Camberville Cuisine

Among my friends, we tend to have our “fallback” restaurants, and they seem to be mostly brew pubs (Sunset Grill and Tap being our most likely suspect). When you’re trying to accommodate a wide variety of tastes and dietary restrictions, as well as a general healthy appreciation for local brews, and a large group, they make sense. I’m just the opposite, though - most of the time, dining out is an opportunity for me to try food I don’t already know about. Which is why I was delighted when my moderately rebellious suggestion of Bangladeshi food last Friday was greeted with several, “Sure, why not, novelty factor” responses, and thus, we ended up at the Bengal Cafe in North Cambridge.

Bangladeshi and Indian food are fairly similar - many items on the menu were familiar to us from ventures to other Indian restaurants in the area (Namaskar and Diva, both being right in Davis Square proper). We ordered a round of paratha - the warm, slightly crunchy flatbread went well with the spicy entrees we chose. Dishes are dense and large. I went for the Bhuna, a rich, spicy goat and onion stew, and had plenty of leftovers (which were promptly devoured by my boyfriend). So many things looked delicious, though; next time we go, I’d like to try more of the appetizers. In particular, the Fuchka (puffy flatbread stuffed with a spicy mix of beans, onions, eggs, and potatoes) and the Haleem (lentils and meat spiced with onions and ginger) sounded interesting, and I’m a big fan of desserts in any culture, so I’ve got my eye on the Sondesh (they mention cheese), Shamai (rice noodles cooked in milk; not sure if it’s more soupy like udon or thick like pudding), and Misti Doi (sweet yogurt).

For a Friday night, it was relatively quiet; I would guess this is because it’s not located right in the square. Bengal Cafe is cozy and small, seating maybe 20 people, tops - aside from another couple, the five of us were the only people in the restaurant. It’s right on Mass Ave; the 77 stops in front of the restaurant, and it’s two long blocks out of Davis Square.

Bengal Cafe, 2263 Massachusetts Ave, North Cambridge; 617.492.1944. Daily lunch buffet, 12-3; dinner nightly from 5-9:30 (5-10 FSS).

I probably have more than 101 cookbooks on my bookshelves. (LibraryThing says 79, but I’ve still got another shelf and a half to go.) For the most part, they are eye-candy and fantasy material, but not used often enough for the act of cooking.

I live within walking distance of dozens, if not hundreds, of restaurants, bakeries, specialty grocery stores, “ethnic” markets, and other food providers. I walk past the smell of fresh-baked scones in the morning, and the sizzling of burgers at night. I have easy access to pub food, subs, sweet and savory pies, both authentic and “New England” Chinese (the latter comes delivered with dinner rolls instead of, say, wontons), Salvadoran, Indian, Mexican, tapas, Korean, French-Cuban, Thai, Brazilian, noodle shops and sushi bars, and of course, the ubiquitous pizza, doughnuts, and coffee shops.

I have a sweet tooth and a hankering for rare meats and fish. I live for fruit and chocolate. Veggie burgers and artisanal bacon both find room in my fridge. I have partners in my foodie excursions, both as fellow gourmets and chefs.

I talk enough about food that really, I should just go ahead and gather it all in one place; hence, a new home for my babblings about sushi and chocolate and farmers’ markets, right here.

I grant you, I can be lazy. I procrastinate. I decide at 5:30, “Hey, I should bring some munchies to a friend’s house,” for which I need to leave in an hour. This is where the microwave comes into play:

Sesame Brittle (adapted from The Well-Filled Microwave Cookbook)

1/2 cup sesame seeds
1/4 cup honey
1/3 cup sugar
1 cinnamon stick
dash baking soda
Also: microwaveable bowl, aluminum foil, butter to grease the foil, fork, spatula, potholder

Instructions: Mix all ingredients except the baking soda in a microwaveable bowl. Microwave on high for 2 minutes, or until the sugar has dissolved. While the mix is heating, grease a sheet of aluminum foil with butter. When the sugar has dissolved, remove the mix from the microwave, stir until the mix is uniform, then put back in the microwave for another 2-3 minutes on high. Watch carefully to ensure the mixture doesn’t overflow! Remove carefully from the microwave, and extract the cinnamon stick (recommended: put it in a mug of hot apple cider, yum!). Working quickly, add the baking soda, and stir until dissolved, then pour the mix gently onto the buttered side of the foil, and spread it out until it is thin (~1 mm or so). While it is cooling (~15-20 minutes), go take a shower and otherwise get ready to fly out the door. When cool, snap into pieces, pack into a container, and resist sampling on your way over to your friend’s house!