If you're not feeling terribly picky, you want to see your options close-up, or you just want a particular regional cuisine, there are a few different parts of Cambridge that have a concentration of different restaurants. Pubs tend to be scattered throughout, but other types of restaurants are more closely grouped. If you pick any of the following parts of town, you're not likely to walk away hungry.
Lower Regent Street and the corner of Lensfield Road:
For some reason, this stretch of road is almost entirely populated with Mediterranean and Asian restaurants. Although there are a handful of non-food-related shops interspersed with the Korean, Indian, dumplings, and Chinese takeaways, you won't walk more than ten feet without stumbling on another place. The one and a half exceptions to the trend are a Persian restaurant (Shiraz), and a small Spanish tapas place at the northern end (www.titokiko.co.uk). Located in this area you will also find Yim Wah, Curry Garden, Golden House, and Seven Days. If you go past Lensfield Road, where Regent Street turns into Hills Road, you'll stumble upon Saffron Brasserie and, almost directly across the street, Sesame.
Bridge Street:
If you want a mix of European restaurants, try the stretch of street leading up to the Magdalene Bridge. Bistro-style Cote Brasserie (http://www.cote-restaurants.co.uk/) and Cafe Rouge (http://www.caferouge.co.uk/french-restaurant/cambridge) both draw their menu inspiration from French cuisine. If Wildwood's burger, pasta, and pizza-based menu has any particular affiliation, it's probably Italian. Venture as far as the Quayside, and you'll find Cambridge Wine Merchant's shop and wine bar, where you can not only buy a wide variety of wines by the bottle, but also pause for a bite to eat and/or a variety of wines, beers, and spirits either as samples or as full servings.
Market Square:
The options here are not geared toward a nice evening meal, but if you're looking for a quick lunch, this is the place to be. You can peruse the market stalls for cheese, bread, meat pies and pasties, and fresh fruit or order prepared food from one of the food carts located both in and around the market. Late at night, Market Square is home to the two food trucks, Van of Life and Uncle Frank's, which serve all the surprisingly satisfying, deep-fried goodness you can possibly desire, or you can venture a little ways down Rose Crescent to visit the Gardenia, which serves fish and chips, but also offers a Mediterranean-inspired menu until some odd hour of the morning. Sandwich shops include two Pret a Mangers, an EAT., and Marks & Spencer's Simply Food, all located either on the square or a short walk down Market Street and Petty Cury. The West Cornwall Pasty Co. looks out on the square from the corner of Market Street and Rose Crescent (literally looks out: there's an odd statue above the door that, if you see it out of the corner of your eye, looks like a real old man standing on a balcony). Dinner options are pretty limited, but Nonna Mexico and Yo!Sushi both have locations on Petty Cury, and Don Pasquale and Stazione offer Italian and Mediterranean food, respectively, with outdoor seating areas if you're so inclined.
Mill Road:
You probably won't want to venture this far afield, but it's worth mentioning. There are several little (untested) takeaways, including a Piri Piri chicken spot and a Korean restaurant. Located not far from one another, you'll find Tulip, which offers Turkish cuisine, and Al-Casbah, which offers Algerian food that, frankly, doesn't seem to be too different from Tulip's menu. The internet cafe CB1 is at the upper end of this stretch of restaurants, and if you happen to be there around lunchtime, they offer a variety of salads, paninis, soups, and platters that are very vegetarian friendly.
Showing posts with label vegetarian. Show all posts
Showing posts with label vegetarian. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 14, 2014
Bangkok City
http://www.bangkokcitythai.co.uk/
Green Street
Fare: Thai
Price: £-££
Service Tips: n/a
Bangkok City is never a bad option if you're trying to decide where to eat dinner. The restaurant is on the smaller side, but they can accommodate groups of 6 without too much distress. Just be aware that if you are a bigger group, your food may take a little longer. On the plus side, they offer a student discount of 15%, and that covers the entire check, which more than makes up for any wait.
The menu is pretty extensive, so if you want to branch out and try something new, you'll have that option. If, on the other hand, you love your usual red or green curry, chances are that they'll more than measure up to your expectations. Unlike many Indian and Chinese restaurants in Cambridge, rice is actually included in the price of the entree, so you don't have to order that separately. And they can accommodate special requests, like switching out meat for vegetables even in dishes that don't offer that as an option on the menu. If you don't feel like sitting in, they offer a discount on takeaway (available after 5:30), and delivery over £10 is free within the city center. Note that all of their food is made to order, so you'll still have to wait a bit to get your food.
Green Street
Fare: Thai
Price: £-££
Service Tips: n/a
Bangkok City is never a bad option if you're trying to decide where to eat dinner. The restaurant is on the smaller side, but they can accommodate groups of 6 without too much distress. Just be aware that if you are a bigger group, your food may take a little longer. On the plus side, they offer a student discount of 15%, and that covers the entire check, which more than makes up for any wait.
The menu is pretty extensive, so if you want to branch out and try something new, you'll have that option. If, on the other hand, you love your usual red or green curry, chances are that they'll more than measure up to your expectations. Unlike many Indian and Chinese restaurants in Cambridge, rice is actually included in the price of the entree, so you don't have to order that separately. And they can accommodate special requests, like switching out meat for vegetables even in dishes that don't offer that as an option on the menu. If you don't feel like sitting in, they offer a discount on takeaway (available after 5:30), and delivery over £10 is free within the city center. Note that all of their food is made to order, so you'll still have to wait a bit to get your food.
Aromi
http://www.aromi.co.uk/
Bene't Street
Fare: pizza, focaccia, paninis, Italian desserts, coffee
Price: £
Service Tips: order at the counter and specify whether you want to eat in or take away; they will bring your food to your table, so sit down once you've ordered
You can find Aromi quite easily, because it's the only place with a queue extending out the door and another shopfront down the street. That's partly because their counter area is tiny, so don't let it faze you too much. You might even be able to get a table--there's more seating downstairs, which may not be as charming as the window overlooking Bene't street, but isn't a bad place to eat and chat with friends.
There are probably lots of reasons for the length of the queue, but as I personally have not gotten past the pizza, I'm not qualified to talk about anything else. That being said, the pizza is fantastic. For £4.50, you get two hefty slices with thick crusts and really good toppings. Whether you opt for the basic margherita pizza or go for the more adventurous-looking courgette pizza, you probably won't be disappointed. And if you skip social niceties while ordering, you might get sassed by a cheeky staff member, which isn't so much obnoxious as part of the experience. If you don't want to experience the queue, you can swing by later in the afternoon when they've quieted down a bit, but don't go before noon, because they only serve coffee and pastries in the morning.
Bene't Street
Fare: pizza, focaccia, paninis, Italian desserts, coffee
Price: £
Service Tips: order at the counter and specify whether you want to eat in or take away; they will bring your food to your table, so sit down once you've ordered
You can find Aromi quite easily, because it's the only place with a queue extending out the door and another shopfront down the street. That's partly because their counter area is tiny, so don't let it faze you too much. You might even be able to get a table--there's more seating downstairs, which may not be as charming as the window overlooking Bene't street, but isn't a bad place to eat and chat with friends.
There are probably lots of reasons for the length of the queue, but as I personally have not gotten past the pizza, I'm not qualified to talk about anything else. That being said, the pizza is fantastic. For £4.50, you get two hefty slices with thick crusts and really good toppings. Whether you opt for the basic margherita pizza or go for the more adventurous-looking courgette pizza, you probably won't be disappointed. And if you skip social niceties while ordering, you might get sassed by a cheeky staff member, which isn't so much obnoxious as part of the experience. If you don't want to experience the queue, you can swing by later in the afternoon when they've quieted down a bit, but don't go before noon, because they only serve coffee and pastries in the morning.
The Copper Kettle
http://thecopperkettle.weebly.com/
King's Parade
Fare: English breakfast, paninis, etc. during the day; Mediterranean at night
Price: £/day; ££/night
Service Tips: Often the waitress will leave your receipt on the table as soon as or before your food comes out--just take it up to the register when you're ready to go
[This review focuses on their breakfast experience]
The Copper Kettle is one of those places that tourists pack into for the excellent view of King's College, which is perfectly framed by the huge windows looking out on the street. It looks especially pretty if you happen to be there early on a foggy morning, but snag a window table regardless of the weather. Because they get so busy, the best time to go is probably for breakfast on a weekday. I can't authoritatively speak for other times, since I've avoided them, but what you're really here for is a proper English breakfast anyway (surprise!).
Of course, ambiance isn't everything. The food is usually decent, nothing too fancy, but they're not doing anything cruel to their toast. Full English breakfast involves eggs, local sausages, bacon, a hash brown, beans, toast, and a grilled tomato. The vegetarian English breakfast is all of that, hold the sausages and bacon, add mushrooms. For Americans: English bacon is a little closer to Canadian bacon, in that it has less fat and more meat, so you're probably being a bit too optimistic if you expect seriously charred, crispy bacon. There are other options on the menu, like pastries and parfaits, and they also have an espresso bar, so you can order a cappuccino (again, decent but not spectacular), or opt for a simple pot of tea. If you go when it's slow, food comes out quite quickly, which is nice.
All in all, the main glamour is in the location, but you probably won't leave disappointed unless you absolutely hate beans.
King's Parade
Fare: English breakfast, paninis, etc. during the day; Mediterranean at night
Price: £/day; ££/night
Service Tips: Often the waitress will leave your receipt on the table as soon as or before your food comes out--just take it up to the register when you're ready to go
[This review focuses on their breakfast experience]
The Copper Kettle is one of those places that tourists pack into for the excellent view of King's College, which is perfectly framed by the huge windows looking out on the street. It looks especially pretty if you happen to be there early on a foggy morning, but snag a window table regardless of the weather. Because they get so busy, the best time to go is probably for breakfast on a weekday. I can't authoritatively speak for other times, since I've avoided them, but what you're really here for is a proper English breakfast anyway (surprise!).
Of course, ambiance isn't everything. The food is usually decent, nothing too fancy, but they're not doing anything cruel to their toast. Full English breakfast involves eggs, local sausages, bacon, a hash brown, beans, toast, and a grilled tomato. The vegetarian English breakfast is all of that, hold the sausages and bacon, add mushrooms. For Americans: English bacon is a little closer to Canadian bacon, in that it has less fat and more meat, so you're probably being a bit too optimistic if you expect seriously charred, crispy bacon. There are other options on the menu, like pastries and parfaits, and they also have an espresso bar, so you can order a cappuccino (again, decent but not spectacular), or opt for a simple pot of tea. If you go when it's slow, food comes out quite quickly, which is nice.
All in all, the main glamour is in the location, but you probably won't leave disappointed unless you absolutely hate beans.
Monday, February 24, 2014
Cafe Naz
Website: www.cafenaz.co.uk
45/47 Castle Street, Castle Hill
Fare: Indian, Bangladeshi
Price: £-££ (without drinks)
Service Tips: don't open for dinner until 6; water on the tables is free; can modify meat entrees to make them vegetarian; can accommodate large groups, but service may not be as great
This restaurant is a bit of a walk to the north side of town and up Castle Hill, but as quality of food goes, it's pretty top notch. The menu features a lot of dishes that you'll probably recognize if you've eaten Indian food much at home, but there are also a few surprises, and the Bangladeshi options may not be as familiar. One of the quirkier aspects of Cafe Naz is its decor, which its website describes as "minimalist," "dynamic," and "light and airy." To be fair, it is quite modern with lots of white walls, glass, and stylin' blue lighting, plus, they make really cool serviette towers that could rival Orthanc for size.
Some general observations, though. The food is very good, especially for the price. They're great about altering dishes for vegetarians in addition to the decently large vegetarian menu, and they can also tinker with the spiciness of your order, including adding spice to dishes that aren't usually spicy. Note that rice does not come with your order (plain = regular white rice, pilau = basmati, often with some seasonings/garnish), and the popadums they'll offer you are not free, although they're not terribly expensive either. The service was a little patchy with a group of five, but we got there right as they were opening for dinner, and we had a lot of special requests, so that may have had something to do with it. Also, if you go on a Saturday evening, you're bound to be waiting a bit for your food, but it's well worth the wait. Just make sure to give yourself time if you need to be somewhere after dinner.
As a last note, they do have a (currently untested) lunch buffet offered at the attractive price of £6.95, and that's available every day from 12-3 except Saturdays.
45/47 Castle Street, Castle Hill
Fare: Indian, Bangladeshi
Price: £-££ (without drinks)
Service Tips: don't open for dinner until 6; water on the tables is free; can modify meat entrees to make them vegetarian; can accommodate large groups, but service may not be as great
This restaurant is a bit of a walk to the north side of town and up Castle Hill, but as quality of food goes, it's pretty top notch. The menu features a lot of dishes that you'll probably recognize if you've eaten Indian food much at home, but there are also a few surprises, and the Bangladeshi options may not be as familiar. One of the quirkier aspects of Cafe Naz is its decor, which its website describes as "minimalist," "dynamic," and "light and airy." To be fair, it is quite modern with lots of white walls, glass, and stylin' blue lighting, plus, they make really cool serviette towers that could rival Orthanc for size.
Some general observations, though. The food is very good, especially for the price. They're great about altering dishes for vegetarians in addition to the decently large vegetarian menu, and they can also tinker with the spiciness of your order, including adding spice to dishes that aren't usually spicy. Note that rice does not come with your order (plain = regular white rice, pilau = basmati, often with some seasonings/garnish), and the popadums they'll offer you are not free, although they're not terribly expensive either. The service was a little patchy with a group of five, but we got there right as they were opening for dinner, and we had a lot of special requests, so that may have had something to do with it. Also, if you go on a Saturday evening, you're bound to be waiting a bit for your food, but it's well worth the wait. Just make sure to give yourself time if you need to be somewhere after dinner.
As a last note, they do have a (currently untested) lunch buffet offered at the attractive price of £6.95, and that's available every day from 12-3 except Saturdays.
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