Dali

Dali, 415 Washington St, Somerville Ma
Cuisine: Spanish
Vegetarian Options: Vegetarian Friendly
Price: $7-9 per tapa

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With dimmed lighting, cozy tables, beautiful flowers and an eclectic array of Spanish decorations; Dali is one of the most romantic restaurants in the city. A Boston date spot, this tapas restaurant is also perfect for a fun festive evening with friends or for a girl’s night out. Dali serves great food and offers a few good vegetarian tapas that are healthy, light and tasty. Their garlic soup is a wonderful treat, it is a warm light soup filled with garlic flavor. I also love their Queso Rebozado con Miel, a fried Spanish cheese with honey and sweet onion. They also offer other vegetarian tapas such as the Setas Al Ajillo, a sautéed mushroom dish as well as the Alcachofas Salteadas, a sautéed artichoke dish. Their Sangria is fresh and fruity, a nice compliment to the meal. The tapas are $7 to $9 each and with two to three tapas a person this can be a little expensive. I wish there were a few more vegetarian tapas offered on the menu but sometimes they do have some great vegetarian specials. Since reservations are not accepted there can be a long wait, but the yummy tapas and the festive experience at Dali is well worth it.

Bangkok Spice Thai Restaurant

Bangkok Spice, 76 Haven St, Reading MA
Cuisine: Thai
Vegetarian Options: Vegetarian Friendly
Price: $10

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This Thai restaurant is located off the beaten path in Reading MA and has a neighborhood feel to it. It is a small cozy restaurant with a simple ambiance but serves great Thai food for the price. My favorite dishes here are the mixed vegetables in garlic sauce and the Pad See Eiw both of which can be made without fish sauce upon request. The only drawback to the menu is it does not have a vegetarian soup. Service here is friendly and accommodating and parking is on the street but is never a problem. Since the restaurant only has a few number of tables it might be a good idea to call ahead on the weekends. With the inexpensive prices and the great food, I am a frequent visitor of Bangkok Spice in Reading MA.

The Pongal

The Pongal, 786 Boston Road, Billerica MA 01821
Cuisine: Indian
Vegetarian Options: Vegetarian Friendly
Price: $10-$14

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Pongal is a new Indian restaurant that recently opened up in Billerica MA, on March 10th 2008 in the same location as the former Masalaa Restaurant. Pongal has other locations in Bangalore India and this is their first restaurant in the US. I went to Pongal this weekend to check out the new restaurant with my parents. As soon as I entered I was surprised to see that the ambiance was much more upscale than Masalaa and the place was filled with customers, very different than the former restaurant. The restaurant has an elegant feel to it with red and gold tapestries on the walls and classical music playing in the background. The noise level is loud but the restaurant is kid friendly as they do provide highchairs. Overall I enjoyed the ambiance but the tables were too close together and the paper placed on top of the tablecloth was informal.

I have to commend the restaurant for its menu as they have a large selection of South Indian, North Indian and Indo-Chinese dishes. Indian Chinese, like the name suggests, is a fusion of Indian and Chinese food and I have yet to find a restaurant that offers a large selection of Indian Chinese entrees in the Boston area. For an appetizer we ordered the Hariyali Paneer Tika, a homemade cottage cheese dish that is baked in a clay oven and comes with different dipping sauces. I really enjoyed the Hariyali Paneer Tika and have not seen this offered at many Indian restaurants. I also tried the papri chaat, a potato dish made with Indian wafers, and I thought this dish was just okay as it had more potatoes and very few papri/wafer pieces. I enjoyed the sweet corn vegetable soup as well as the Tangy eggplant and the Vegetable Hakka noodles. We opted for the Mango Kulfi as they ran out of the Pistachio Kulfi. The presentation of the Mango Kulfi, was good but the taste was okay, as it had too many ice crystals and less cream. In addition to dinner, Pongal is open for a lunch buffet every day of the week.

Pongal was well staffed and the servers were very attentive to your needs. Overall I enjoyed myself at Pongal and with their wide selection of vegetarian offerings I will surely be back for seconds.

Mexico Lindo

Mexico Lindo, 449 Main St, Melrose MA
htp://www.mexicolindomelrose.com/
Cuisine: Mexican
Vegetarian Options: Vegetarian Friendly
Price: $10

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When in comes to great Mexican food, look no further than Mexico Lindo, an authentic Mexican restaurant tucked away in downtown Melrose Massachusetts. The food here is excellent and is one of the best Mexican restaurants I have ever been to with great vegetarian options. This restaurant is worth driving to and the ambiance is fun with Mexican artwork and curtains hanging from the walls. The restaurant also features outdoor seating which is a great option during summer. Although this restaurant is small, I find it a nice change from the standard Americanized Mexican chain restaurants and the food is affordable with vegetarian entrees averaging around $10. My favorite dish is Enchiladas Mexico Lindo, stuffed with spinach, mushrooms and other vegetables baked in a tomatillo sauce for $9.25. My only complaint is that the wooden booths can be a little uncomfortable but they do add to the rustic décor. Mexico Lindo is the place for authentic Mexican food in a fun casual setting.

Wagamama

Wagamama Quincy Market Building, Boston MA
http://www.wagamama.us/
Cuisine: Japanese
Vegetarian Options: Vegetarian Friendly
Price: $10

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This London based branch now has two locations in Massachusetts, one in Fanuel Hall in Boston, and the other in Harvard Square in Cambridge. The two locations are similar but I prefer the Cambridge location for its beautiful view overlooking Harvard Square. I enjoy Wagamama for its inexpensive good food and its array of tasty vegetarian options. The atmosphere is modern, yet casual and I thought the ledge under the table for your pocketbooks and other belongings was a nice touch. Green tea is complimentary with the meal but is only available upon request. Wagamama offers wonderful fresh juices and I recommend ordering their Fruit Juice for a refreshing treat. The Ysai Goyza, their version of vegetable dumplings, I felt was pretty standard. However, I enjoyed their Miso Soup with pickles on the side.

There are six different vegetarian entrees, my favorite being the Yasi Yaki Soba, a whole wheat vegetable noodle dish made with a touch of vinegar. I have tried the Moyoshi Soba, a vegetarian noodle soup dish ( a hard find in the Boston area) and thought it could have been more flavorful but perfect for a cold winter night. I wasn't too impressed with the Yasi Chili Men, a whole wheat noodle dish cooked in a spicy sauce. I felt this dish was too heavy and the sauce didn't blend well with the noodles. I also tried their Chocolate Fudge Cake which was okay but I was happy to see they offered a wide range of dessert options.

Service can be a little slow depending on the night. Overall Wagamama serves good food for the price and the ambiance makes for a fun dining experience.