Dinner w/Tweens near Taza Chocolate - inman square towards harvard square?

[debvil]

Apologizing in advance - I have no knowledge of the area (first timers) but will be taking the kids on a late afternoon chocolate tour this month. Any one have any input on some places nearby (or on the way back towards the T to Downtown Crossing) that may be good/interesting moderately priced for a Friday Early Dinner?

Was looking at Muqueca since it was close by but unsure if we can do better....my kids are well behaved and not too picky.

Thanks from a CT Chowhound!

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Muqueca
1010 Cambridge St, Cambridge, MA 02139

Taza Chocolate
561 Windsor St, Somerville, MA

[jessabella617]

Head to Dali for a fun atmosphere where you can have stuffed squid in its own ink or salt baked fish and the kids can have garlicky chicken. Or go to Ole Mexican grill for Mexican, in both places the atmosphere is great the food is good. Dali is actually the first place I had squid when I was 4, My father gave me a bite and I loved that dish so much that he ordered a whole portion for me :)

[debvil]

Thank you all for some great recommendations...what's the word on Midwest Grill for Rodizio - good or on downhill alert? My kids love rodizio so I was considering but I read mixed things about it. Muqueca or Casa Portugal look fantastic too..& Pollos ala Brasa tempting since we LOVE peruvian too.

RE taza location - -maybe it's better to drive? How is parking in the area around 5:30pm ...? Not sure if we should do the seemingly tough mass transit schlep or if driving will be more of a hassle...

Any other input is MOST appreciated.
Thanks!

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Muqueca
1010 Cambridge St, Cambridge, MA 02139

Midwest Grill
1124 Cambridge St, Cambridge, MA 02139

Casa Portugal
1200 Cambridge St, Cambridge, MA 02139

[Bob Dobalina]

I personally think it is better to drive - it's a bit of a schlep from Central. There is a parking lot right at their building. Assume you have viewed this info - http://www.tazachocolate.com/ContactU...

[hckybg]

It would be a lot easier to drive if that is an option for you. There are a lot of large land uses (a hospitality company's warehouse, the building Taza is in, some car-related businesses) so parking is definitely not a problem. As Bob said, it is safe but it just quite far from Central Square T. Inman is about 15 minutes from Central, so not bad, but Taza is really another ten minutes or so beyond the center of Inman. It would be quite a schlep if you were going to come in from the city with kids in tow, go to dinner, and go back. On the other hand, if you are going to Burdick's and Sweet and other Harvard Square sites on your tour, you could take the 69 bus from there down Cambridge St. and get off very close to Taza, make the short walk into Inman for dinner, and then have the shorter leg back to the Central Square T.

I haven't been to Midwest Grill in a couple years but it is always pretty fun and good enough, if not great. The items on the salad/hot bar are very good, and the meat on the spit ranges from very nice and moist to a little dry.

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Burdick's
Cambridge, MA, Cambridge, MA

Midwest Grill
1124 Cambridge St, Cambridge, MA 02139

[emilief]

The last two times we ate at Mucueca, we had steak tips and pichana (another supposedly higher quality steak). Both were like shoe leather. Totally inedible. Midwest Grill is very good, especially it the kids like rodizio. The buftet that goes with the meat is pretty good also. Better bet than muqueca.

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Midwest Grill
1124 Cambridge St, Cambridge, MA 02139

[Bob Dobalina]

Not sure I would ever order meat at a place named for a Brazilian fish stew!
That said, if it's on the menu, it should be food, not leather. Thanks for the tip.

[dulce de leche]

Muqueca is great great great. Tweens would also love All Star Sandwich bar. Tupelo and ECG are a notch higher in $$$.

Taza is about as close to Union Square as Inman--you could go to Pollos a la Brasa, Cantina La Mexicana, the Independent.

The closest Red Line stop will be in Central, not Harvard, and a 15-20 minute walk to Taza, though you can take the 91 bus from Central and it will drop you very close to your destination. Depending on how many of you there are, though, a cab back to Downtown Crossing may be only another $5 more than you all taking the T. (In nice weather, I'd definitely recommend the walk, but if it's freezing, I think it's ok to spend the carbon...)

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All Star Sandwich Bar
1245 Cambridge St, Cambridge, MA 02139

Muqueca
1010 Cambridge St, Cambridge, MA 02139

[Bob Dobalina]

FYI, the Taza factory is in sort of an isolated, industrial part of the neighborhood. It should be fine in terms of personal safety, certainly during the day, but not sure of the condition of the sidewalks, etc. with the snowpiles.

I second Muqueca - obviously the kids need to like fish stews, but it is conducive to a family dinner.

You might also consider the Ginger Exchange in Inman for Asian flavors - it's nothing crazy special, but word is it's decent.

The proximity to Christina's ice cream for dessert and Taza Chocolate flavor is a big plus.

You might also consider the Friendly Toast or Za in Kendall Square. Za is steps from the T stop - the Toast is a bit of a walk, but there is also the movie theater close by.

I think that ECG, Tupelo and Green Street might be a little too adult for kids of this age.

[dulce de leche]

Another idea is Atwood's--really cozy on a cold night.

[Prav]

How about East Coast Grill? Lively atmosphere and great food - seafood, bbq-y stuff. It's in Inman, on Cambridge St, I believe.

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East Coast Grill and Raw Bar
1271 Cambridge St, Cambridge, MA 02139

[hckybg]

East Coast Grill is a great idea. I would also add Tupelo, which is quite good and has a wide range of Cajun dishes. Either way you can go to Christina's after and get Taza ice cream or any other of a number of chocolate flavors!

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East Coast Grill and Raw Bar
1271 Cambridge St, Cambridge, MA 02139

[teezeetoo]

if you want to stay within train's reach, kids might like Mary Chung or Green Street Grill. Inman has no train stop, but in addition to the good suggestions above, All Star Sandwich and Casa Portugal in Inman would be fun.

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All Star Sandwich Bar
1245 Cambridge St, Cambridge, MA 02139

Mary Chung Restaurant
460 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139

Green Street
280 Green St, Cambridge, MA 02139

Casa Portugal
1200 Cambridge St, Cambridge, MA 02139

[emannths]

If you're going to consider Mary Chung, you should walk another two blocks to Thailand Cafe to get good Sichuan-style Chinese.

East Coast Grill is great, but keep in mind it's fairly pricey--the fish entrees are easily in mid-20s. If that's ok, do it.

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East Coast Grill and Raw Bar
1271 Cambridge St, Cambridge, MA 02139

Mary Chung Restaurant
460 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139