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symphony sushi + red mango

http://www.symphonysushi.com

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  excited for sushi!
  

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  tempura salad appetizer. shrimp tempura on a bed of mixed greens. standard tempura dipping sauce and sesame ginger dressing. very light and delicious!

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  such a cutie!

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  from left to right: ocean maki (soybean sheet and salmon sashimi wrapped tuna, avocado and honey wasabi sauce), spicy tuna, symphony roll (tempura with peach, cucumber with bean sprout and mayo), yellowtail and scallion roll. the symphony roll and spicy tuna were the best. nom nom nom.

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  top: original with strawberries, kiwis, and graham cracker.
  bottom: pomegranate with blueberries, raspberries, and mochi. the graham crackers were disappointing because it was just crumbs, but the mochi was delicious!

chung ki wa

Last weekend, Nicki got back from Michigan and needed some Korean comfort food. We went to Chung Ki Wa in Medford Square. Although the restaurants offers both Japanese and Korean food, we've only ever had the Korean food. We had a few of our favorites: bi bam bap and bulgogi. We also tried a new dish! Scallion pancake with vegetables. Better fit for larger groups due to the barbecue grills at the large booths.
http://www.chungkiwaboston.com/

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  scallion pancake with vegetables. much thicker than a typical chinese scallion pancake, but very yummy and filling.

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  love these side dishes!
  

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  bulgogi with romaine lettuce wraps and more of those side dishes.

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  nom nom nom.

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  bi bam bap with chicken. all time favorite.

dining in outside - picnic!

It was so nice this weekend, we decided to have a picnic!

   

orleans

Orleans restaurant is one of our favorite places in Davis Square for contemporary American seafood. The space is divided into the bar area, two person booths, and a lounge area. The food was delicious, but we ordered way too much bringing home more than half of our leftovers. The noise level is a bit high in the restaurant during dinnertime on a weekend, but the setting it still pretty intimate. Overall, we absolutely recommend Orleans for anyone looking to try a new restaurant in Davis.
http://www.orleansrestaurant.com/

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  bread with hummus! a nice twist to the standard bread and butter.

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  we ordered the Orleans P.B.T. pizza as an appetizer. a very, very thin-crust pizza with mozzarella, prosciutto, basil and fresh tomato was a great starter - it was delicious, but too much for two people. we ended up taking 2/3 of it home - even better for leftovers!

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  nicki's entree was pan-seared salmon with a crispy risotto cake and wilted spinach. the perfectly cooked salmon with a sweet and sour sauce was the star of the dish. the risotto cake was yummy at first, but the dense texture and overall heaviness became too much at the end.

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  tim's entree was the Orleans burger, which came with cheese, onion rings, and a mango-pepper salsa. although a little messy, the flavors were rich and tasteful. nom nom nom.

Rating:

restaurant week: l'espalier

Whenever we ask friends for suggestions about restaurant week places to hit, L'Espalier is always mentioned. We tried it out for lunch and instantly understood why everyone loves it. It's located two blocks away from the Boylston T, but is also connected to the Mandarin Oriental Hotel that is connected to Copley and Prudential Center. The contemporary cuisine highlights French flavors and New England ingredients.
http://www.lespalier.com/

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  the ceiling of the salon in l'espalier.

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  biggest bread basket ever! we chose one of each: milk bread, corn bread, and focaccia. milk bread was the softest and most delicious.

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  shrimp with cashew nuts, lychee, and avocado sauce was nicki's appetizer. interesting and unexpected combination of flavors, but it worked.

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  endive salad with feta cheese and a chickpea fritter. very salty with the feta and fritter even with the greens.

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  nicki's entree: salmon over couscous with beets. the fish was cooked perfectly. it's mild flavor paired nicely with the sweet sauce and couscous.

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  tim's entree was pork with mushrooms, caramelized onions, and kale. the tough and bitter kale off set the tenderness of the pork and softness of the mushrooms. overall, really delicious and a good portion for lunch.

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  chocolate caramel cake with toffee chips, cocoa crisps, and pumps of lemon foam. the tart of the foam canceled out the rich sweetness of the cake, and the crunchy toffee chips and cocoa crisps contrasted the softness of the cake. nom nom nom.

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  fruit parfait cake with nuts, lychee foam, and green tea topping. it was very sweet and soft, but the top layer was gelatinous. the flavors tasted artificial making the dessert only so-so.

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  as we left, we got coconut macarons. very buttery and full of coconut flavor, these were a perfect mid-afternoon snack.

Atmosphere
Before even entering the restaurant, there is a salon (waiting room) with lots of comfortable couches. The dining area is sectioned into three rooms making each room feel more intimate for such a large restaurant. Being on the second floor allows for lots of sunlight to enter during the day giving the restaurant a very bright and natural setting.

Service
The hosts and wait staff are very polite. Our food came in a timely manner and staff walks around constantly in case you need something, but they don't bother you all the time.

Food
Each part of our meal, from the bread and butter to the little take home macaroons, was yummy and a great portion. Highlights were definitely the shrimp, salmon, and chocolate cake. L'Espalier also has prix fixe lunch on weekdays that we plan to check out in the near future!

Rating:

restaurant week: sorellina