Rhythm & Spice
Phantom fell in love with Rhythm & Spice in Cambridge before he ever got there... this Caribbean restaurant has the coolest answering machine message of any restaurant in New England.
Atmosphere(8)
Authentic Caribbean atmosphere enhanced by the colorful chairs, tables, walls, and decorations. Live Reggae, soca, and calypso Thursdays through Saturdays.
Menu(9)
A real slice of the Caribbean, with influences from Africa, China, Britain, and Spain evident in the cuisine.
Portions(8)
Dishes are not as large as they are spicy. But not bad.
Appetizers(9.5)
Remarkably flavorful fried ripe plantain tasted like a banana, but even sweeter. Addictive jerk wings with a creamy ranch dip. And the Bahamian conch fritters were seasoned to perfection.
Food and Drink(8)
Jerk spices are so spicy, Phantom felt like a jerk drinking everyone's water at the table. Delicious Rhythm & Spice Boneless Chicken Breast, jerk pork, and broiled jumbo shrimp. But the pork ribs were too fatty for the Phantom's taste. Sweet and satisfying Cricketeer's Punch packed with plenty of rum.
Desserts(7)
Three varieties of tropical ice creams were decent, the best being the rum & raisin.
Service(7)
Phantom's waiter was great when he was there, but he disappeared several times during the meal, including check time. Don't these guys want to get paid?
Cleanliness(7)
Not one of their strong points. Bathrooms could have used a quick mopping.
Parking(7)
Mass. Ave. in Cambridge. There's no parking lot, so you may need to drive around a bit to find a good spot on street.
Value(8)
Appetizers from $3 to $7. Entrees from $10 to $14. Certainly a much better deal than buying a Caribbean vacation to get this kind of cuisine.
