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Taiwanese

Tasty Pot Allston

by 16 Comments

[4.38/5] I would be one wealthy dude if I got a dollar for all the times I’ve passed Tasty Pot waiting for them to open. So many “hot pot” themed restaurants in the area, yet all offering their own take on it. This one may just be the one to stand out.

Review #043
Restaurant Type: Casual Dining.
My short summary sentence: Tasty Pot has got it going on!

Food (65%)
Taste to price 4.5/5
Quality to price 4.5/5
Portion to price 4.5/5
Average = 4.5

Service (20%)  
Friendliness 4/5
Promptness 4.5/5
Average = 4.25

Cleanliness (15%)
Bathroom 3.5/5
Dining area 4.5/5
Kitchen area 4/5
Average = 4

Overall Score = [F(.65)]+[S(.20)]+C(.15)]
   = [2.93]+[0.85]+[0.6]
   = 4.38

The Pluses…  
+ The wait was worth it. How can this restaurant with the most unsuspecting exterior be so drastically different inside. When you walk in, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know how much effort was put in building the space. I mean, they got brand new furniture, brick busting dragons on the wall, and an open kitchen right in the middle as you enter. That’s when I knew this place was serious.
+ I ordered the TAIWANESE SUPREME SPICY HOT SOUP which is their flagship entree. At $17.99 split between 2 people, that is a steal!
+ Portion sizes are out of this world. Just look at the pictures, they look they’re on steroids.
+ I chose the FLAMING SPICY option which is the spiciest of them all. I have to warn you that when they say its the spiciest, they really mean it. They don’t hold back and my tolerance is pretty high. Just something for you to consider.
+ Food came out lightning quick. Thor must have been cookin’ in the back.
+ Waiters were everywhere waiting to service you.
+ Definitely a place worth repeating for me.

The Negs…
– No major negatives here.

The Neutrals…
o The baby octopus was not really baby octopus. They were more like College Freshman 15 sized 🙂
o My GF likes their soundtrack. We suspect the owner came from the same generation. Lots of Jay Chou and JJ Lin 😛

In Conclusion…
Tasty Pot is for real. If they keep up and maintain the quality of their soft opening, I can see them escaping with the crown for best hot pot in Allston/Brighton. I’ll be back. Chow!

Cheers Cut Allston

by 17 Comments

Cheers Cut. I’ve wondered many times what the meaning of the name is. After countless sleepless nights and hours of vein popping focus, I’ve decided to give up. Yep, just like that. How does the newest fried chicken restaurant in town compare to the already crowded fried chicken competition?

Restaurant Type: Fast Casual/Takeout.  
My short summary: Cheers Cut is what happens when KFC meets Jay Chou.

Food (65%)
Taste to price 5/5
Quality to price 4/5
Portion to price 4.5/5
Average = 4.5

Service (20%)  
Friendliness 3.5/5
Promptness 3.5/5
Average = 3.5

Cleanliness (15%)
Bathroom 3/5
Dining area 4/5
Kitchen area 4/5
Average = 3.67

Overall Score = [F(.65)]+[S(.20)]+C(.15)]
   = [2.93]+[0.7]+[0.55]
   = 4.18

What else to know: To be fair, Cheers Cut is from Taiwan and all the other fried chicken restaurants (namely Bon Chon, BBQ Chicken, K-Town) are Korean so in a way, competition is slightly different. Right from the start when you walk in, it’s a different feel as this place is more of a takeout/fast casual restaurant. You’ll see the majority of customers holding a Gong Cha cup (which is for a whole ‘nother review). When you look at the menu, there are many options for their chicken (and fried squid, which is a must try). You can either order their rice combos or just the meat as a snack. I went with the Samurai Chicken chili flavor with minced pork rice; it was simply delicious. For the price and portion, you cannot beat it. Easily, this place is for the budget conscious looking for something fast, relatively healthy, and a cup of Gong Cha for their friend. For these reasons, I call it the ideal spot for a first Tinder date. To all you serial daters, you can thank me later for that tip 😉


Pot Bar

by 41 Comments

Pot Bar
This is where the pot goes

This placed was once a Hookah Bar, then it became a “Pot” Bar… I thought to myself, “Wow, this is a Boston first.”

Food: See pic (65%) 
Taste to price 4/5
Quality to price 3/5
Portion to price 3.5/5
Average = 3.5

Service (20%)  
Friendliness 3.5/5
Promptness 2/5
Average = 2.75

Cleanliness (15%) 
Bathroom 5/5
Dining area 5/5
Kitchen area 5/5
Average = 5

Overall Score = [F(.65)]+[S(.20)]+C(.15)]
   = [2.28]+[0.55]+[0.75] 
   = 3.58

What else to know: I was sort of right on the first pot bar thing but wrong on so many levels of my imagination :$ This place is a Hot Pot Full Service Restaurant. Something was lost in translation from Chinese to English. 

I actually came here on their soft opening back in March so I will have to come back for another review. I’m sure they’ve streamlined their processes and changed menu items since then. This place is a little bit of a different twist to your typical hot pot. Instead of throwing the veggies and meat yourself into your pot, they bring the pot to you already mixed. In otherwords, DIY hot pot became DIFM hot pot. I ordered the House Special Hot Pot which took quite some time to arrive. I will give them the benefit of doubt and label this a soft opening hiccup. As for the soup, it was pretty tasty considering I’m a fan of mala flavored foods but I did notice the price. At $12.95 with the selected veggies and meat, it was a little steep factoring in the portion and time of the day as I came in during lunch hours. Could a lunch menu be in development 🙂 ? I think it would help them a lot. I conclude by wishing this place best of luck and I look forward to my second visit. Good luck guys.

  • Pot Bar - House Special
    House Special
  • Fried Fermented Tofu