Neighborhood Series: Allston
By Staff Writer Kaylee Hill
This blog is part of a series exploring the neighborhoods of Boston.
Students willing to take the extra stop on the Green Line can discover an eclectic village with diverse flavors and people in the neighborhood of Allston.
Refuge Café
155 Brighton Avenue
Green Line Stop: Harvard Ave.
Refuge Café opened this month on the corner of Harvard Ave. and Brighton Ave., and already has a strong customer base. It has a bustling atmosphere, with the perfect volume of rock music. There is plenty of seating, but the most popular tables are the ones by the large, open windows that look out onto the street.
Refuge Café has a clean look, with polished wood tables and floors. It serves breakfast until 11:30 a.m., and sandwiches from 11 a.m. until closing. They have their very own Refuge salad, BLT and breakfast meal. There is a “comfort foods” menu that includes Mac and Cheese and BBQ Grilled Meatloaf.
Another unique menu item is their OMFG milkshake. They serve local beer and have a variety of beers on tap.
Refuge Café has a relaxed, hip atmosphere perfect for a coffee date or study session.
Madina Market and Restaurant
72 Brighton Avenue
Green Line Stop: Packards Corner
Madina Market and Restaurant is a small restaurant that serves a variety of Indian food. It has been open for 10 years, but was closed a few months ago due to a fire in one of the adjacent buildings. It recently reopened with a new owner as well as new management. There is a brand-new interior for students who wish to eat their food in the restaurant, but there is also a take-out option.
If students choose to eat inside, there is a buffet of Indian food, rice and salad for $8.50.
“I don’t mind if you eat one plate or five plates, it is all the same price,” said Malik Abbas, the owner.
This is the student discount, which applies to students from all universities. Adults would pay $9.50. For take-out, the price is $8.99 for students, $9.99 for adults.
Madina Market and Restaurant serves chicken, goat, lamb and beef. Their most popular item is the Tandoori chicken and the Chicken Tikka Masala. The food is not spicy, but spice can be added upon request for no extra charge.
Every 30 minutes the restaurant puts new food in the buffet, to ensure freshness.
Mixx
66 Brighton Avenue
Green Line Stop: Packards Corner
Mixx, a frozen yogurt store near West Campus, offers a wide assortment of chilled-out concoctions. The colorful walls and funky light fixtures contribute to the lively atmosphere where people decide what flavor of frozen yogurt to get. There are eight frozen yogurt flavors to choose from, and the wall behind the cash register displays the eight new flavors that will be available the following week.
The directions for serving yogurt are posted on the wall. Customers grab a cup, fill in yogurt, mix toppings, weight and pay.
Toppings at Mixx vary from fresh fruit to marshmallow crème to gummy bears to lychee. At 42 cents per ounce, this frozen yogurt is a cheap alternative to on-campus desserts.
A bonus of going to Mixx is the free wi-fi in the store. Seating is limited, but the cups are portable, so students can walk around Allston while enjoying their dessert.
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