Grasshopper Vegetarian Rstrnt

11/15/07

Not what I expected

by lorenzee at Citysearch

I am not a vegan, far from it. No interest in the vegan lifestyle but I have two friends, one is vegan and the other vegetarian. They wanted to go to eat at Grasshopper and when they told me it was a vegan restaurant my heart sank. I thought the food would be tasteless, oiled up, strange textures and I would leave the restaurant with the worst gastro pain from all those scratchy veggies. I like vegetables, just not in such large quantities. Since they were such good sports and came to all of my eateries I figured I had to grin happily and play along without complaint. Boy was I pleasantly surprised. Grasshopper is an Asian inspired restaurant and the food was extremely good. I would actually elect to go there without being prodded with sticks. I was there on a Sunday in the middle of a scorcher heat wave and the atmosphere inside was very comfortable. It was buffet style. I'm not sure if it is always buffet, could have just been a Sunday thing but in any event it was a great way to try out the things they have to offer. I can't tell you what anything was but everything was quite tasty and satisfying and the prices very reasonable. Definitely give Grasshopper a whirl even if you're not a vegan.

• Pros: Great tasting variety of vegan food that's not hard on the wallet
• Cons: There's barely any parking in the area. Worth the risk though.

01/23/07

Avoid at all costs

by spiritunes at Citysearch

I lived in Brighton for about five years but moved out in 2004. I used to love the Grasshopper - inexpensive vegetarian dishes with lots of flavor, and a cute atmosphere. I must say, however, that when I returned to the Grasshopper in June 2006 I was sorely disappointed and also will say that I will not be returning. The restaurant's interior seemed dusty to me, and the service was unfriendly and abrupt. The dishes my girlfriend and I ordered both also caused us some extreme sickness for the next day or so - so much so that I was kept up during the night! I'll leave it at that. I don't know if the Grasshopper had an off weekend or if they have different chefs or management now, but I would not recommend this restaurant as your first choice for inexpensive Asian dining. Try Le's (formally Pho Pasteur) on Brighton Ave or the former Buddha's Delight on Harvard Ave in Brookline.

• Pros: it was on the way home
• Cons: dirty, poor service, food caused illness

08/11/06

Good food, on the somewhat healty side.

by c_f_d at Citysearch

Well if you live in Boston you know there aren't many choices for vegan places to eat. Grasshopper is one of the few. I have been going there for years, and I would say it has declined in quality. The inside looks a little beaten up, and is far less swanky than it used to be. They do have a good variety of food, but I would only recommend the "chicken", "beef", or tofu. The pork and seafood are a little icky. Do NOT order the "cheesecake", its horrid. They do have some healthier options on the menu, which is always good - but generally a lot of it is very oily and/or deep fried. Definitely check out the buffet though - its a great deal, and you get to try a lot of different dishes.

• Pros: Great apps, good tofu dishes, good buffet
• Cons: Sometimes you could wait for hours trying to get a refill on your water.

07/07/06

A vegetarian's paradise

by lisawray at Citysearch

I can't say enough good things about Grasshopper. It's not fine dining, but it's a cute, even romantic place with a menu of 100-ish, completely vegan Asian dishes. I particularly recommend the sweet and sour dumplings with mixed vegetables. Avoid the soups, though: for the most part, imitations of classic Chinese food are where this place really shines. I've even fooled drunken friends who'd never knowingly ingest vegetables with their "No Name" special. You may think I'm kidding, but I moved to my last apartment mostly so I could be within walking distance. I hope they never go out of business!

• Pros: Huge menu, vegan, lunch menu
• Cons: Doesn't deliver :(

09/26/05

Great flavors!

by lizzardwho at Citysearch

I've eaten here several times with vegan friends and meat-eaters alike. I am a meat-eater myself, but find it very healthy and refreshing to eat food that has no meat in it whatsoever. The food here is so terrific that when vegan friends visit from out of town we always eat here for at least one meal. The vegetables are always wonderfully cooked. They use a variety of sauces that give such terrific flavor to the tofu, seitan and other meat-substitutes that you wonder why you ever need to eat meat. The drinks are terrific, too, lots of different fruit juices and smoothies (no alcohol).

The only reason why you should be afraid to bring your meat-eating friends here is if they are afraid to go without meat for one little meal.

• Pros: Flavor, Great variety
• Cons: Dark lighting