Lunch Options

• Try http://www.zagat.com for restaurant suggestions
• The Chinese Trucks on Main Street
  • But what are the differences between the white and yellow ones?
    • The opinion of most researchers, including myself, is ((white == good) && (yellow == bad)). The line is almost always longer at the white truck than at the yellow truck, which is another indicator of popularity. However, this may be a kind of self-fulfilling prophecy in which new people arrive and see the longer line at the white truck. They then assume it must be better because it's more popular, so they get in line there, makinglonger. (mb)
    • The yellow truck isn't bad food, it is just boring
    • THE YELLOW TRUCK ACTUALLY SERVES MORE AUTHENTIC CHINESE LUNCH FOOD
    • At the white truck, steer clear of pork, seafood, or "crispy" (aka deep fried) meat. After all, do you really think you're getting a choice cut of swordfish for $3.50? (mb)
      • I concur - I got "crispy sweet and sour chicken" where crispy was due to the fried skin (MT)
  • Are there more in the area?
    • Yes, if you keep going down Main St (the street the other trucks are on), you will reach a Jamaican truck, a chicken truck and another Pan-Asian cuisine truck. (mb)
  • And how do they fit all that food in such a tiny truck?

• One Kendall Square Dining Options (not the T Stop Kendall Square)
  • Sammy's ($4-$7)
    • An outdoor grill serves up burgers, sausages, etc., while its indoor counterpart provides salads and sandwiches. (mb)
    • The indoor deli has good salads, though they're a bit pricey
  • Bean Towne Coffeehouse
    • Has bagels, wraps, soup, baked goodies, coffee, and fresh samanthas.
  • The Blue Room
    • Never eaten there, but they had a pretty good outdoor grill.
  • Thai's Place
    • Thai food lunch buffet for $6 (includes a drink)
    • Pretty good buffet, have good tofu dishes

• The MERL Kitchenette
  • Wide variety of bagels and non-alcoholic beverages. Cheap and easily accessible. Just don't expect a waiter. (mb)
  • Actually, there is a bottle of Jim Beam in the cabinet above the toaster oven...
  • It's a Jack Daniels, but close enough.... :-)

• Emma's Pizza
  • Closest good food option to MERL. On the same block as MERL: it's to the right of the loading dock.
  • Excellent speciality pizzas–roasted red peppers, potato, rosemary, carmalized onions, broccli, etc. $2 for the interesting slice, $1.50 for plain cheese.

• The place downstairs (in MERL's building) (La Brichole?)
  • No vegetarian options, so I've never eaten there, but I've heard it isn't very good. They usually have good cookies, though.
  • (Rahul) I have eaten there, it is avoidable.

• Jambalaya (this is one of a bunch of restaurants on Main St.,2-3 blocks west and south from MERL)
  • mixture of creole and southwestern, slightly expensive

• The Food Court (by the Kendall T station, inside the Mariott's)
  • Inexpensive food shops, including Quik Chow (Chinese), Au Bon Pain (which means "Oh! Good Pain!" ... um, I mean "With the good bread" in French), an Italian eatery, a salad bar, and a burger joint.
  • The salad bar place has pay-by-the-pound, build-your-own sundaes, too
  • For consuming your lunch, check out the The Roof Garden nearby
  • Of course, like all food courts it is rather terrible.

• Farther away
  • If you're willing to take the hike to Central Square (well worth the trip in good weather), many good options open up to you. There is a great ice cream place, mexican, asian and more.
  • Inman Square also has some good places to eat, including my favorite, Jaes, where you "eat here and live forever". They are a mixed asian place–you can get Japanese noodles, obento lunches, Thai food, etc. Sweet Chili is a similar place, and also has good food.
  • Try out Punjabi Dhaba if you are in Inman Square. Comes pretty close to authentic north Indian cuisine.
  • The S & S is also pretty good.

• Stefani's Pizzeria
  • On Main Street, near Central Square. A brisk walk, but has great calzones

• Middle East
  • A restaurant/club with live music every night
  • Food is only OK, and is a bit pricey

• The Grove
  • 545 Technology Square (same building as MIT's AI library)
  • Nice atmosphere, reasonably priced dishes (good lunch for under $5)

• Subs
  • Is there a decent place around here to get subs?
    • Yes, Maria's Sub Shop. It's north of Cambridge St., intersection of Gore and Third. Terry Lorber>http://terrylorber.dhs.org::8080

• The Taiwanese place across the street
  • Had dinner there (MT)
  • Really sucked
  • Had a big screen TV with Nickelodeon on it the whole time. A really bizarre place
  • I've had their buffet lunch several times, and though it was pretty good.