Ambassor India
9 Cummings Park

When you walk into a place like Ambassador and you don’t understand a thing the manager is saying to the waiter you can assume one of two things. One, you’re being insulted in a different language, or two, the cuisine is going to be authentic today!

After dining on Indian food several times at Ambassador, I can assure you the latter is  true and despite any foreign language the food speaks for itself.

We’ve come again to the lunch buffet at Ambassador. A great deal for only $9.95. Typical staples at the buffet are the traditional, slightly nutty,basmati rice and the warm, freshly baked Naan (a typical tandoori oven baked bread).

The Vegetable Pakoras, fresh cut vegetables deep fried in chick pea batter, are light, crispy, savory delights and are perfectly complimented with tamarind sauce, a sort of Indian “Ketchup”.

The soup of the day was a Daal soup. What seems a simple split pea and lentil offering turns out to be a complex amalgamation which performs a warm welcome on the front of the tongue and a spicy goodbye as it rolls across the back. I’m amazed of this effect with each and every bite.

We’ve also tried the Tomato-Coconut Shorma which was a rich tomato soup with a hint of coconut. Not too heavy and garnered an A+ from all who got to try this one.

We then covered our plates with basmati and moved on to the “meat” of the buffet. Chicken Tikka Masala, a famous Indian dish, did not disappoint. Cubes of chicken simmered in a rich tomato cream sauce was bursting with exotic flavors.

The other chicken offering was Tandoori Chicken. If you have never tried this Indian method of cooking chicken I highly recommend you do. The Indians perfected the technique long ago.

They begin by marinating the chicken pieces in mild masala spices and yogurt. The first chefs to do this probably didn’t realized that in addition to adding flavor, the enzymes in the yogurt actually break down the proteins in the chicken to make an already tender meat even moreso.

After 24 hours of marinating, the chicken is placed on skewers and cooked in a tandoori oven.  The high heat seals the juices into the chicken as it cooks quickly down inside this traditional clay oven.

Most of us would not be so bold as to cook with such high heat but I assure you the Indians have mastered the technique. It produces a moist, succulent flavorful chicken like no other I’ve experienced.

Mango II Thai Cuisine

FAS Rating 93!

Food 92,
Atmosphere, 94,
Service 92

Smiles everyone! Smiles!

If there is one thing that all Thai restaurants seem to share it’s those ever-present smiles on the faces of everyone that works there. Stepping into Mango II in Tewksbury, MA is no different-just like stepping into the old Fantasy Island TV show with Ricardo Montalban.

The first thing you notice upon entering Mango II is the striking décor which is an eclectic mix of traditional Thai tapestries, contemporary art lighting and modern seating. It is also exceptionally clean. A trait that would be nice to see in some of the smaller Thai restaurants we’ve been to.

We are greeted by “Tah-Nah”, the perennial face of Mango II and of course his ear to ear grin. He seems to know many customers by name and welcomes everyone as he passes by. It’s as if he’s welcoming us into his home, and it feels good to be there.

We begin the meal with 3 appetizers. The menu contains the usual suspects including Golden Bags, Tod Mun and Shumai, but we decide on Chicken Satay, Thai Rolls, and Angel Wings. We missed seeing the famous Thai fresh rolls on the menu but were told that they were available upon request.
The Satay is tender strips of marinated chicken expertly barbecued on skewers and served with both peanut sauce and sweet cucumber sauce. There is no better word than succulent to describe these tender morsels. They were great with the cucumber sauce and even better with the peanut sauce- all agreed, one of the best we’ve ever had.

The Thai rolls are a tasty appetizer in most Thai restaurants and Mango II didn’t let us down. A safe bet for newcomers to the cuisine, they consist of a ground chicken and vegetables wrapped by a crispy wonton like skin and served with a light sweet and sour sauce.

The Angel Wings were certainly the most exciting appetizer we ordered that day. They are chicken wings with the bones removed then stuffed with minced shrimp, chicken and vegetables and deep fried. Served with a sweet chili sauce they are both hearty and inventive.

On to the main courses which consisted of Chicken Basil, Red Curry Duck, and a perennial favorite and most famous Thai dish, Pad Thai.

The Chicken Basil was sautéed chicken with fresh minced hot peppers, basil leaves, mushrooms, green peppers and onions. This one was just as spicy as I like it but can be ordered with no spice at all. The “two flame” version I had was a burst of flavor in every bite and worked well with the nuttiness of the brown rice I ordered with it.

The Red Curry Duck consisted of Thai red curry sauce in coconut milk, with bamboo shoots, mushrooms, string beans, green and red peppers, Thai melon and Thai basil leaves. Another “two flame” offering but not quite as spicy as the basil. Rich and exotic, this dish worked well with the savory duck.

The Pad Thai, one of the most famous Thai dishes, did not disappoint. The Thais have learned to perfectly blend the elements of sweet and salty into this noodle dish. Stir-fried with shrimp, chicken, egg, ground peanuts, bean sprouts, sweet turnips and scallions, this hearty dish was so good we almost got a second order to share!

The dessert menu was limited but the food was so good we really didn’t have much room left. We decided to share the Thai Custard with sticky rice which was had a slighty firmer consistency than a typical custard but was sweet and delicious. The sticky rice made a nice accompaniment and countered some of the sweetness. For those who have never had Thai sticky rice, (it’s not just overcooked white rice), it’s a speciall type of high-gluten rice that is soaked and then steamed to produce a rice that is used almost like bread in some Thai meals.

Mango II is a good choice for both lunch and dinner as their menu accomdates portion and pricing for both. Families are welcomed and there is a kid’s menu.

They do have a full bar if you’re going to make an evening of it but I’d also recommend you try the Thai tea. It is a rich and fragrant tea, delicious hot and even better iced.

Our overall experience at Mango II ensured we wouldn’t need Ricardo reminding us to “Smile everyone”…we were alreay smiling!

Stan Dancewicz

copyright 2008 Mass Restaurant Review

Junji Aoki was born on an island. The island of Japan. Aoki has come a long way from his homeland and now owns his own island. Sushi Island in downtown Wakefield, MA.
As chef/owner of one of the finest Japanese/sushi restaurants this side of Boston, Aoki brings his craft to those looking for high grade sushi prepared by an authentic sushi chef.
If there is one “must” to fine sushi it’s fresh fish and Sushi Island gets deliveries every day to ensure the freshest seafood available.
With the grace of a ballet, Aoki and his assistant work in harmony to prepare each order as they flow in from the sushi bar and tables.

My guests and I dined “al la carte” and chose our sushi from the form that accompanied the menus.

Life Alive
An Urban Oasis & Organic Cafe
194 Middle St.
Lowell, MA 01852
(978)453-1311
http://www.lifealive.com

Wow. My first vegetarian meal. Well, first intentional anyway… hey we’ve all dined on the occasional grilled cheese and a pickle, or cheese pizza and a salad right?

Life Alive, located in Downtown Lowell, is more than just vegetarian by accident. They have a purpose, and their purpose is to, “Make Healthy eating easy in a busy world”. Bingo.

I wasn’t sure what to expect upon entering this self proclaimed “Urban Oasis and Organic Cafe”. Would I be forced to put on Birkenstocks and hug the community tree before eating a Tofurkey sprout sandwich while listening to Joan Baez howl through the sound system? Not even close.

Much to my surprise the first table I saw was full of shirt and tie business types, then two Mom’s with their young children, followed by a few more tables filled with young professionals. Not one tie-dye shirt in the mix. What? are all these people trying to eat a healthy lunch?

As I made my way to the counter I ran down the menu and found a list of playfully named options including The Goddess, The Emperor, The Adventurer, and The Healer. Thankfully, no Tofurkey!

Life Alive offers both warm and cool meals which can be served in a filling bowl or wrap for around $8.00 or as a “taster plate” for around $5.00.

They also offer daily soups and stews as well as the option to created your own meal utilizing over 3 dozen different ingredients. Beverages include organic teas and coffees, juices combos and smoothies.

I finally decided to just start at the top and went for The Goddess. It’s their signature dish and is served warm. It consists of carrots, beets, broccoli, dark greens and smoked lemon garlic tofu melded with a delicious ginger Nama Shoyu sauce over short grained brown rice. I usually try to be slightly witty and poetic when describing a dish but the first word out of my mouth upon tasting The Goddess was, “YUMMY!”

I’m not sure what came over me but this was anything but the bland, flavorless concoction I had been expecting. The meal was hearty with a hint of saltiness (probably from the sauce) and the flavors were bouncing all over my mouth. Even the small cubes of tofu, which were under extra scrutiny, were delicious. They were more like cubes of slightly smoked cheese rather than the tofurkey jerky I was bracing myself for.

My guest, also a veggie-rookie, decided on The Emperor. This dish was similar in composition but with a sweet sesame miso sauce and the added elements of melted cheddar cheese and sun-dried tomatoes. I just had to try hers and I must say the melted cheese added another level of richness to this already sumptuous meal. She also one-upped my description of The Goddess saying that her Emperor was, “VERY yummy”. Darn, outwitted again…

We both decided to try one of the “spectacular soups and stews” on the menu that day. I had the Portobello Barley which was a thick, hearty blend of mushrooms, barley, carrots and herbs. It was served piping hot with a breadstick and was so rich I couldn’t believe there was no dairy in it. This was a delicious way to warm up from the inside-out on a cold day in February.

My partner didn’t fare so well with her Onion Soup which was surprisingly bland. They definitely need to kick that one “up a notch”.

Since it was such a cold day we both opted for hot tea and were told that their teas and healing herbal blends were all hand picked and organic. We opted for the Jasmine Green tea and it came in a traditional Japanese iron pot which was a nice touch. I’ve had Jasmine tea at many Asian and especially Vietnamese restaurants and I must say this was the best Jasmine tea I have ever had. Bright and slightly floral, I can only assume that the “hand-picked organic” feature had something to do with it.

The service at Life Alive was exceptional. Our order taker was very informative and after asking if it was our first time there, offered great suggestions on meal and beverage options.

Once we ordered we were asked to be seated. Our meal came to us in stages and with each came a helfpul tip like, “Let the tea steep for an additonal three minutes before pouring.” When our entrees came the server asked if it was our first time and then explained that the dishes were created in layers but meant to be mixed together.

Life Alive is billed as “An Urban Oasis” and the atmosphere creates the effect very well. The tables and chairs are all splashed with colors and the walls are filled with vibrant paintings and inspiring quotes. There is even a small lounge section with more comfortable seating and a coffee table in the middle.

Surrounding the lounge on the walls are shelves filled with organic and healthy option food and health products for sale in case you want to take some of the Life Alive experience home with you.

Once we left we both felt like we were satiated but not stuffed. We both commented that we actually felt energized despite having eaten every morsel on our plates. You know, the meal was so good and the experience so regenerating I would have to recommend everyone try Life Alive.

Stan Dancewicz

copyright 2008 Mass Restaurant Review