The Kebab Factory - (617) 354-4996

The only reason I ever went to Kebab Factory was because it was in my neighborhood. Since it's on the corner of Washington and Beacon Streets, no one (unless they are intending to do so) would probably stumble upon this place and go, "gee, I think I'll eat here tonight"... since it's really far out of the way for anyone to wander to. Still, it's absolutely worth the trip, even for the lunch buffet. I see a lot of Indian restaurants get love because of their frequent diners at their locations, but Kebab Factory is hands down the best purveyor of North Indian fare in Boston. Their lunch buffet cycles every day; I've seen their excellently executed chicken tikka masala twice in all the times I've been there but have never been disappointed with the other offerings. The kebab meat is tasty and some of the best I've ever had, no matter what time you go for weekday brunch. Basically, the Kebab Factory is worth the hike and is worth every penny you spend on the food there. They seriously know what they're doing.

I often go to the Kebab Factory for lunch with colleagues. Its guaranteed to impress out of town clients, and new customers. However, I find that the spices are often bland (compared to other Indian restaurants) and the buffet menu does not change often. Still, if there is a place in Cambridge/Somerville that will definitely fill my appetite, this is it!

This was the second time I had had Indian food, but I went with a seasoned veteran of a friend to dinner, and we were both blown away. I'm not one for spicy foods, but everything was available in different heat ranges, with the standard being mild. The Chicken Tikka Masala was my favorite dish, and their Kali Mirch Ke Tikkey (chicken dipped in cream cheese) was confused for fish by my friend at first, because it was so tender and delicious. The complimentary soup at the beginning of the meal was great too, I've never liked spinach or mushrooms, but the soup somehow transformed them into this delicious medley of flavor. Then again, I've never liked tomatoes, and I like the Tikka Masala. As for the complaints about service, I have nothing but good things to say. Our water glasses were always full, they came and checked on us to see if we were enjoying our food, the services was speedy, and even though we were a little late to our reservation because we couldn't find parking, they weren't mad or tried to make us leave at all. Perhaps some people confuse that they don't speak perfect English for a failure on their part, which doesn't make any sense at all. My friend and I were so impressed by everything, in fact, that we went back the next week, and the service was even better than the first time. I believe we're now going to be regulars, since everything is cheap enough that it's not a strain on our college wallets.