Where it’s at: Boston’s finest (and cheapest) Asian cuisine

Mango

627 Commonwealth Ave., Boston (617) 536 – 3100

Mango is kind of like its eponymous fruit: pretty and delicious, but not for everyone. The restaurant can definitely seem a little exotic to American taste buds. Its menu includes an abundance of seafood dishes and the occasional wild boar, roast lamb and duck (with few vegetarian options).

Like other Thai restaurants, Mango has quality Pad Thai and Thai Iced Tea. Mango also has a chili pepper-based scale for their spicy foods. The main differences between Mango and other Thai restaurants is that Mango has a brighter atmosphere, a more exotic menu and a higher price if you opt for those exotic menu items. Mango also does not serve alcoholic beverages.

For an appetizer, Mango recommends the Basil Rolls, which are rice paper-wrapped vermicelli, lettuce and various other vegetables with a peanut dipping sauce. Like many items on Mango’s menu, it is a little different.

Mango’s ambiance is cozy and classy. The wait staff is speedy, kind, and quick to refill water glasses. The price for a meal at Mango is slightly over $20 per person, including an appetizer, meal, drink and tip. Nevertheless, even unconventional meals can be enjoyed for less than $30. Although its not for everyone, if you are in the mood for something a little different, go ahead and stop in at this joint and enjoy the diversity of Mango. Christinia Crippes, MUSE Staff

Victoria Seafood Restaurant

1029 Commonwealth Ave., Brighton (617) 783 – 5111

Frog porridge, deep fried crispy intestine and jellyfish with pork thigh meat these are just three of the 247 appetizers and entrees (not counting the specials) on the menu at Victoria Seafood Restaurant, located right near West Campus. Chances are, you’ll never even think of ordering them, but, in a way, it’s nice to know all those choices exist. Many Chinese restaurants will adjust to mainstream tastes, sacrificing the chef’s favorite jellyfish for another variation on sweet-and-sour.

According to the owners, the most popular dish by far is the $12.95 twin lobster special. Advertised in the front window along with the cheap lunch specials, this banner is what grabs your attention at the ‘T’ stop on Babcock Street. Available with one of many sauces, the lobster arrives cut into deceptively simple pieces that can be as hard to attack as the whole beast as served at traditional restaurants. Although the meat tends to be thinly coated with starch, the sauce is subtly complimentary and the meat is done perfectly.

For dessert, the complimentary slices of orange that arrive with the check are the best after-dinner sweet that you would never think of ordering. The service is uneven but always friendly, making Victoria’s the perfect place for a cheap Chinese lunch or an exotic seafood adventure. Daniel DeBonis, Contributing Writer

Brown Sugar

1033 Commonwealth Ave., Boston (617) 787 – 4242

Brown Sugar, a Thai Restaurant located near West Campus, offers the perfect mix of ambience, quality food and low price. The restaurant itself is small and usually packed; the tables are close together, but the feeling is cozy. Even though the decor is beautiful, including a semi-garden at the entrance, there is not much time to sit and stare because the wait is generally short and the service is always super fast.

The leather-bound menu provides a number of choices be it curry, noodle or create-your-own dishes. The most filling and delicious dinners are the noodle-based dishes, especially the Pad Thai. Almost all of the meals have a tofu option, cooked to perfection, for vegetarians. For those with mighty taste buds, the menu has a spicy food guide, rated with chili peppers. The spiciest dishes are marked with two chilis, so eat at your own risk: you might be breathing fire for the duration of your meal. If you are interested in trying something a little different, get the Thai Iced Tea. It is sweet and creamy enough to be a dessert but is also refreshing enough to go with any dinner.

The best part is that, for any tight-budgeted college student, Brown Sugar offers a quality, well-proportioned meal for about $15 per person. With all that Brown Sugar has to offer, there is no reason not to go. Christinia Crippes, MUSE Staff

Ginza

1002 Beacon St., Brookline (617) 739 – 2332

The restaurants of South Campus cover a broad spectrum, but one of the only elegant eateries among them is Ginza. Both its subtle cuisine and cozy interior (filled to capacity on Friday and Saturday nights) inspire a sense of serenity and rest.

Ginza’s menu includes the best Japanese dishes, executed with elegance and flair. Ginza’s sushi is of the highest quality. All forms of sushi, sashimi, maki and rolls are available, and, if you’re lucky, someone in your party will order the Sushi Boat, a cradle-sized barge filled with a stunning assortment of raw fish that will inspire awe in most eager diners.

If you desire something cooked, the traditional entrees are as good as they get. The shrimp and vegetable tempura is outstanding, crispy and fried to perfection. Try the agemonono (the Japanese equivalent of schnitzel) or go out on a limb and order the box of soy-glazed eel over rice. The nabeyuki udon, a steaming bowl of noodles with shrimp tempura, has all the elements of classic comfort food. And for dessert, green tea ice cream brings things to a nice close.

The dinner bill at Ginza will run $30 per person or more if you belly up to the well-stocked sake bar; however, lunch costs half as much. So, take time off around noon. Sip green tea and read Zen poetry, or meet your friends on Saturday and nurse your headache with a bowl of noodles. The attentive staff will make sure that your teacup is always brimming and your food is just minutes away from your table. Daniel DeBonis, Contributing Writer

Beijing Cafe

720 Commonwealth Ave., Boston (617) 536 – 1616

Sometimes, when looking to satisfy your hunger, proximity and convenience are the most important factors in choosing a restaurant. And when you’re in the mood for sweet and sour chicken and fried rice, all you need to do is pop around the corner to Beijing Café, situated just down the block from Warren Towers on the corner of St. Mary’s St. and Commonwealth Ave.

Beijing Café serves a considerably Americanized menu of Chinese food, thus satisfying the mall patrons in all of us. The rather traditional menu includes selections featuring chicken, pork, beef, tofu and seafood. If you have a favorite Chinese dish, odds are you can find it on the menu. The most attractive thing about Bejing Café, however, is its reasonable prices. If you stop in during lunch hours, Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and weekends from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m., the most expensive thing on the menu will run you about $5.75.

The restaurant offers a small but cozy eating environment, ideal for small groups and couples. Service is excellent; tea and water are provided at no extra cost for as much as you can drink. The portions are also incredibly generous. If you prefer take out, they deliver all day and into the night, with a delivery charge of $1.50.

Next time you feel the need to satisfy your craving for some good Chinese, stop by Beijing Café, sit down and enjoy a quiet meal, or grab a take-out menu and order in. Alexa DeGennaro. Contributing Writer