Strip-T's Restaurant
93 School Street, Watertown, MA 02472
(617) 923-4330
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--- Winner, Best Cafe in Boston Area, 2011 (also 2010 and 2009) ---
The search for healthy food in restaurants can often be a frustrating one, as even some of the places that brag about "healthy" options don't always practice what they preach. But when it comes to the oddly-named (and thoroughly offbeat) Strip-T's in East Watertown, they really do come through when it comes to healthy options. And even better, it is a fun, friendly place that has a loyal following and a reputation for delicious eats.
Strip-T's is a rather small spot that has the look and feel of a cafe, but the menu includes a lot more than your typical soup, salad, and sandwich shop. Appetizers include a sweet and savory roasted red pepper hummus that comes with a mountain of homemade pita chips. Entrees include a fresh and delicious portabella mushroom burrito (as well as several other tasty burritos, including one with trout, another with tilapia, and still another with chicken); a steak tip plate that comes close in quality to the best tips in the Boston area (including even the New Bridge Cafe; a grilled turkey burger with tasty goat cheese on top; a very satisfying plate of pulled pork enchiladas that comes with a spicy sauce that is heavy on the cumin; house-made chicken fingers that have a delightfully crunchy breading and real chunks of chicken inside (nothing processed here); and a variety of other items such as fish stew, pork chops, broiled pollock, hot brisket au jus, and grilled chicken kabobs. One of the specials that is well worth trying is the flank steak burrito, which comes with lean and tender strips of slightly charred steak that helps make this one of the best-tasting burritos this writer has had anywhere.
If you're not in the mood for a full entree, Strip-T's really shines when it comes to lighter fare. Their homemade soups are simply outstanding, including a hearty chicken soup that has everything but the kitchen sink in it, a thick and rich-tasting potato leek soup that is offered from time to time, and a curried mushroom soup that has such an incredibly deep, rich taste that it will linger in your memory for a long time after you've had it. All kinds of salads are offered here, including a particularly good Caesar salad as well as something called an arsenal salad, which has grilled chicken, walnuts, spinach, artichokes, onions, oranges, and cranberries. For sandwiches, they offer, well, pretty much everything you can imagine--rollups, burgers, clubs, cold sandwiches, hot sandwiches, etc. The Thai rollup may be this writer's favorite, as it contains a scrumptious mix of grilled chicken, Chinese cabbage, spinach, and pea pods, all mixed with a hearty peanut sauce. For side orders, the ultra-thin onion rings are tough to beat, though the potato salad is also well worth trying. It is probably a good idea to save room for dessert at Strip T's, as they have a number of items made daily, such as cookies, brownies, dessert bars, and other goodies.
Because Strip-T's is on a rather dusty, gritty street in a semi-industrial part of East Watertown, it may seem like a strange place for such a restaurant. Don't let the location fool you, however; this is the type of dining spot that you could easily picture in the center of Jamaica Plain or in one of the more funky neighborhoods of Somerville or Cambridge. if you crave healthy food at cheap prices, enjoy fun, quirky places, and don't have any interest in a "healthy" restaurant chain, Strip-T's certainly does seem to be one of only a handful of good options in the Boston area.
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