30 MEAs (Must Eat Ats) in and around Cambridge, MA (Part 1)

Now that I am leaving the area (July 31 - sniff), I decided that I had to publish the best food places in the city so that (a) friends who visit will know where I would have taken them to eat, if I had stayed on, (b) friends that live in the area will know of the places i talk endlessly about and visit them in my memory and (c) friends who had no idea of visiting, will now have incentive to visit my favorite US city.

I am sure I have missed out on some haunts (given that the list is largely Cambridge partial)- so if you can think of more, add on to the list. :)

1) Burdicks' Hot Chocolate - Bakery -Mt Auburn St, H Square - If there is one thing you can do in Cambridge, and only one thing - go to the Harvard Square Burdicks store on Mt Auburn Street. Its a short (pretty) walk from the Harvard Square T station (easier from Church Street exit) and has the world's BEST hot chocolate. And no, I am NOT exaggerating. Pure chocolate is melted (none of this powder business) with rich milk to make the most divine cup of chocolate. If you have already had dinner, have their smallest cup (demi) - at just over 2 dollars, its a small piece of heaven.

2) Dado Tea's Organic Soy-Ginger Tofu Salad - Tea Shop-Church St, H Square- A people watching, computer browsable H Square haunt. I go here for the Tofu Salad (with a soy ginger dressing) and their selection of tea (try the iced chai with honey - much better than the Tealuxe down the road). Perfect way to while away a New England afternoon. The pots of tea last long afternoons and the service is chilled. Prepare to share elbow space with a yogini at the window seat - this place fills up fast : but is worth it for the 02138 work atmosphere.

3) Cambridge One's Lobster Pizza - Pizza, Beer - Church St,H Square - I HATE Pizza. Usually. Actually, more than usually. I hate pizza with this ONE exception. No. 10 on the Cambridge Common Menu is worth every calorie - Maine Lobster meat with scallions, corn (WHAT does not taste perfect with corn?), and drawn butter. The pizza base is crisp without being cracker like and the meat is always, always fresh. At 15 dollars (with tax & tip, for individual serving), its not exactly cheap - but hey! what cheap pizza tastes this good? (Do not get conned into going to the Upper Crust down the street - which, while slightly more acceptable than the neighborhood Dominos because of its three sauces, is still, at the end of the day, just a pizza).

4) Charlies Kitchen's Lobster Roll - Pub Food/American-H Square - Across from the famous Charles Hotel is this dinky beer hole (that doubles up as a beer garden in the "summer") that serves the area's most famous lobster rolls ($8 for one, $12 for a double roll). Its not Legal Sea Foods style (read, possibly fancy) but if you like lobster in celery mayo (yes, celery) on a fresh bun, this is your place. Nights tend to get loud and alcoholic - so go early if you want to just steal a booth and get some kwality food. Vegetarian alert : they have a good mushroom burger with avacado and chips and jalapeno poppers that taste like Madras Mulaga Bajji with cheese ($5).

5) BARTLEY'S!- Burgers-Mass Ave, H Square - Speaking of burgers, Oh, speaking of burgers. This grumpy old man's burger shop next to the Harvard Book Store (again, great bargains - go go go!) is not only a Harvard institution, it also is the area's besht burger. Besht. I cannot speak for the beef eaters (I am not a cow bum fan myself) but all (40 odd) burgers can be made vegetarian (or turkey - yuck) and are just out.of.this.world. If you like garlicy cheese - you should get the veggie yuppie and if you are a fraud vegetarian like me, get one of the burgers with bacon and cheese (yes, a veggie burger with crisp bacon - Yumm!). Whatever you do, make sure you ask them for extra cajun seasoning on your fries and if you are ordering a Frappe (also, super) - make sure you have someone to share it with you because those things are hu-uge!