Amidst the vegan also-rans and organic leftovers of Cambridge’s Central Square is a place that truly offers something new, fresh, different and always exciting!
Created by award-winning restaurateur Solmon Chowdury, whose pair of Shanti restaurants in Dorchester and Roslindale Village are redefining what Indian dining can be in the Boston area, Moksa combines innovative takes on Asian “street” food with a nightlife scene that rivals any street in the area as well!
Taking inspiration from the Asian tradition of Izakaya – a drinking establishment where the food complements the drinks – Moksa takes it one step further by offering food that easily stands on its own merits. With its sleek surroundings and arty architecture, Moksa is as much a feast for the eyes as it is for the palate. And when darkness falls outside, Moksa lights up as the back room opens revealing one of the most popular nightspots around- NAGA.
Named for the fortuitous dragon of Asian lore, NAGA offers some of the most fire-breathing DJs in the nation and the world.
Wednesdays at NAGA are “Hump” days where the room opens up to those over 19 for special tune spinners and special drinks and dinners. From Thursday through Sunday, NAGA comes alive with Moksa @ Night, a creative and cover-free mix of craft cocktails, international DJs and alluringly international clientele. So whether you missed out on tickets at TT the Bear’s or just want something new to do tonight, any night is a good night to enter the friendly dragon at NAGA.
But getting back to the restaurant…. Moksa’s front room offers bamboo tables, a comfy corner hangout couch and a long, glowing bar that offers some of the most Izakay-ik beverages around. In addition to a zodiac-inspired set of 12 cocktails that range from the absinthe arrangement of the Tokyo Chic and the bourbon-based Red Viper to the spicy Snap Dragon, which combines pear liquor with habanero vinegar, the cocktail list also includes a homemade chocolate Irish cream that tips its Tam to the locals and other “Mass Ave Specials” that combine such elemental offerings as earthy (but never dirty) sake, fiery (but never burnt) bourbon, and watery (but never watered-down) whiskey with Heineken (all for an address-inspired $4.50!). As befits the Izakaya style, the Moksa menu also features a wide array of seasonal surprises as well as glasses, bottles and half-bottles of organic, biodynamic and otherly impressive wines from around the world as well as sake, draft and bottle beer offerings that range from local faves to exotic explorations. There is also a “Mok-tail” list that includes a set of healthful iced brews and a preserved lemon honey soda that is a taste worth acquiring.
In addition to hosting the popular Greeks Who Drink trivia contest on Mondays, the bar is also a great place to grab lunch during a busy day in tech world, to catch a game on the well-placed but not distracting flatscreens or to meet or make a friend for drinks and/or a meal. While the Happy Hour menu is an added attraction with its $1 and $2 per piece apps and other special offerings, anything is available (and almost anything is possible) in Moksa’s front room. And with its large picture windows looking out on Mass Ave (where more diners can enjoy the vibe, weather permitting), it is also a great place to see, be seen, and make the scene among the international intelligentsia that call the area home.
The rear dining area offers bamboo tables that blend with curving banquettes and overhead runway lights that gently lead the eye (and eventually the rest of the body) towards the nightclub, which is always a great place to end a night at Moksa. On certain nights, the scene is extra hot as Moksa opens up to offer such special events as the Around Asia indoor street market or viewing parties for various athletic and entertainment events.
But we are getting ahead of ourselves again….
The food! Ah, yes- the food….
As most items on the menu are offered a la carte and served family style, each arrives as it is ready, allowing for a steady stream of savory situations to evolve and making experimentation and sharing not only easy but encouraged. Whether you order from the “raw & chilled” or “hot & cold” sections or prefer your appetizers “all wrapped up” or if you choose something with rice or noodles or from the wok or the grill, there are enough flavor combinations to satisfy even the most adventurous appetites. From gluten-free lamb shish kebab with kaffir and Japanese fried chicken to an oven-roasted butternut squash soup, ginger crab and shrimp fried rice, beef Rendang with Malaysian curry and seven-spice salmon, the Moksa menu is a mélange of magical mouthfuls that will tease and please your tongue with every bite. Among the other popular pieces are house-made picked vegetables, papaya mango salad and amazing tuna dumplings, as well as a melty sweet potato tempura and a slightly deconstructed vegetable pad thai that is fun to put back together en route to your mouth. And did we mention the impressive menu of sushi and sashimi that offers large, sharable portions of everything from the “classic” California Roll (avocado, cucumber, crabstick) and the regionally-inspired Techie Roll (teriyaki salmon, grilled pineapple, scallion, avocado top) to the signature NAGA roll (eel, cucumber, sriracha, torched tuna and wasabi tobiko top)? It even includes an entire set of vegetarian rolls, each of which is made with the same care and presented with the same flair as anything else on the menu.
While the menu may take some getting used to (where else can you find so many options from so many places, all of which are authentically prepared and artistically presented?), the friendly staff is more than happy to help and even make suggestions. No matter what you order, each item tastes like it was prepared just for you because – just like at Shanti – it was! Always fresh and delicious and potentially daring, a night at Moksa is an opportunity to find new favorites and try new things, both at the dining table and on the dance floor.
So whether you want to dine with the dudes, dance with the dames or drink with the dragons, Moksa has the combinations of flavor and fun to make any night a fresh new experience.
Moksa
450 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02139
617 661 4900
www.moksarestaurant.com