Jeremy S.'s Profile

When I started attending college in northern Maine, I knew that my options for ethnic cuisine would be limited, especially to a man who has lived next to Cambridge, MA and all its global gastronomy. Nearest to the University of Maine is the little town of Orono, wherein dwells a humble Asian restaurant called the Thai Orchid. I had to check this place out, given the poor quality of the pad thai served at the school dining halls.

My expectations for appearance were fulfilled upon entering the establishment. Two rooms decorated with Thai art and photos of the Siamese royalty. This atmosphere was complimented by a TV in the corner playing Seinfeld re-runs on mute, to keep the patronage entertained while waiting for their meal.

The menu contained a wide variety of dishes for the vegetarian, beef, chicken, and seafood enthusiast. My two favorite dishes in Thai cuisine are pad thai and any spicy dish with seafood in it. I was delighted to see the "Spicy Seafood Pad Thai" on the menu, which I ordered with some fried veggies tempura (not very Thai, but who cares, it's good!). This was one of the better meals I've eaten in recent months. The chef managed to bring together a perfect balance of peanutty noodlness, peppery zest, and sumptuous seafood onto one plate. The fried veggies were good too, not over or underbattered. As a beverage I ordered a Thai Iced Tea which was a sweet, spiced iced tea mixed with milk, and went with the meal nicely.

Dessert selection was more limited than I would have liked. All they had that night were fried bananas in honey, which were quite good - like a fruit tempura.

For criticisms I would point out that the place is understaffed. This wasn't apparent at first because my party was on of the first groups of customers there for dinner, so service was fast. However, when it came time for dessert, the place was about half filled with patrons, and we ended up waiting well over 20 minutes for our dessert to be brought out by what appeared to be the only waitress. And serving fortune cookies is not appropriate after a Thai meal.

Prices are pretty cheap. My dish was less than 10 bucks and the total bill for 3 totaled under 50.

So if you're attending or visiting the University of Maine and crave a taste of Asia, just cross the river into Orono and take a left for the Thai Orchid.

A month or two ago I wrote a review recommending India Pavillion in Central Square. By no means do I withdraw my endorsement of that establishment. But if your budget is not as tight, Punjab in Arlington Center is superior in every way.

Better Atmosphere - This place recently reopened two doors down and into more than quadruple the square footage. No longer a quaint hole-in-the-wall, this place has transformed into an opulent palace of gastronomy. The place resembles more the Indian restaurants of Great Britain, minus the belly-dancers (check the bathroom).

Better Food - the appetizer platters are to die for, with an incredible varitety of meat, vegetable, cheese and potato preparations complete with warm naan bread, tamarind sauce and a very spicy chutney.
Main courses are in proportions made optimal for sharing, so come with a group and order the full variety of kormas, curries, biriyanis and specialties such as the duck.

This place is simply the best Indian restaurant in the area, if not the Boston metro.

Vacationing on the Maine coast renders a myriad of seafood restaurants to satisfy you day after day, but every once in a while you need a break from the twin lobster special and the fisherman's platter. Luckily, a 'taste of the Orient' is within reach of mid-coast locals, summer residents and tourists alike.
The cuisine is your basic Chinese assortment, with a buffet on select days, delivery and takeout if you want to eat at home. We chose to eat at the restaurant in a not very intimate setting, but comfortable.
What makes this place special is its menu of Filipino food in addition to the traditional Chinese dishes. I ordered a delicious surf and turf stir-fry over rice noodles and my accomplice enjoyed a spicy seafood curry. I asked for my dish to be made spicy and they did not disappoint.
With two dishes, a bowl of rice and egg rolls we had a feast worth two meals all for under 20 bucks, plus tip for the adequate service.

So if you're driving up Route 1 or need a break from clam shacks, Taste of the Orient will satisfy your Chinese craving and your sense of adventure with a flavor of the Philippines.

Well I recently got a menu for this place in the mail, so I assumed it was a new pizzeria in town (like we don't have enough around here). Well I did the usual thing and decided to give these folks a try. Seeing they had an extensive pasta menu, I opted for the Spaghetti Alla Puttanesca, which is listed as spaghetti and tomato sauce tossed with anchovies, olives, capers and crushed red pepper, basically.
The delivery man showed up no more than 15 minutes after my call, so they mustn't be getting much business, and I found out why.
For $10 I was given a tub of spaghetti and bland tomato sauce enough for 2 or 3 meals, tossed with about 2 anchovies, 8 olives and 12 capers. I had to pour on a ton of my owned crushed red pepper to equate my expectations. Plus they gave me a burger bun for a roll (I had a leftover Bertucci's roll instead).

Gemma merits 2 stars for their potential and since I've yet to try their pizza. As for the pasta, avoid.

The Cambridge area contains more Indian restaurants within 10 square miles than probably any other place on earth. Yet when my family wants Indian, we think "Central Square Indian", meaning this place. We've been to other Indian places around and kudos to them but I find this place gives you the best for your buck.

The best way to enjoy dinner here is with at least three people and a sharing attitude. Start with a vegetarian and non-vegetarian platter to go around, which include tasty pakoras among other things. For main courses I reccomend a rice-based biriyani, a meat-based dish like a saag or spicy vindaloo, and a creamy curry-based dish such as chicken korma. The selection is formidable, so sharing amongst a group is the best way to cover all the bases of this cuisine.

Service is decent, and the prices are cheaper in comparison to other places in the area. Parking is limited, but public transportation is conveniently close. Consider this place when weighing the myriad of options for Cambridge Indian cuisine.

Top quality Chinese food. The buffet, preceded by soup, is the best option. Unfortunately the selection at the tiny buffet table is pitiful compared to a few similar restaurants nearby. Check out Szechuan's Garden in Waltham or Yangtze River in Lexington if you want similar quality food with tri-fold or tetrafold the selection.

Service is fast and prices are OK, but not the cheapest considering it's a buffet.

For Arlington, this is the place to go for Chinese buffet, but if you can drive into bordering towns, you will find much better selection.

This place is always a summer favorite for me and my family. This place is accessible by land and by sea, with public docks just a few feet away. Good accomodation for families, with a touch tank, for the kids, featuring the local marine life.

As for the eating aspect, expect exceptional quality casual seafood complimented with a piping hot cup of baked beans. I highly recommend their fried seafood, which is always fresh and local. While many clam shacks are open patio this place is good for a rainy day when you get that seafood craving. Except for maybe the baked beans, there's nothing much here that you can't get an most of the other restaurants along the Maine coast, but if you find yourself in the Boothbay area, you should highly consider this as an option for local seafood.

Oh by the way, it's very inexpensive.

This place has been a personal favorite and I look forward to returning again and again.

Not a very romantic setting, but very rustic with its brick walls and a big mural of an Aegean panorama. This is a great place to go if you are tight for time because the service is FAST, but not so much as to decrease the quality of the food.
Save the pita bread for your main course, as many of their dishes are served over a big Greek salad with rice pilaf and feta cheese, great for making pita pockets! I highly recommend the gyros, fried calamari or the moussaka. I often order the vegetarian combo platter, served with hummus, falafel, grape leaves and spinach pie over salad. No wonder the Mediterranean folk live so long; their cuisine is a far cry from the buttered-up Western traditions. Be sure to finish with a bowl of rice pudding and you'll feel good inside for the rest of the night. As for your wallet the same feeling applies. Thinking Greek? Think Greek Corner!

I can thank the Sugar Shack for one of the best dining experiences of my life, with few drawbacks.

I'll clear those drawbacks first. Our party was seated right next to the "live entertainment" consisting of a guitarist/vocalist and bassist who sang some feel-good tunes but could have amped it down a bit. Even without the music the place was loud, with an obnoxious party on the other side of the small restaurant who exploded every time somebody walked into the room.

Now onto the good stuff, and boy is is it spectacular. Where else do they serve you gingerbread before your meal? I ordered some V8 tropical juice to complement this Jamaican experience and I ordered the best baby-back ribs and coconut shrimp I have ever eaten. Jamaican jerk rub ribs slide right off the bone and into your throat like a dream. The shrimp was perfect, very coconutty and complemented with a mango-pepper marmalade dip. The dish was served over slaw and rice with a sweet potato -- YUM.
I didn't eat much rice so as to save room for some exquisite, authentic key lime pie. A feast fit for a god.

Prices were reasonable and the service likewise. Avoid this place if you plan on a quiet meal. Otherwise, I entreat you to check out this jewel of the Carolina coast.

When I first set foot into this unique restaurant I knew I was in for something special. I was greeted by exotic aromas and Himalayan folk music. The waitress immediately recommended us the Mango Lassi as a drink which turned out to be a very intertesting smoothie-like beverage. We ordered an eclectic appetizer which reflected the crossroads that this cuisine finds itself at. Just as it is geographically, this "Tibetan Fusion" mixes Chinese, Indian and Thai influences in their food. I highly reccomend the mixed grilled sizzler. This place offers you to try some exotic new foods such as goat or quail or softshell crab prepared in unexpected ways. The service was satisfactory and the prices are very reasonable. The place is great for the adventurous pallette and for those who want to try something new. Extra points for the soy beans you can munch on while waiting for your main course.