wines by the glass on the menu and both were excellent, although if I had to pick a favorite it would be the Frei Joao Touriga Comanje.
Went to Toscanini's for dessert...
We had a Groupon for the meal. Without it, it would have been moderately pricey (about $72 before tip), but not bad for what we had. And enough so we brought some home to have another meal out of it. Yeah, well we're old farts and we're not double-wides so we probably eat less than some who are younger or wider. YMMV. -
Review from Kyle D.
Fort Myers, FL
3/6/2011 1 Check-in Here
Everything about this place was perfect. Not just the food and the service.
I went here to use the Groupon I had purchased some months ago, and I just happened to show up with a friend during the middle of the day around 4pm -- apparently nobody goes here then, as it was JUST us.
I found it funny, but paid no mind. At least I knew we'd get perfect service (though something tells me it'd be great regardless).
I don't have much experience with portuguese food at all, but have had my fair share of Tapas, and it was pretty similar.
We got a few small dishes to try a few things out, and it was all amazing.
The roasted veggies, the spinach crepes, the shrimp ... something, and some liver dish with onions and what not. (sorry, it's been a few weeks)
This filled us both up, with enough leftovers for a meal, and didn't even use up the entire $40 Groupon. Granted, we didn't get drinks, but the food was delicious and the portions rather generous for tapas style small plates.
Give this place a go if you're in the area. -
Review from Tsada K.
Oakland, CA
10/2/2008
One of the best things about living my preteen years in New England was being able to spend my summer days frolicking on the salty shores of the Atlantic. Sometimes I'd head to the rocky beach at sunrise and wouldn't leave until sundown, exhausted and sunstroked, feeling a bit like a salted, dried cod.
One of the worst parts of spending my days frolicking on the salty shores of the Atlantic was, at the end of those days, coming home and peeling off my sand-encrusted suit, only to find several salt water minnows ("shiners", as we called them) dried and taut, affixed to my stomach and pubescent titties like anchovies on a pain bagnat. I'd peel them off and, with a bit of sadness, flush them down the toilet before hopping in the shower.
I don't eat dried fish.
I have made this abundantly clear to all who know me.
Still, every time I go to Atasca with my father he tries to get me to split the Bacalhau a Lagareiro with him. And I know why--because he wants half of my Camarao Atasca. He wants to have his reconstituted dehydrated fish and eat my delicious prawns, too.
No. Way.
I love the Camarao Atasca--big juicy prawns grilled and served with a spicy tomato sauce--because they are so tasty and delicious, but also because they are served with the most wonderful broccoli rabe and sliced fried potatoes. I have never ordered another entree at Atasca because this one is so phenomenal I just can't get enough of it. It amazes me that my dad thinks I might consider trading half my succulent crustaceans for a lump of his rehydrated fish.
I also adore the marinated octopus appetizer and the warm squid salad.
I will say that the food at this newer Atasca location is really not as good as it was at their old one. While this one, with its outdoor dining under the grape arbor, is very pretty and the food is still quite good, I really enjoyed visiting their little hole in the wall down the street, with its more rustic, homey feel. Still, Atasca is always on my list of places to visit when I am in the Boston area, along with the beautiful salty shores of the Atlantic.
*removes bikini and peels a salted dried lofasz from adult-sized bosom* -
Review from Trish F.
Boston, MA
10/9/2008 2 photos
I've had some lovely meals on the patio of Atasca. Sure the view isn't all that scenic, but the little waterfall, the flowers, and a good meal with friends is definitely my scene.
For an appetizer, I usually share the queijo fresco con tomates.. pretty much the Portuguese version of an Italian tomato/mozzarella bruschetta. I LOVE the Portuguese white cheese that comes with the plate.. and they serve it with enough tomatoes to last you for dayyyysss (line your pockets with ziplock bags, perhaps?). I think it's a plate good for 3.. with 2 people, you'll feel slightly full and rethink your entree. I'm a fan of the steak sandwich for an entree. It comes with some oversized bread, but it's always cooked just the way I order it. I also recommend the filetes de peixe fritos (fried fillets).. but only if you get another entree and share both with a friend. It's really just too much fried on one plate for one person (or at least for me it is). OOH.. and the fried potatoes are especially tasty (and plentiful as a side dish for entrees)!
The service is fantastic and the waitresses have always been charming and forgiving when I pronounce my dishes incorrectly. My one complaint is no complaint at all.. they're too attentive and well.. Atasca has proven that I can drink a WHOLE lotta water.
I've only been for lunch so the prices are super reasonable, but I'll definitely need to stop by for dinner. I think it could be quite romantical with the low lights in the restaurant. -
Review from Melissa A.
Cambridge, MA
12/7/2007
I went here for the first time last night. We shared the Linguica Corn Ananas, Queijo Fresco Corn Tomatoes, and Queijo Corn Pate, which basically means "We shared sausage and the same type of soft cheese with different stuff on it." It was fine, but nothing really jumped out at me except for the huge piece of onion I ate unknowingly.
For dinner, I got the Bife & Alfacinha [steak with an obscene amount of potatoes] and felt embarrassed cause I couldn't pronounce it and had to point at the menu. I always pride myself with being able to order without pointing, but I'm talking about mundane stuff. My friend has to open up her menu, find what she's looking for and say, "I'll have the burger."
I'll say the "bife" was okay. It's better than the $10 steak with all the fixin's in old Vegas, but that's old Vegas and it reeks of desperation. It was an unassuming cut of steak that's wasn't all about being flashy like "looky here! I'm a steak!" It only merely suggested it's steakiness. And, dear god, the potatoes. They must have unloaded these potato-chip-thin slices of potatoes on my plate and got a phone call and forgot to stop. It was a bed of salty potato slices that were good, but way excessive and a lot more assuming than the steak and they screamed, "we're potatoes! Never mind with that steak!" Assholes.
And it was some old biddy's birthday there. They played this dirge-like birthday song on the loudspeaker which was a little disconcerting for the rest of us. I love seeing older ladies out on the night, like they're all "We are going to have FUN without our hubbies tonight! I might even get dessert! I'm naughty!" Yeah, that looks like a blast. Wake me up when the strippers get there, ladies.
Actually, this place is an old biddy type of place. There's lots of shit on the walls ala TGI Friday/Ruby Tuesdays/Chilis except it's not stop signs, canoes, and olde-timey beer signs. This shit is festive plates and porcelain pitchers--stuff that old biddys buy from the QVC to go next to their Precious Moments figurines and salt and pepper shaker collections.
So now, like the old biddy who said to her server, "Can you pack this up? I'm going to take it in for lunch!" like one of those office ladies who are all like, "We need to collect the money for Sally's baby shower!" and wear their jeans on jeans for cancer day.
I sit at my desk eating the rest of the nuked steak with a plastic fork and knife. It's taking forever to cut it, but at least I'm not in old Vegas or using a spork. So I got that going for me...which is nice. -
Review from Cecilia L.
Cambridge, MA
12/17/2008
I had the loveliest meal here. Alyssa F (half Portuguese) and I (not Portuguese) thought Atasca much better than its area competitors, Portugalia and Con Sol. Alyssa had a perfectly cooked salt cod with caramelized onions and those blissfully crispy potato disks. I couldn't stop eating off her plate. Our dining companion had a tasty steak smothered in onions, asparagus, gravy and a fried egg.
I went with the small plates, ordering the not-so-small seafood sampler appetizer and the grilled linguica with pineapple. The linguica was so good the carnivore friend polished off half of it along with his steak. The seafood sampler came with fried calamari, garlic shrimp and baby octopus in lemon viniagrette. The calamari was decent but would have been much improved by a dipping sauce or brisk squeeze of lemon. Now I see that the calamari was supposed to come with spicy piri-piri mayonnaise, which I think they forgot. But the cold octopus was the BEST THING EVER, tender, succulent and flavorful complemented with grilled onions. I wish they served a plate of that octopus on its own.
Dessert was a decent chocolate mousse. The prices are right (most entrees just under $20), the portions generous, the atmosphere and our waitress lovely (though she kept directing us toward the most expensive items).Listed in: Date night!
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Review from John K.
Arlington, MA
7/24/2011
Great food in fine ambiance, but a little pricier than $$.
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Review from Annie P.
Cambridge, MA
2/21/2008
O Cantinho, Where art thou?
SAD FACE 2193109891828104982094891289480891 x 823u90302930-2139-0293-0293-093-039123132 = No O Cantinho.
This was the next pit stop since it's supposedly the same owners, have also been around forever and food seemed pretty similar.
Surely you've seen Atasca... the one with the outdoor patio with cool barb wire looking entrance.. next to Emma's ... right across the street from One Kendall.. for some reason.. maybe because it's right next/under the hotel but it takes awhile to get some courage juice to actually walk in.
Anyways, loved the vibe of Atasca. I could walk around in circles all day staring at walls and feel like I've stepped into my Portuguese great grandmother's (since I have ton of those) cabin on top of a hill on green fields.
After all our appetizers which consisted mostly of the same yummy things over and over: Portuguese white cheese and some sort of garlic AND our main dishes (marinated steak which tasted more like leather steak but the fried egg on top helped mucho) .. I think we came to the conclusion that next time we'd just stick with ordering a bunch of apps and sharing.
Good thing about this place is the wide range of seafood, meats and soup/stew options. The home fried potatoes are ridiculously overwhelming.. but certainly crisp, addicting and served with almost everything. -
Review from Julie A.
Washington, DC
8/13/2007
One of the best places in Cambridge to take out-of-town visitors. They have a whole page of tapas-type small plates if your visitors are people you like. If you're entertaining folks with whom you would prefer not to share your food, the entrees are enormous for one. (And the vinho verde -- sort of a cross between champagne and Sprite -- will make any company more congenial!)
In the summertime you can get a table out under the grape arbor and, depending on the time of year and the position of your chair, actually reach up and pick grapes. Where else can you do that in Cambridge, Massachusetts? Even in the colder months, the inside is a feast for the eyes, full of painted Portuguese pottery.
Be sure to try the black-eyed pea salad, the chourico (chorizo) pate', the yummy fish fritters, and anything with bacalhau (salt cod) in it. Extra points if your bacalhau dish comes with those fabulous Portuguese fries that resemble nothing so much as thick, tender potato chips. -
Review from Rob V.
Marlborough, MA
5/8/2010
Let me first start off by saying I have been to Atasca for years. It's a very convenient place to hit before going to the Kendall for a movie, and I have enjoyed the dishes for the most part.
The service....fair. It's never been bad, but I can't say any of the servers how wow'ed me.
However after going the other month for dinner, and what ensued after, I will never go again. I got the worse case of food poisoning. It was from their Galinha a Verde dish (chicken). It was the one of the longest, sleepless nights I have never had. That said, once the dish was "up and out", I was totally fine.
I decided to read reviews of this place after the fact and was not surprised to see that someone else complained of food poisoning here as well.
Sorry Atasca....but shame on you for causing this horrendous experience. I joined Yelp just to state this. Shape up, word spreads. -
Review from Susan N.
9/17/2008
This was my first real forray into Portuguese food. I ordered the fish medley dish and the flavor was really outstanding. Really fresh tasting flavor, and the sauce was unique in a good way. I used the potatoes in my dish to actually soak up the sauce since it was so good.
At first glance it didn't really look like that much (especially compared to the boy's dish) but oh man, there was definitely enough for two people, and maybe even a third.
The restaurant has a really romantic feel to it too. I absolutely loved the atmosphere even if the service wasn't top notch. It's a great date place. It's probably also a really nice place to bring your hammock and listen to some mellow music. Well, that's what I'd want to do anyway, based on the European Mediterranian decor.Listed in: East Siyeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeed
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Review from Jon H.
2/23/2009
What a great place for lunch. Really fresh ingredients, authentic dishes, great lunch specials, and just damn good food.
We started off with the linguica and pineapple appetizer. Perfectly grilled, not too salty, perfect crunch...just a great way to start it off.
She had the pork chop sandwich - perfect. The pork chop was tender and seasoned nicely, served on a soft port roll and chopped lightly fried potatoes.
I had the cheeseburger. Perfect balance of char on a medium rare nice size piece of meat, served with some Portuguese cheese and on the same warm soft port roll.
All-in-all? About 15 buck s person for a great lunch that stuffed us. The dinner menu looked awesome as well (I'd def try the steak topped with egg). Prices are really reasonable, the atmosphere is very homey, the service is great, and the food is awesome. ENJOY! -
Review from Deanna D.
9/1/2009
We went to Atasca for dinner on a weeknight and the place was empty. The restaurant is well decorated and quaint. Our server was very friendly, helpful and attentive. The wine list offers nice Portuguese vines at reasonable prices.
I had the Cataplana (assorted seafood steamed in a copper steamer served w/ rice) which was enjoyable. The flavors were clean, the ingredients were fresh and the dish was light, all of which describes traditional Portuguese cuisine. My bf had the Bifo Rechado (Steak stuffed w/ cheese) which he really enjoyed. Its a bit pricey but the quality and freshness of the ingredients call for it.
Overall it was a good experience and we might be back for tapas.Listed in: Welcome to the People's…
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Review from Garnet S.
Chicago, IL
10/8/2009
Ate here tonight with 3 colleagues.
The Portuguese beer was acceptable, but there isn't anything special about it.
For starters we shared the cheese/pate plate, grilled sardines, liver and crab cakes. I found the cheese to be wonderful buttery like a fresh mozzarella, the grilled sardines with the carrot/pepper relish to be refreshing, the liver to be a tad minerally (but I think that about all liver - my Polish friend lapped it up!), and the crab cakes to be too much filler and not enough crab.
Each one of us ordered the mixed grill plate: chicken, pork and lamb, covered in a Portuguese style barbecue sauce with a side of steak potatoes and vegetables. We all asked for the Atasca potatoes since I saw the previous reviews on here. Boy, were those reviews right! These delicious tubers and like a 5 times thick potato chip; perfectly salted and crunchy!
The pork was my favorite of the meat, followed by the chicken, as they were both super tender. The lamb was a tiny bit chewy, but maybe because I ordered mine rare? One of my companions said his was also a bit tough, and his had been ordered medium.
Everything was pretty darn tasty, but the Atasca potatoes were really the rockstar of the meal. -
Review from Lisa D.
New York, NY
2/16/2009
The more I think about it, the more upset I get about my experience at Atasca. I came here on Valentine's Day and was actually excited that I found and got reservations at a restaurant without a prixe-fix menu. My boyfriend and I had a little transportation problem and arrived 10 minutes late, after getting lost, and freezing, the first words out of the hostess mouth was "Your reservation was 8:30. SORRY, but we gave your table up" in this tone that the situation was totally our fault and we should have known better. Isn't that why you get a telephone number when patrons make reservations?? So you can call and double check and confirm with them? And what an idiot to think that we wanted to here that after going out of our way to go there on VALENTINE'S DAY.
THEN it took about 15 minutes to get our glasses filled with water. I purposely put my menu down and stared at every waiter/waitress that walked by wondering who was our neglectful waiter. He finally came and he apologized. I only feel a tinge of sympathy for him because it seemed like he was working half the room and covering the bar as well. But still! At this point, I was contemplating of making a small scene and leaving. They were just lucky that I was starving.
The food though was maybe 3 or 4 stars? It was tasty. Perhaps the chefs were the only ones on top of their game that night. But I think I could definitely find great food elsewhere without the lack of service I experienced here. The only highlight of my meal was the person across from me. -
Review from B. B.
Somerville, MA
2/10/2007
The food is extraordinary and comforting, and the atmosphere is pleasant and cozy. Service has ranged from good to awful.
This is one of the few places I know that has a liver dish on the menu, and it's delicious. It's a small plate, so I usually also get a salad or another small plate (usually the squid). For dessert, I usually order the chocolate mousse, which is just wonderful, but there are many other terrific choices.
Be warned that the service is unpredictable and sometimes condescending. Also, on the weekends, they expect each person to order an entree or at least three small plates. I was surprised one Saturday afternoon, when our server gave us a hard time about this, even though no one had informed us of this rule until we were well into our meal, we ordered a bottle of wine and therefore spent more than we could have by adhering to their minimum, and the restaurant was nearly empty. I've been going there for years without incident, so I'm hoping that this unpleasantness was a fluke, but we'll see. -
Review from Casimir M.
Cambridge, MA
2/22/2011
I scheduled reservations a week in advance. I called the day of to verify our reservations. The woman tells me, "She has no reservation in my name" Not too big of a deal, they put me down for that night luckily, but I was still annoyed.
Very nice dimly lit restaurant. We ordered the crab cakes for a starter and I was satisfied with that choice. For the entree I had Caldeirada De Marisco, a shellfish stew with jasmine rice. There was no flavor in the entire dish, it was like eating boiled seafood and boiled rice. My GF got the Frango Piri-Piri (Cornish hen with Piri Piri sauce and garlic mashed potatoes) which I liked, the sauce was delicious.
I have been to a few Portuguese restaurants in Cambridge and I would choose an alternate choice before coming back here. Maybe I happened to order a meal that wasn't their specialty so I am not bashing them all in all but I much rather prefer Casa Portugal or Sunset Grill, both in Cambridge. -
Review from Amanda B.
Somerville, MA
10/28/2007
Walking into the vestibule of the restaurant made me reminisce about days in Portugal with its blue and yellow azulejos and other typical Portuguese decor. Unfortunately, the charm was not enough to make up for the things I did not enjoy at Atasca.
We got a lukewarm reception from our waiter. Maybe he was having a bad day. Maybe he didn't like the shirt I had on. Maybe he got yelled at in the kitchen by a rabid cook. Still, I expect somewhat of an effort to at least appear to be happy that I'm in your restaurant.
I got a fish dish that was bland. It was cool that the break and olives were included in the bill, which is totally unheard of in Portugal but would probably not fly well in Boston. Although I was appreciative that there was bread, it was somewhat stale. I did love that they had an appetizer of tomatoes with queijo fresco, which is a mild, soft, white cheese. MMM!
Dishes are moderately priced. I would be happy if somebody took me on a date there. I really wanted to like it, but food and service fell short. I'd be willing to give them another chance. -
Review from Christine C.
Manhattan, NY
4/24/2008
I LOVE THIS PLACE. It's as if I just got off the plane and walked into my grandparents house in Minho, Portugal. Definitely a Northern Portuguese vibe with a little bit of variety in their food choice. The outdoor patio is excellent and they have all the portuguese beers available.. definitely ask to try either a Sagres or a Super Bock. The desserts are excellent and the atmosphere is soo cute. The cafe is straight off the boat and the little sugar packets are from a few towns away from my Avo's euro retreat.
Real, EXCELLENT quality food for a reasonable price. If you like seafood, you definitely need to try out this tasty and flavorful food. -
Review from Jennifer M.
Cambridge, MA
5/15/2008
My 4 favorite things:
1) The Sangria -- they chop the fruit into tiny cubes and it seems to really add a lot.
2) The Portugeese fried potato -- a perfect cross between a chip and a french fry, I've even tried to replicate them in my own kitchen (with some degree of success).
3) The garlic steak sauce -- dip the aforementioned fries in this and you'll think you've died and gone to heaven. Okay... not really, but almost.
4) The Chocolate Mousse -- tastes like eating fudge batter. -
Review from Luisa O.
Cambridge, MA
12/16/2008
I was raised eating Portuguese food made by my Portuguese mom in the US and in Portugal. These folks are not from the Azores, which is where much of the idea of "Portuguese cuisine" in this part of the state comes from. They are also not from Brazil. Even though they share a language, their continents and cuisine are COMPLETELY different. So if you are thinking about black beans or sweetbread.....this is not for you. (It is also not Spanish/Basque food as the category, suggests. The person who came up with that one, should consult a map.)
They are from mainland Portugal, from the North, I believe. If you know Portuguese food, the food here is simple and tasty and very true to the food you will find in Portugal today. The ingredients are fresh, the wines are good and it is inexpensive for the meal you get. It is not elite or fancy or exquisite, leaving you near death on the floor with what you have just eaten, but it's very good. That said, if you don't like fish or seafood or the idea of cod, squid or sardines puts that "eeew" look on your face, do not go there. (That "eeew" look is very ugly to the rest of us.)
Portuguese food has lots of fish and seafood. 3/4 of the country is coastline! There are many meat dishes you could order as well (pork, beef, etc) and if you are a vegetarian you could probably get by with the side dishes. In general the food is not spicy (hot), but has olive oil, garlic, onions, lemon-these types of flavors. It's distinctive and simple and tastes VERY good. I have never had a bad meal here- and second to my mom, it's one of two Portuguese restaurants I frequently eat at in Cambridge.
Bom apetite! -
Review from Rod B.
San Francisco, CA
1/13/2008
Our first visit to Atasca a few years ago was under unusual circumstances: Joy & I were renting a new apartment, and the landlords were Joe & Maria, the owners of Atasca. Let's just say: Best lease-signing EVER!
Since then, we've moved, but still pop back to Atasca on the occasional "date night". Some things are always the same -- we always enjoy the delicious mozarella and prosciutto small plate, and the tasty Cintra lager. But when it comes to the entree, it's time to go adventuring.
One of my rules for dining out: If there's a dish on the menu that comes with a fried egg on it, that's the one I order. At Atasca, that's their delicious steak with fried egg and crispy fried potatoes. I've had that several times, and it never disappoints.
Other must-experience dishes are the salt-cod with caramelized onions which mashes together flavours in a most exciting fashion, and the chicken with St. Jorge cheese and risotto. Finish it off with the chocolate mousse or coconut cake, and we're happy campers once again. -
Review from Milee S.
10/29/2008
I had never heard of this place til yesterday. Atasca is between Kendall and Central, near Inman Square.
We came for lunch and decided to have a glass of Rose. It was pretty good, not too sweet (like White Zin) but not too dry, We then decided to split the crab cake appetizer, which was fantastic. Probably the best crab cakes I ever had! The appetizer came with 3 crab cakes on a huge bed of salad, with remoulade sauce and lemon. They were so flavorful and the salad was delicious too.
For my meal, I had the chicken salad sandwich, which is made with pickles (so that sold me). It was a regular size portion, and it came with fried potato discs (with lots of vinegar and salt) and another salad. I was kinda all salad-ed out, so I skipped it. But it was yummy too!
My friend got the spicy mussels and he said they weren't all that spicy. But he loved the dish.
I would come back here in a heartbeat. I wanted to try the salmon but thought too heavy for lunch. Great date place, great service and when we went, really quiet.
Prices are really reasonable. -
Review from Naomi U.
Cambridge, MA
8/22/2008
I've only been here once, but our dinner was excellent.
We had wonderful food in a fabulous setting. While just off of Kendall Square; sitting in a sunken patio just off of Hampshire you could forget you're just off a city street. This would be a fabulous place for a romantic dinner.
The food was great....fresh ingredients, wonderful seasoning, nicely prepared.
The waitress helpful, patient and very knowledgeable. Among our party were people with odd dietary restrictions (me) and two vinophiles who knew nothing about Portuguese wine. The kitchen was even more accommodating than I thought possible for the cuisine!
The check was not modest, but we did have a lot of seafood and wine...so while not at all inexpensive it was priced appropriately. -
Review from Jean C.
Boston, MA
8/23/2011
We went here with some Portuguese friends and really liked it. The food was delicious and the ambiance was great. It's a little pricey, plus it's a bit of a hike from the #1 bus, but overall we really liked it.
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Review from Katy T.
Binghamton, NY
11/29/2005
The food was good, although heavy on the fish which makes sense for Portuguese food. The meal was very good, location is weird, but it was oddly easy to find parking right out front, and if you can't find parking there, parking can be found in a garage by following the blue circle P's.
The staff was wonderful. When my fiancee' needed to change a dollar into coins for the meter, the manager of the restaurant ran out and insisted that he feed the meter for us. What a nice surprise.
We really enjoyed our visit here, although they only get 4 stars because the meal wasn't one where I remembered it days later. -
Review from Mark L.
Orange, CA
9/26/2007
Really good meat and potatoes heavy food. Nice place, great for a date with a price range that is tolerable for most college students. The patio was nice for lunch on one of the rare sunny Boston days with a nice breeze.
We started with two small plates, white kidney beans with miscellaneous meat bits and shrimp with goat cheese. The kidney beans were great, you really got the smokiness of the choriso and surprisingly there was tripe! I love tripe...you should too...some people think its scary but the texture is really unique. Plus the gravy gets into all the little honeycombs, it's really nice. The shrimp and goat cheese were meh, some shrimp was cooked really nicely, you could taste the grilled edges, but NONE of them were de-veined. Kinda don't like the thought of eating shrimp poop.
For entrees I got the pork loin with clams and potatoes. This was awesome, the perfect meat and potatoes dish. The pork was really well seasoned and not dry at all. The fried potato quarters were perfect, especially with the butter wine sauce that was everywhere. The clams were huge and added a nice depth of flavor to the dish.
We also got the seafood risotto, which we thought could be a substitute for their normal paella. WE WERE WRONG. The seafood risotto left much to be desired. It was too heavy on the tomato side of the spectrum and wasn't anything special. I recommend the paella, which is served in the metal pot and everything.
