Friday 21 January 2011

Places to eat in Cambridge

Cambridge is a small town (although technically a city) in the East of England. Some would argue it's about as culturally diverse as a Newport Yacht Club, but that's not entirely true. Granted that in the town center there would seem to be an abundance of what I call WOPEMS (While, Oxbridge, privately-educted males) but go to Mill Lane and a few other hotspots and things are very different.

Firstly, there is a thriving Chinese community in Cambridge - and they have brought their yummy food with them. While Charlie Chan's on Regent St may have been caught with cockroaches in the kitchen, other establishments like Cook for You (off Norfolk St nr East Rd) and Junling Noodle Bar (next to the Corn Exchange opposite Jamie's "Italian") offer fantastic food at a very reasonable price.  Cook For You does very good take-out and and makes the best spring rolls I've ever tasted (and I've spent a month in Hong Kong and China)

If you want something a bit different, there is an awesome little Vietnamese called Thanh Binh on Magdalene St. The flavours are brilliant and it's very well priced for what it is. For the cash strapped students among you, DoJo's on Mill St (near the Mill Pond by the University Centre) is a cheap and tasty source of speedy Japanese food (although don't think you're going to walk in and get sushi)

As for more western food, please please please don't go to places like Jamie's Italian. It's expensive and very low quality. The restaurants are a cash cow model of stack-'em high sell 'em cheap with the last part of the philosophy forgotten.  They have too many customers, not enough staff and all the Italianess of a wienerschnitzel. If you must eat Italian I would venture out to Little Venice. It's a treck to Caxton (St Neots Rd) but worth the journey.

Coming next, what every tourist should see and do in Oxford and Cambridge.

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