Dugout Cafe: A Review

I’ve walked by this place a few times before and it looked like an interesting spot.  Until I went in, I was convinced it was in a BU building.  Turns out I was wrong, but it is right next to a BU building.  So the other night my friend Jesse mentioned going to Dugout Cafe (to me, The Dugout) and I was like whatever.  It didn't register with me that it was the place I had passed many a time and was curious about.  So when we started walking there and I figured out where we were going, I was pleasantly surprised.

It’s called Dugout Cafe.  It was quaint, warm and welcoming.  The bartender, Jessica, is a BU student.  The other bartender whose name I didn’t catch is so dedicated to working there that he drives in one day a week from Maine.  Long story short, they served Lagunitas, have a couple of sofas and darts.  One thing I always notice is the TV situation.  They had more than I’d like, but because they have Direct TV, all the TVs had to be on the same channel.  There was a semblance of order.  

All in all, it was a little bit farther from my block than I usually travel, but the atmosphere was great.  I want to have a party there.  $7 for mixed drinks and beers on tap.  $4 for PBR and $3 for Rolling Rock.  I'm not recommending you get any of those.  I think Lagunitas is your best bet.

Thmor Da: A Review

While I am pretty cautious about what I eat, I’m usually up to try new restaurants if there’s something interesting about the place.  I like trying new cuisines in new cities, which is what my friends and I did the other day.  My friend, Taylor, found a Cambodian restaurant on Yelp that he thought was worth a try.  Thmor Da in Revere, MA.

I almost didn’t write this review, because I didn’t enjoy the food.  But Jesse and Taylor did.  It could’ve been my poor ordering skills.  I’d never had Cambodian food before, so I asked the waiter about vegetarian options.  He made a few recommendations and I chose spring rolls and Chow Foo.

The spring rolls were alright.  Rice wrapper, bean sprouts ice berg, shredded carrots.  There was a dipping sauce that was good.  Chow Foo was vegetables, eggs, noodles and a sauce.  The sauce is what turned me off.  It was an almost gelatinous viscous goo.  If you've ever tried to juice a cactus with a Norwalk Press, that's what it was like.  It didn’t look appetizing and I questioned the ingredients.  What I did eat of it wasn't too flavorful.  Jesse took it with him.  If he writes a review, I’ll link to it.  Same with Taylor.

I don’t know Cambodian food, but got the sense that this place was authentic.  The restaurant was small, but clean.  Hot sauces on the table so you can customize your spiciness level.  The menu was pretty big and the waiter was very helpful in describing the dishes.  I didn’t use the bathroom, so I can’t comment on that.  Parking was a breeze.  Plenty of street parking right out front.  Aside from the food, it was a positive experience.