Kasuga Cafe

05/23/07

Not too shabby...

by kfenol at Citysearch

As someone who's not exactly Newbury St. chic or white collar but works in the Back Bay, I usually have a hard time finding a place in the area I can enjoy a nice lunch at without breaking the bank. It is indeed more of a hole-in-the-wall type establishment as like o mentioned, but it does fill a niche for people who are looking for non-sushi Japanese fare. If you want better ramen bowls, I'd recommend Ken's over at the 88 in Allston, but if you're in the area and are bored with the Boloco, Scoozi, and other "cooler" Newbury St. spots, try Mentei.

• Pros: Different Fare, Fast, Not too expensive
• Cons: Would be average if there were more convenient alternatives.

11/08/06

a little piece of home in the back bay

by liucipher at Citysearch

This place is really not for non-Japanese people. I mean you really gotta like Japanese food to like this place. Fans of pho and other noodle soups will like it, but those looking for chicken teriyaki or sushi will be disappointed.

I love this place because it reminds me of my mom's cooking. Dishes are Japanese staples that are difficult to find in the US (e.g. curry rice). The food is not particularly good nor cheap, but in Boston I'm just glad to find this w/o having to go to Porter Square. The staff there is really nice and it's definitely a predominantly Japanese clientele. I will say they annoyingly do not take credit card there.

11/08/06

Cheap and good ramen

by tigrlily51 at Citysearch

The ramen is probably the main feature here, and although it's not as good like you'd find at St. Mark's in Manhattan, it's still worth a stop if you're looking for cheap lunch (<$10) after shopping on Newbury.

05/05/06

Great for Price

by longsnappr at Citysearch

If you are looking for a cheap dining experience, choose Mentai. All of the dishes are large and are <$10. Ramen style soups are the specialty. Quick and friendly service makes the overall experience a delight. Would recommend this to anyone who wants to avoid the high priced alternatives found on near-by Newbury Street.

• Pros: quick service, large portions, cheap
• Cons: no bar

03/14/04

try their gyoza!!

by lcwang at Citysearch

mentei has the best gyoza in Boston! the gyoza is hand-made and tastes so fresh! i especially love the skin, which is lightly grilled to provide a right amount of firmness (like a good aldante pasta) to contrast the soft fillings. it tastes especially great with their vinegar sauce! their ramen is above average and comes in big portion. the dinner special includes a ramen of your choice, plus a half sized rice dish of your choice (incl. eel on rice!). in general, quality of food is really great given the price. bare in mind that this is a tiny eatery and therefore not much ambience... the service is fast and efficient.

• Pros: good food, cheap, fast
• Cons: , tiny, lack of deco