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A subterranean Szechuan restaurant opened up on Massachusetts Avenue in Cambridge earlier this month, as noted by Boston Restaurant Talk. Flame, first reported in early July, is now serving an extensive menu of Szechuan and American Chinese restaurant dishes, sushi, and hot pot.
Business owner Eddy Hsia has been in the restaurant industry for more than 15 years, including at a place his family owned in Connecticut, and managing Panda East in Amherst. This is his first Boston-area venture.
A Chowhounder notes the many Szechuan options include minced chicken with lettuce wrap, mala spicy beef tendon, dumpling in red hot oil, Szechuan double-cooked pork, and steamed fish with cut spicy pepper. An early visitor on Yelp was astonished by huge portions of hot pot. "No other hot pot place has given me as much meat/pork/chicken and as thick as that," the person wrote. The sushi bar stands out with fresh seafood, according to another Yelper. So far, guests aren't finding Flame's offerings to be especially spicy, but reviews have been positive.
Flame Hot Pot is located in the basement at 1001 Mass. Ave. and seats 85. The anime-decorated restaurant is open weekdays from 11:30 - 10:30, 11:30 a.m. - 11:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and noon - 10:30 on Sunday.
