A warm welcome to our parents! This fine October weekend brings yet another batch of Tufts moms, dads, aunts, uncles and other such guardians footing the bill for your education.
For many students, especially freshman, this can be a weekend you've been looking forward to for weeks, and it's definitely an occasion to plan for ahead of time. For a while, you'll have to play tour guide. Maybe you'll show them a few classrooms and duck into your dorm room for just a few brief seconds before they see your roommate's, uh, terrarium. Maybe you'll ship your visitors off to a performance or lecture while you "take care of some homework" (read: nap away Thursday night's hangover).
But I hope you've made further plans, because, inevitably, your guests will want to eat.
This is a big deal.
It's a free meal! The off-campus, totally comped, non-dining hall meal you've been waiting for all semester! The possibilities! It doesn't have to come to you on a tray! You don't have to tip the delivery guy! No plastic cutlery!
The real issue is where to go. Davis Square offers some likely options, but it's probably going to attract every other group of slightly cranky diners whose tolerance for quality family time is wearing thin with hunger and crashing blood sugar levels.
You'll want the most bang for your parents' buck, so put in a little time to do your research, and your stomach will thank you. Plus, your parents will be impressed by your culinary savvy.
There are a few traditional destinations that Jumbos seem drawn to in the city - like restaurants in the North End or the ever-popular Cheesecake Factory - and by all means, give them a try.
But I find it hard to enjoy my fellow diners' company and catch up on news from home in the touristy restaurants, which are more interested in getting you in and out of your table at maximum turnover rate than in letting you linger over your dinner.
Smaller, cozier places are great too, but not always great with Mom, Pop and three siblings in tow. An ideal place will have a varied but memorable menu, and it's got to be warm and inviting.
First try Porter or Harvard Square. You won't need a car, and the T or a bus will get you there with minimal hassle. Sugar and Spice i offers up some great Thai, and the posh interior and friendly waiters make for a fun night.
For Chinese, check out Chang Sho. It's kind of swanky and not far down Massachusetts Ave. in Cambridge. It's surprisingly big inside - which might explain why the waiters seem to get lost every once in a while.
For a higher-end dinner with some unusual dishes, try Upstairs on the Square in Harvard. The décor alone makes for an interesting evening, but be sure to book ahead - it's always packed.
If you're in the mood for savory and spicy food - and lots of it - try any of the four Indian restaurants in Harvard Square. I've taken it upon myself to sample all of their malai koftas, and I still can't pick a favorite. If you don't stuff yourself at dinner, waddle over to Finale, the dessert restaurant (yes, dessert restaurant) to sample the Molten Chocolate cake.
Of course, all of this depends on your price ranges and your family's tastes. Be reasonable: It's the weekend, and if you head out during peak hours, you're likely to run into crowds and frazzled wait staff. But if you give yourself a few options and plan ahead of time with some reservations and directions, you can avoid any familial disasters.
Kate Peck is a senior majoring in English. She can be reached at katherine.peck@tufts.edu.
Now, who's going to invite me to tag along?
