Tarrying at Tampopo – Cambridge

I don’t know what Tampopo means, but personal experience translates it to udon. And that’s all I need to know. So who cares what gets lost in translation when you sit at a random restaurant to order a random dish? I’ll have my udon slower with more intensity.

No objections to snacking on four little Crab Shumai to start, but these are pretty much the microwaveable delights of Chinese-market freezer aisles status post legitimate steamer. And at $3.25, just wait for your weekly shopping trip to pay $4 for at least eight of these little half-bites.

The Pork Katsu Curry is a staple for the pre-midterm student or anyone who hasn’t eaten in days. The crispily fried cutlet is impressively resistant to sogginess as it clings to the curry but doesn’t soak. It’s a perfect fry job, but the breading is bland at best. The curry itself is a murky starch-thickened concoction in a generous portion in a size I can only describe as “Asian mom”. Unfortunately, I think all the salt went into…well…anything that wasn’t this dish.

Vegetarians need not fear, and the too-health-conscious-to-eat-meat-on-days-that-end-with-y need not starve. A piping hot Udon Bowl with veggie broth will douse your hunger pangs with a slightly briny side of wakame. The udon is al dente and the seaweed flavors this salty-sea soup. The chunks of soft marinated bean curd will fill you up and add a firmer texture so you’re not eating a bowl of mush.

Tampopo isn’t ideal, but the service is friendly and the food makes for a good square meal. And almost all the little Shops of Porter Square are practically cheap eats, averaging a little over $10 for most things and less for others. So make like a Pokemon master and try to catch ‘em all!

Sipping Sapporo Ramen – Cambridge

Porter Square may be far the heck away in Cambridge but I pronounce it Can-bridge. That’s not because I’m Asian. It’s because there is a little food court of epic proportions tucked away in the depths of Porter Square. This little food court with its modest array of little almost-small-enough-to-be-food-stands is rivaled only Allston’s Super 88 and stands as one of few reasons I CAN cross that BRIDGE.

Momofuku and Baohaus have ruined Pork Buns for me, and I never thought I’d find something respectable in Boston. I’m not talking about the sweet-then-savory pork boa of my dim sum days but the sweet simplicity of pork belly and hoisin sauce between two flaps of little white bun. At $5.50 for two, Sapporo’s are a steal. With moist cuts of shreddy pork, the lingering fatty savor makes even the fullest belly rumble.

When I’m with my friends, I’m usually the pasty one. But Sapporo’s Spicy Miso Ramen gives me a run for my money. Soft, dense grains of the white stuff glide down your throat, and if you add a red-hot kick of chili, you really start to taste the spicy ground pork. I’m relieved to find something pastier than me, but unlike me, the ramen actually pulls it off.

I’ve had few broths more perfect than the Kimchee Ramen. This combination of chewy al dente noodles sipped from a spoon of soul-warming soup is made more potent with the addition of spicy ground pork. The kimchee packs some punch, and the slices of juicy pork and a couple kernel of corn flavor the broth with a tolerable richness that almost made me ask for a straw.

The Charles River is beautiful, and it forms the division between bustling Boston and the cozy academia of Cambridge. Unfortunately, it often deters me from bridging the culinary gap. The prospect of crossing a bridge over troubled waters makes me groan even more than this shamelessly cheesy song reference, but for the surprisingly powerful food hub at Porter Square, I’d even let Jesus take the wheel of the red line train.