Tampopo

Lacking in quality & portions but decent pork cutlets. Recently tried their jumbo pork cutlet with other side menus. Portion of the jumbo pork cutlet was similar to regular pork cutlets that you would get at other restaurants and I didn't like how its portion was not balanced with other sides. Also tried their fried cream puffs and chicken karaage, but they were both underwhelming. Chicken karaage definitely felt like it was made from frozen chicken and frankly, it was disgusting to see it covered in too much (soy/teriyaki) sauce with no crispiness at all. Pork cutlet was the only menu that I enjoyed, but overall a disappointing experience.

It is a hidden gem in Porter Square. Authentic Japanese menu with creative twists. Chef seeks great balance with ingredients and flavors. Deep fried things are not that oily as he cares about the level of freshness of the oil. Try Tampopo's Tempura or their home made croquettes. Chicken Karage is also reasonably priced and delicious. Much better than some over-rated ramens.

Fast service at a good price (for Cambridge prices). The serving size was generous, the Teriyaki meal included lot of meat over nicely cooked rice. The sauce was a bit heavy and oily but it tasted very rich and savory. The restaurant itself was a small spot in a row of restaurants styled like an indoor street market. It was fairly busy and lively.

I didn't give one star because the effort is there. The tempura was properly made although there were black dots throughout (no not cracked pepper, it's the burnt batter). The issue was the rice. Both our bowls had rice that was cooked with too much water, as such the rice became gluey, we didn't come for congee. At the end of the dinner, my Wife's curry rice bowl was filled with water in the bottom, the curry was less than flavourful, and just can't be finished. At least we can say we tried.

We visit Tampopo for one thing, generally, and that's the excellent, homey tempura they offer. Though the batter may be less of a standard, dry-crispy style, it's the sort of dish that'll warm you right up. Seafood tempura udon was very good, with well-cooked noodles and well-cooked fish. When we go to the Porter Exchange for a meal, Tampopo is always a contender for a visit.