We went here several years ago and seem to remember enjoying it but I neglected to write a review…read moreto remind us how we liked it . This time we were ravenous, having spent 12 hours carrying heavy boxes and furniture all day, so primed for a good meal. The Rouleaux egg rolls were superb and the steamed shrimp & crab dumplings outstanding, both accompanied by simple but distinct sauces that really made them pop. Our entrees were equally impressive. The crispy fried catfish (Trey Tuk Peng Pah) and seafood noodles (Crevettes, Moules, Champignon Et Pates De Riz Au Gingembre) are my favorites. Such fresh ingredients combined with striking flavors really made it enjoyable. Our server was engaging and had very helpful insights as well.

Hey Foodies, it's SJ here with another review! This Friday, my boyfriend and I decided we wanted to…read moretry The Elephant Walk. The reviews looked good and I was excited to try their unique menu... well, let's just say we were very disappointed. First of all the prices are very expensive. I know this is Boston, but $17 for a cocktail is ridiculous! Our server was lovely, he was very kind and had a kind spirit. I was excited to try the "Rouleaux" since they remind me of the eggrolls, my mother learned from her Vietnamese mother-in-law. It was very crispy, which unfortunately is the only good thing I can say about it. The flavor was so off. It's almost as if the ingredients in the Rouleaux were loudly competing for my attention simultaneously! It didn't really melt in your mouth either, it just felt heavy. The other appetizer we ordered was called Dumplings croustillants au poet epics. This was actually worse than first appetizer. I like lemongrass, but MAN the lemongrass was so overpowering. I started to wonder... "is this how it's always made"?! I'm not even exaggerating. Overall, the atmosphere was nice - definitely pricey, and the food isn't worth the hype. Till next eats, SJ

This was GREAT! My husband is Indian and we eat Indian a lot- we had ordered takeout from here…read morebefore but never dined in- it was SO nice! Such a pretty and nice ambiance for a date night, they even had live music from a local singer- Miranda Rae! She was amazing and so talented! Now the food, again, we eat a lot of Indian- so we can have high expectations. But WOW. We were absolutely blown away. We had ordered the lamb shank masala and butter chicken, it was SO good! That was the best lamb I've ever had- hands down. This is our new favorite spot. The owner, Madhu, was so kind and sweet. He explained that for every dish on the menu he and his wife had studied how to make it perfectly through cooking classes they had taken across India. And the lamb had no added tenderizers and it was SO TENDER. I'm so impressed, we will be coming back here! Thank you, Crystal Spoons!

We picked Crystal Spoons for a family member's graduation as it looked quite fancy from the…read morepictures. Ambience-wise, it indeed was very fancy and upscale, with beautiful vivid blue plush chairs and florals and crystal light fixtures hanging from the ceilings. (There was a giant screen with bollywood trailers blasting which was a little jarring but the rest of the restaurant was beautiful.) Food-wise, it was average, not incredible, but service was painfully slow, which was the biggest problem. We also missed bowls of rice that were specifically ordered to come along with our dishes. We had to ask repeatedly, and still did not get all of the rice to come out. My in-laws also asked for chai repeatedly but did not end up getting it served despite asking 3-4 times. I got the malai kofta -- would skip this one; small tiny dumplings, sauce OK. The veggie and chicken rice palou dishes were nicely seasoned and came with raita. My favorite here was the saag paneer which had a nuttier creamy texture (it actually wasn't even on the menu but the kitchen was able to offer it upon request). We also did like the aloo tikki chaat (potato appetizer) which was served warm with nice chutney. Samosas were ok (price on the menu is for a set of 2).

This was my first time eating at The Helmand, and it definitely won't be my last. I'm from…read moreAfghanistan, so having authentic Afghan food means a lot to me. The food was absolutely delicious and reminded me of home. Ali, the owner, is a genuinely kind person who made us feel very welcome. The staff was friendly, attentive, and made sure we had everything we needed throughout the meal. Everything we ordered was fresh, flavorful, and authentic. I left already thinking about what I want to order next time. I'm looking forward to coming back and hopefully bringing my parents and siblings so they can experience it too. Highly recommend this place if you're looking for great Afghan food and great people.

4.5/5! Really…read moreenjoyed the chef's special platter since we got a mix of chicken, beef, and lamb. Meat was tender and flavored well. You also get the option of substituting meats which was nice. My favorite was the chicken. I usually don't eat lamb, but the kabobs did not taste gamey, and I enjoyed it! Special shoutout to the bread they serve. Was probably my favorite part of the dinner!!

I came to Boston to celebrate my cousin's graduation and we had a dinner reservation here for 10…read morepeople. The space is absolutely stunning: high ceilings, dim lights, lots of natural colors and greenery. We got seated right away in this really cute table in the middle of the big dining room. Service was exceptional! I feel like our waiters went above and beyond to make the experience very special for us. They also really helped us with recommendations on how much to order for our table and what the best dishes to get were. For drinks we got a few bottles of white wine and I opted to get a lemonade which had cucumber and mint. It was so delicious and refreshing! We ended up getting an assortment of apps as well as mains for each person. I tried: - Dips and pita: assortment of 3 dips: spicy feta, tzaitziki, and fava dip. All were amazing but somehow the fava dip felt particularly good compared to others that I have had before. The pita came out warm and had a very nice flavor, like they toasted it lightly with a bit of olive oil. Super good to share! - Lamb meatballs: amazing! One of my favorite apps. The meatballs were tender without being crumbly, the lamb was flavorful without being gamey, and the tomato sauce added a perfect acidic/ sweet balance to the spices of the lamb. The touch of labneh on top also added a really delicate creamy balance. - Baked feta: literally amazing! The feta they use there is some of the best quality, creamiest feta I've had at a Greek restaurant. It was also not too salty. This came baked in a delicate layer of perfectly crispy phyllo, topped with a light drizzle of honey, roasted grapes, and olives. If I had known in advance how good this was, I may have actually asked for it as dessert. A table-wide favorite! - Caramelized carrots: another very solid dish. Perfectly caramelized carrots over a bed of dill yogurt. Really simple but good! - Eggplant salata: I'd probably skip this one next time. I was expecting a warm baked eggplant but this was cold and a bit difficult to eat since it came with the skin of the eggplant that was tough. The flavors were a bit flat but the presentation was definitely nice. - Whole branzino: usually comes with head and tail but we asked if we could have it deboned since we would be sharing between two. The two perfectly cooked fillets had a nice crispy skin and tender meat. The green herb dressing was perfectly tangy and complemented the mild white fish flavor very nicely, - Village salad: another hit for me! I'm usually not too impressed by "Greek" salads at places, however, they used such high quality product here, that it was impossible not to enjoy this. The feta was creamy and perfect, the peppers/tomatoes/cucumbers were so fresh, the olives and onions were not overpowering at all. It also came with a touch of capers which I have not seen before but really enjoyed. The olive oil they used felt 1A grade. Pretty filling and would recommend sharing. - Lamb chops: I stole a few bites from my husband's lamb chops which were perfectly cooked, tender, and had a generous amount of fat. The seasoning was amazing also though a bit salty for my taste. Not gamey at all! - Baklava: we thought this would be a traditional baklava but it was more like a reimagined baklava with some yogurt, pistachios, cranberry sauce, halva. While it has great textures, and nice healthy flavors, I think we were hoping for something a bit more traditional. Very big though so probably ideal if you have a larger group. Overall, I really enjoyed my meal here! The ambiance was super cute and the food was good. This is a perfect place to have a big celebratory meal since the dishes are so shareable and the set up is sufficiently smart casual- formal without being over the top or stuffy. Would come back if I found myself in Boston! Definitely check them out if you have a chance. PS: forgot to photograph a few dishes but sharing what I have!

Came here with a large group and this place did great!! Large venue with lots of seating and…read morebeautiful decor. SERVICE: Outstanding! The team here was super attentive and they handled our large group perfectly. FOOD: WOW! Everything came out very fresh and hot. We had a couple misunderstandings on the menu, but the food was great - so nothing to worry about. As you can see by the photos - the food also looked great! This is a great restaurant in the seaport area. Go give them a try!!

6/5/26: My visit to Kava neo-taverna on a Friday afternoon was great! The waitress was very…read moreattentive and friendly, making the experience memorable. The waitress walked us through the menu recommending her favorites as well as explaining the specials. It was recommended to have 2-3 small plates per person. The food quality was very good and their take on traditional greek dishes was creative! I highly recommend checking this place out whenever you are in the South End. Note: Inside seating is very cramped. If it is a nice day out, I would recommend grabbing a seat outside.

Got to head over to Kava for a second round today and try some things I did not get around to last…read moretime, so here are my thoughts: The food REMAINS IMPECCABLE. I was obsessed with the octopus last time and it was once again grilled to perfection with excellent acidity. The zucchini chips were delightful (even as someone who hates zucchini's). The feta psiti was a comfort per usual. What blew me away and I was so excited to try was the lamb chops. They were cooked to perfection, the look was closer to a medium-well (we asked for medium) but the meat was still perfectly juicy and spiced. The mousaka was also lovely, I have only had this dish homemade and it certainly held its own... definitely had a homemade feel with a generous meat portion. The Roka salad was also lovely. As far as drinks go, I enjoyed my aperol spritz and my spicy margarita a lot, I especially like the tsipouro having tried it as a shot the first time, but I think if I were to go again, I might go for wine for a more consistent liquor content. Now let's talk about service. I want to preface that certain things would 1000% be overlooked had we reserved for a busier time, but we went in 15 minutes after opening and by the looks of it, there were more than enough servers for the tables filled in the patio. The first time that I tried Kava, part of the excellent experience was our server. They were such a sweet person who really took the time to bond with us, brought us a round on the house, and just checked on us and made sure we were always doing good. Today really lacked that element. As soon as we sat down, the server informed us that they were out of three small plates, which happens, but not 15 minutes after opening as this was the case. Nonetheless, we were able to order a lot of yummy things, so fine. We then asked if it would be possible to angle the umbrella some way or move to a different table so I would be covered from the scorching sun this afternoon, and our server said "just wait ten minutes, the sun will move behind the building..." I understand that I asked for a patio and obviously you cannot control the sun nor the weather, but I just feel like the situation could be handled a little better -- at least a better response. Then, my dad ordered a beer which was completely warm. We asked for another which was luke warm, so then he just asked for a cocktail instead. The server was kind enough to bring a cold beer on the house later, but again, right at open, you kind of expect things to be in order. Overall, our server was just kind of... there, not super attentive nor pleasant. Another thing, I tried to get around the Resy "day before" policy because the reservations for Sunday opened during my graduation ceremony on Saturday and I wanted to make sure I get my table especially as my parents were catching a flight, so I emailed management in advance per the host's instructions upon calling. We went back and forth rather unnecessarily (with very delayed replies on their part), then I got completely ghosted... Not sure why. I was eventually able to get a table by calling the host after my ceremony on Saturday and they were incredibly accommodating, but they also noted that this was a graduation celebration, yet there was no acknowledgment... I had a graduation dinner last year at a different establishment in Boston and our server went beyond to ensure a great experience and even brought out a hand-written card with our check. These details could really really help the Kava experience in my opinion. Finally, the servers bringing out the dishes were completely confused. Almost every single dish was brought to the wrong table before reaching us and we could see them running around the patio with our order... rather unprofessional. Ultimately, it is the service that leads me to dock a star from my previous rating. Had the food not been as consistently fantastic, I definitely would be docking more.

Amazing neighborhood joint dishing out great drinks and fun vibes…read more It almost feels like a dive, but extremely classy. Gets crowded, but remain patient!

I've only been in for drinks, but their cocktail program alone is worth all the stars!…read more We were lucky enough to snag a seat at the bar on a busy weekend night. Ambiance was dark and moody, a very cute spot. We learned from the bartender that they only have a cordial license, but they sure make the most of what they are able to serve. The host and bartender were both very welcoming and friendly, we felt very well taken care of. My cocktail was the Ember... something, it had mezcal and grapefruit, and the brightness of the citrus balanced well with the very smoky mezcal. The Rye & Roast was also very memorable - I likened it to a more masculine espresso martini. I'm not a huge brown liquor drinker but the rye paired very well with the borghetti espresso liqueur, there wasn't the typical bite. Can't wait to come back to try the food!

The Shawmut Inn is an American restaurant on a quiet corner in the South End. The atmosphere is…read morecozy, as the restaurant only has a handful of tables and bar seats, with an open kitchen. The dishes feature a nice mixture of flavors, sauces and vegetables. Drinks are well prepared and service is attentive and well paced.

Came here for a Tasting Collective dinner and loved every dish! There was so much thought and love…read moreput into each dish and the flavors were incredible. Can't wait to come back!

Ordered takeout on a rainy day from The Silk and did not regret it. I got the chicken noodles…read more(street style), chicken manchurian, and cauliflower manchurian - fantastic food! I got everything mild with sauces on the side and that was definitely the way to go. The chicken manchurian is quite hot/spicy even at the mild level so I was glad about the mild selection.

Went to this restaurant as in walking distance in Brookline. This is an apparently elevated Indian…read morefood restaurant. The food was interesting, the saag was blended to smoother creamy sauce with a hint of mushroom or truffle which was unexpected. The food was generally too spicy hot for mild. We are glad we didn't order spicier. naan was delicious. Salad was huge - enough for four to six people. Food tasted good. Good presentation. Staff could work on clearing plates earlier or using smaller plates. The table was absolutely cluttered unnecessarily. A few things stood out as questionable. Our waiter seemed a little spacy. Order didn't go in on time and then also forgot details. So maybe our food was spicier bc he forgot that we ordered mild. Also, I noticed water dripping from the kitchen ceiling and this kind of took away my appetite. Staff very apologetic for delays in our food order.