Think Tank

Think Tank is in a lower level of the One Kendall Square complex and is underneath Friendly Toast and kitty corner to the Blue Room. It is a fun little place with tasty food and cocktails. A bonus is the arrival of Tiki Friday's featuring special drinks, appetizers and the music of Brother Cleve. I ate off of the regular menu and enjoyed a tasty green tomato BLT with an 'F' Gninger Rogers cocktail. It was delicious with a nice bread and clean finish. My dinner companion had a salad with steak that was surprisingly full of mint, way too much mint considering it is called 'Asian greens'. So a strike out on the salad but the drinks were nice and the staff was very helpful and timely. Pros: Good food, moderate prices (& Tiki Fun on Fridays) Cons: Oddly laid out interior (A pro & Con) more

I visited Think Tank on their first ""Freaky Tiki"" Friday - the estimable Brother Cleve was spinning exotica, and the bar was offering $5 appetizers. While we were actually there for dinner and didn't get a chance to take advantage of the appetizer deal, I was still very impressed by both the food and the value. The food is pan-Asian influenced American - think banh mi served side-by-side with tempura pickles and roast chicken. We started with those self-same pickles and the lacquered ribs - both were very tasty, the ribs sticky and sweet, the fried pickles light, crisp, and very fresh. I had the Crispy Spring Chicken for dinner - served in a pea emulsion it lived up to both of its adjectives and was just about a perfect serving. My dining companions tried the banh mi and the burger and all seemed quite satisfied. I don't feel totally comfortable judging the cocktails just yet - I had a Mai Tai that was perfectly good, although a bit on the sweet side compared to my home recipe. I'd like to try one of the house cocktails before I make the final judgment. The decor is great - very simple but cool, appropriate to the underground setting. My only drawbacks were the lack of ac, which was not their fault (power outage had murdered it) and the waitress forgetting one of my friend's drinks (twice - oops.) Aside from that little snag the service was great, and the bill was totally reasonable. I also wish Think Tank weren't in Kendall Square, which always makes me feel a tiny bit sad. Nonetheless I'm looking forward to a return trip to explore the cocktail offerings further! Pros: Great food, decent prices Cons: Location more