Lunch, Anyone? Dolphin Bay

The kitschy nautical décor is just one of the unique things about the tiny Taiwanese restaurant in Packard’s Corner. Photos by Smaranda Tolosano (CAS’17)

There are so many restaurants lining Allston’s Brighton Avenue that it’s easy to overlook the new Dolphin Bay, specializing in classic Taiwanese comfort food. But this is a place that deserves some attention, given its homey cuisine and wallet-friendly prices.

The first East Coast outpost of the southern California Dolphin Bay, the eatery opened in May on the site of the former Inaka Ramen. In just months, it has amassed a loyal fan base. Dolphin Bay’s Facebook page is filled with customers’ grateful messages left on receipts or posted on Yelp.

As befits its name, Dolphin Bay is decorated with a charmingly kitschy nautical theme. A mural depicting a sunny ocean scene, with dolphins, seagulls, and other marine life, spans the entire interior. The counter is shipshape—literally—faux anchor, lighthouse, and all. Give yourself a minute to enjoy the setting when you enter.

Décor aside, it’s Dolphin Bay’s food that deserves the most attention.

We began with the popular popcorn chicken appetizer ($4.50), also available as a rice plate ($8.99). The bite-sized pieces of breaded and fried chicken, topped with shichimi togarashi, a chili pepper–based Japanese spice mix, were served on a cute fish-shaped plate. The chicken was crisp and the seasoning provided a kick of spice, but it could have used more. We ordered the dish medium spicy, but found it on the mild side, so if you like a real kick to your food, best to ask for the hottest version. The chicken also could have benefited from a sauce: alone it was slightly dry. That said, it was still a tasty starter.

The next appetizer we tried, a Taiwanese street market favorite, was the oyster pancake ($6.50), made with tapioca flour and filled with tiny oysters, crunchy Chinese greens, and an egg. Pooled on top was a flavorful sweet chili sauce. The pancake was an unusual but delicious mix of textures, the edges crispy, the inside gelatinous and chewy—it was unique and delicious. We plan to order the pancake with shrimp rather than oysters (another option) on our next visit.

For an entrée, we ordered the ground pork dry noodles ($7.99), linguine-like noodles topped with well-seasoned, moist ground pork. The noodles were accompanied by pickled cabbage, steamed vegetables, and a steamed egg. The steamed vegetables were bland and a bit overcooked, but served to cleanse the palate between bites of the bolder flavors on the plate, especially the spicy, vinegary pickled cabbage, which lent a much-needed crunch to the dish. The mild steamed egg, by contrast, was delightful, with a fluffy, almost custard-like consistency. In the end, the competing flavors and textures balanced one another and made for an enjoyable dish.

A fan of boba milk tea? Dolphin Bay’s drink menu, with its selection of flavored milk, tea, milk tea, and juices ($3.50 to $4.50), covers three pages. Boba, a form of tapioca, pops up in combination with coconut and mango as well as more daring flavors like avocado and green bean.

In addition, the restaurant offers an extensive selection of slush and snow, or shaved ice desserts, topped with a variety of fruits and available in flavors from lychee to lavender to red bean ($3.50 to $4). Tapioca, pudding, coconut, jelly, or aloe can be added to any drink or dessert for $.50.

We left with a bagful of leftovers and barely a dent in our wallet. In short, a budget-conscious student couldn’t ask for a better place. Friendly and helpful staff? Check. Endearingly cheesy nautical décor? Check again. Ridiculously cheap food? Yup, lots of it. Expect Dolphin Bay to become your new favorite haunt.

Dolphin Bay, 72 Brighton Ave., Allston, is open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday, Monday, and Wednesday, 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, closed Tuesday; phone: 617-562-1668. Take-out service is available, but no delivery; all major credit cards accepted with a minimum $10 order. Walk or take an MBTA Green Line B trolley outbound to Packard’s Corner.

This is part of a weekly series featuring Boston lunch spots of interest to the BU community. If you have any suggestions for places we should feature, leave them in the Comment section below. Check out our list of lunchtime tips on Foursquare.

Kylie Obermeier can be reached at kylieko@bu.edu.

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