Mulan

For some reason, there is a dearth of good Chinese food in Cambridge. Cambridge is filled with wonderful sandwich shops, really good upscale-ish cuisine, great gastro-pubs, and a fair share of interesting ethnic restaurants such as Portuguese, Indian, and Italian. However, most of the best Chinese restaurants are in Chinatown and Allston, with a few scattered throughout Malden, Quincy, and the suburbs.

Mulan is one of the better Chinese restaurants in Cambridge. It has an extensive menu full of many authentic Taiwanese dishes. Although the food is not phenomenal, it's decent for the area. This is one of those restaurants where you get really excited reading the menu and then you walk away feeling somehow dissatisfied with the experience, even though it seemed like it could have been so good.

Nevertheless, the food is decent, and some dishes are actually quite good. If you are around, especially during lunchtime, it's worth a visit. The prices are very reasonable (most of the dishes shown below were around $8 or so) and the food is decent.

Eggplant with Hot Garlic Sauce

Shredded Pork with Baby Bamboo

Fish Filet in Black Bean Sauce

Tofu with Dry Bean Sauce

The tofu with dry bean sauce is one of Mulan's "Must try" dishes and also happens to be one of my favorite dishes there. The crunchy soy bean based topping is sweet, savory, and fragrant. It contrasts perfectly with the soft blocks of plain tofu. I really love this dish and I often find myself scooping up bits of the crunchy topping that's left on the plate so I can eat it with rice. Unfortunately, I have found that this dish is not always consistent, and on my last visit (during lunch), the topping was a bit over-salted. At other times, however, it has been delicious, so it's unpredictable.

228 Broadway
Cambridge, MA 02139
617-441-8812

Celebrity Pizza and Dairy Bar

Celebrity Pizza and Dairy Bar looks like one of those seafood shacks that should belong on a beach near a seaside town somewhere. They serve 24 flavors of soft serve ice cream, pizza, sandwiches, and various types of fried seafood / lobster rolls.

Interestingly enough, it's smack in the middle of Watertown, Massachusetts, a town about 20 minutes outside of Boston. On a nice day, you can sit at the picnic benches right outside the shack, where you can almost feel like you're at a seaside town, just without the ocean. :P

Some of the fried seafood at Celebrity is surprisingly good. The scallops were very sweet and lightly fried in a way that was not too greasy. The onion rings were good too. The fries were mediocre, and seemed more like a bed on which the seafood could rest than anything else. The rest of the seafood was fine, although nothing special.

This is a great lobster roll, and a surprising value at only $11.99. The bread is nicely toasted, and they actually don't use much mayo, which keeps the sandwich pure with its fresh, sweet lobster taste. I highly enjoyed this sandwich and would order it again.
The soft serve is solid, though not super interesting. I tried the creamsicle (orange sorbet and vanilla). The mix of the two different textures (sherbet + ice cream) threw me off guard, and I didn't like it that much. The next time I just got vanilla, which tasted no different than McDonalds but cost twice as much.

I think what I should have done is either try one of the 24 interesting flavors or try a chocolate dipped cone, which looks kind of fun. Maybe next time.

Two downsides of this place

1. No public restrooms. So . . make sure you go before coming, otherwise you might be a bit uncomfortable!

2. Cash only, although there is an ATM right inside the restaurant
This is a fun, very reasonably priced place for lunch. If you don't feel like driving all the way to a seaside town for some fried seafood and soft serve, you can head to Watertown and get a pretty solid version of the same.

684 Mt Auburn St
Watertown, MA 02472

Celebrity Pizza and Dairy Bar

Celebrity Pizza and Dairy Bar looks like one of those seafood shacks that should belong on a beach near a seaside town somewhere. They serve 24 flavors of soft serve ice cream, pizza, sandwiches, and various types of fried seafood / lobster rolls.

Interestingly enough, it's smack in the middle of Watertown, Massachusetts, a town about 20 minutes outside of Boston. On a nice day, you can sit at the picnic benches right outside the shack, where you can almost feel like you're at a seaside town, just without the ocean. :P

Some of the fried seafood at Celebrity is surprisingly good. The scallops were very sweet and lightly fried in a way that was not too greasy. The onion rings were good too. The fries were mediocre, and seemed more like a bed on which the seafood could rest than anything else. The rest of the seafood was fine, although nothing special.

This is a great lobster roll, and a surprising value at only $11.99. The bread is nicely toasted, and they actually don't use much mayo, which keeps the sandwich pure with its fresh, sweet lobster taste. I highly enjoyed this sandwich and would order it again.
The soft serve is solid, though not super interesting. I tried the creamsicle (orange sorbet and vanilla). The mix of the two different textures (sherbet + ice cream) threw me off guard, and I didn't like it that much. The next time I just got vanilla, which tasted no different than McDonalds but cost twice as much.

I think what I should have done is either try one of the 24 interesting flavors or try a chocolate dipped cone, which looks kind of fun. Maybe next time.

Two downsides of this place

1. No public restrooms. So . . make sure you go before coming, otherwise you might be a bit uncomfortable!

2. Cash only, although there is an ATM right inside the restaurant
This is a fun, very reasonably priced place for lunch. If you don't feel like driving all the way to a seaside town for some fried seafood and soft serve, you can head to Watertown and get a pretty solid version of the same.

684 Mt Auburn St
Watertown, MA 02472

Monday Club - update with photos!

We came to this restaurant I forgot my camera and I was so bummed. We went back again earlier this week and enjoyed a fabulous meal sitting outside in Harvard Square. I came armed with my SLR and took lots of pics.

I love this place and I'm so glad I get to finally share some photos with you. Enjoy!

The Wine and Bread

This Chilean wine was light and drinkable at a very reasonable price of $25 a bottle. Very enjoyable.

Burrata, yellow watermelon, radish, and pea shoot salad
The Burrata was smooth, creamy, and had that fresh, whole milk flavor. The watermelon's crisp sweetness paired well with the pickled radish, creamy burrata, and leafy pea shoots.

frisée salad with poached egg, bacon lardons, & toasted croutons.
Bryan has ordered this dish before (see previous post), and of course, it was wonderful.

Grilled Arctic Char with Pea Button Ravioli, Spring Onions, Chervil & Absinthe Butter
The fish was perfectly seared with a crispy skin while being moist and juicy on the inside. Vegetable were also perfectly roasted.

Pulled pork with vegetable-filled ravioli and grilled water melon
Arghh . .I can't remember the name exactly and my own description sounds so pedestrian. Oh well . . you get the picture. It was absolutely delicious. The pulled pork was packed with flavor and balanced perfectly with the grilled, sweet watermelon. The raviolis were also unique, being filled with a dark green vegetable (maybe kale or something?) that I could not identify. Ohh, it was so good.

Dessert - raspberry tart
What a nice way to end a meal. This was tart, fruity, yet dense and cake-y at the same time. Perfect! (heh heh . . can you tell I also couldn't remember the name of this dessert exactly? Ahem . . .)

Anyway, this is a great place to enjoy great tasting food that is balanced, relatively healthy, and phenomenal! Find a nice summer day where you can sit outside. The restaurant faces a street where cars cannot drive, so it's quite enjoyable just to people watch while savoring great food and wine.


Upstairs On the Square
91 Winthrop St
Cambridge,MA 02138
 (617) 864-1933


For a more detailed review, please see my previous post.

Monday Club - update with photos!

We came to this restaurant I forgot my camera and I was so bummed. We went back again earlier this week and enjoyed a fabulous meal sitting outside in Harvard Square. I came armed with my SLR and took lots of pics.

I love this place and I'm so glad I get to finally share some photos with you. Enjoy!

The Wine and Bread

This Chilean wine was light and drinkable at a very reasonable price of $25 a bottle. Very enjoyable.

Burrata, yellow watermelon, radish, and pea shoot salad
The Burrata was smooth, creamy, and had that fresh, whole milk flavor. The watermelon's crisp sweetness paired well with the pickled radish, creamy burrata, and leafy pea shoots.

frisée salad with poached egg, bacon lardons, & toasted croutons.
Bryan has ordered this dish before (see previous post), and of course, it was wonderful.

Grilled Arctic Char with Pea Button Ravioli, Spring Onions, Chervil & Absinthe Butter
The fish was perfectly seared with a crispy skin while being moist and juicy on the inside. Vegetable were also perfectly roasted.

Pulled pork with vegetable-filled ravioli and grilled water melon
Arghh . .I can't remember the name exactly and my own description sounds so pedestrian. Oh well . . you get the picture. It was absolutely delicious. The pulled pork was packed with flavor and balanced perfectly with the grilled, sweet watermelon. The raviolis were also unique, being filled with a dark green vegetable (maybe kale or something?) that I could not identify. Ohh, it was so good.

Dessert - raspberry tart
What a nice way to end a meal. This was tart, fruity, yet dense and cake-y at the same time. Perfect! (heh heh . . can you tell I also couldn't remember the name of this dessert exactly? Ahem . . .)

Anyway, this is a great place to enjoy great tasting food that is balanced, relatively healthy, and phenomenal! Find a nice summer day where you can sit outside. The restaurant faces a street where cars cannot drive, so it's quite enjoyable just to people watch while savoring great food and wine.


Upstairs On the Square
91 Winthrop St
Cambridge,MA 02138
 (617) 864-1933


For a more detailed review, please see my previous post.

FroYo (Frozen Yogurt) Popsicles

I love making frozen yogurt, "Pinkberry" style in the summer. I first started messing around with various recipes back in 2007 when I first started this blog. I've had a lot of success with the following recipe:

2 1/2 cups 2% fat Trader Joe's Greek style yogurt
1/3 cup 2% milk
1/2 cup sugar
2/3 cup half and half
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine all ingredients and stir until everything is well mixed. Freeze in a commercial ice cream maker (you know I love my Lello Gelato Pro) for about 30 minutes.

The resulting yogurt tastes great out of the ice cream maker and taste really good with various fruit toppings. Unfortunately, due to the yogurt's low fat content, it does not freeze well. It becomes pretty hard - which means pretty unscoopable if you want some later.

So, what's a girl to do with her leftover yogurt? I could eat it all.

Or, I can put them in popsicle makers, mix it any fruit topping that may be leftover, and voila! Frozen Yogurt Popsicle!

They were really good. :)

FroYo (Frozen Yogurt) Popsicles

I love making frozen yogurt, "Pinkberry" style in the summer. I first started messing around with various recipes back in 2007 when I first started this blog. I've had a lot of success with the following recipe:

2 1/2 cups 2% fat Trader Joe's Greek style yogurt
1/3 cup 2% milk
1/2 cup sugar
2/3 cup half and half
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine all ingredients and stir until everything is well mixed. Freeze in a commercial ice cream maker (you know I love my Lello Gelato Pro) for about 30 minutes.

The resulting yogurt tastes great out of the ice cream maker and taste really good with various fruit toppings. Unfortunately, due to the yogurt's low fat content, it does not freeze well. It becomes pretty hard - which means pretty unscoopable if you want some later.

So, what's a girl to do with her leftover yogurt? I could eat it all.

Or, I can put them in popsicle makers, mix it any fruit topping that may be leftover, and voila! Frozen Yogurt Popsicle!

They were really good. :)

Fresh Peas in the pod

"There's been so much rain in June and July, it's really hurting our crops. By this time, corn should be coming in and peas long gone. Instead, the corn is only half way up, and the peas are still here."

I was standing in front of an organic farm's stall at the Kendall Square Farmer's market on a sunny Thursday afternoon in mid-July. The farmer was picking through a basket of organic pea pods.

"The dark spots you see on the outside, that's just water damage. The peas on the inside are perfectly fine. It just doesn't look pretty, so people don't want 'em."

He then picked up a raw pod, shelled it, and poured the little peas into his mouth. I think I'd had fresh peas in salads at restaurants before, but I had definitely never seen them at a market before. I didn't know how to crack the shell, how to prepare them, how to do anything with them.

"Here, you try it. They're good."

So, I picked up a pod, cracked it open, and tried, for the first time in my life, fresh, raw peas out of the pod.

Wow. What a contrast to frozen or canned peas (man, forget canned peas, those are disgusting). These peas were not mushy at all. Instead, they had a fresh "crunch" to them (if that's the right word). I loved the texture of these fresh peas. Furthermore, the fresh peas were so sweet, they reminded me of sugar snap peas.

On the spot, I bought a pound of these fresh, organic peas in the shell. At $5/lb, they weren't cheap. The rest of the work day, I kept sneaking in handfuls of peas into my mouth while I was working. I must have looked kinda funny.

You know you've found a perfect snack when you can't stop eating a raw vegetable at work.

Fresh Peas in the pod

"There's been so much rain in June and July, it's really hurting our crops. By this time, corn should be coming in and peas long gone. Instead, the corn is only half way up, and the peas are still here."

I was standing in front of an organic farm's stall at the Kendall Square Farmer's market on a sunny Thursday afternoon in mid-July. The farmer was picking through a basket of organic pea pods.

"The dark spots you see on the outside, that's just water damage. The peas on the inside are perfectly fine. It just doesn't look pretty, so people don't want 'em."

He then picked up a raw pod, shelled it, and poured the little peas into his mouth. I think I'd had fresh peas in salads at restaurants before, but I had definitely never seen them at a market before. I didn't know how to crack the shell, how to prepare them, how to do anything with them.

"Here, you try it. They're good."

So, I picked up a pod, cracked it open, and tried, for the first time in my life, fresh, raw peas out of the pod.

Wow. What a contrast to frozen or canned peas (man, forget canned peas, those are disgusting). These peas were not mushy at all. Instead, they had a fresh "crunch" to them (if that's the right word). I loved the texture of these fresh peas. Furthermore, the fresh peas were so sweet, they reminded me of sugar snap peas.

On the spot, I bought a pound of these fresh, organic peas in the shell. At $5/lb, they weren't cheap. The rest of the work day, I kept sneaking in handfuls of peas into my mouth while I was working. I must have looked kinda funny.

You know you've found a perfect snack when you can't stop eating a raw vegetable at work.

Pappardelle with arugula, tomatoes, and blue cheese

This dish is so easy to make (literally 10 minutes max), is chock full of vitamins, presents beautifully, and tastes delicious!

Again, the measurements below are quite flexible. You can increase or decrease the amount of all the ingredients depending on your preference. Please just use them as guidelines.

Ingredients
Your favorite blue cheese (5 oz)
cherry, grape, or small Roma tomatoes (1 box)
arugula (1 salad bag)
pasta (16oz box)

Melt the blue cheese with a small amount of milk (~1 to 2 T) in a pan over medium heat (I used Roquefort this time around, but any blue cheese works)

Meanwhile, heat up a pot of boiling water and begin cooking the pasta according to the box's instructions.
Stir around the milk/cheese mixture until the cheese is melted and incorporated into the milk. When the pasta is done, add it to the cheese sauce and toss until incorporated. Throw in the whole bag of arugula.

Shut off the heat and quickly toss the arugula with the pasta. The arugula should wilt from the heat of the pasta but still stay brightly green.

Add tomatoes, top with fresh ground pepper, and serve! Literally, five minutes! And blue cheese lovers will dig the dish!

Jen's Notes

- salt levels vary a lot between different blue cheeses, so definitely don't add salt until you've made sure you that the sauce needs it

- if you prefer the tomatoes to be more cooked, you can add them to the pasta first and then toss in the arugula. Again, this recipe is really flexible. Play with it!

You can optionally add sauteed chicken breast to this dish if you want to add meat.

For those of you who don't like blue cheese
I actually fall into this camp. My husband loves this dish, but I actually make it without blue cheese. Instead of blue cheese, I saute 3-4 cloves of crushed garlic with olive oil. After the garlic is fragrant (1-2 minutes), I add the tomatoes and cook for ~1 minute. I then add the pasta, toss with arugula, and add salt and pepper to taste.

Pappardelle with arugula, tomatoes, and blue cheese

This dish is so easy to make (literally 10 minutes max), is chock full of vitamins, presents beautifully, and tastes delicious!

Again, the measurements below are quite flexible. You can increase or decrease the amount of all the ingredients depending on your preference. Please just use them as guidelines.

Ingredients
Your favorite blue cheese (5 oz)
cherry, grape, or small Roma tomatoes (1 box)
arugula (1 salad bag)
pasta (16oz box)

Melt the blue cheese with a small amount of milk (~1 to 2 T) in a pan over medium heat (I used Roquefort this time around, but any blue cheese works)

Meanwhile, heat up a pot of boiling water and begin cooking the pasta according to the box's instructions.
Stir around the milk/cheese mixture until the cheese is melted and incorporated into the milk. When the pasta is done, add it to the cheese sauce and toss until incorporated. Throw in the whole bag of arugula.

Shut off the heat and quickly toss the arugula with the pasta. The arugula should wilt from the heat of the pasta but still stay brightly green.

Add tomatoes, top with fresh ground pepper, and serve! Literally, five minutes! And blue cheese lovers will dig the dish!

Jen's Notes

- salt levels vary a lot between different blue cheeses, so definitely don't add salt until you've made sure you that the sauce needs it

- if you prefer the tomatoes to be more cooked, you can add them to the pasta first and then toss in the arugula. Again, this recipe is really flexible. Play with it!

You can optionally add sauteed chicken breast to this dish if you want to add meat.

For those of you who don't like blue cheese
I actually fall into this camp. My husband loves this dish, but I actually make it without blue cheese. Instead of blue cheese, I saute 3-4 cloves of crushed garlic with olive oil. After the garlic is fragrant (1-2 minutes), I add the tomatoes and cook for ~1 minute. I then add the pasta, toss with arugula, and add salt and pepper to taste.