The place: While Fresh Side moved locations, the owners held on to the original space on Main Street because they knew they wanted to open another restaurant in Amherst. And voila, Mango Mango was born in March of this year. Several aspects of the establishment are similar to Fresh Side: you order at the counter, B.Y.O.B. is encouraged (hey, it’s almost across the street from Russell’s), the décor is defined by green walls and clean lines, and the food definitely has hints of an Asian-fusion character. I asked Josh, the restaurant’s manager, to clarify the multi-influenced flavor, and he explained that Mango Mango isn’t necessarily trying to be Asian-fusion — they just create what tastes good.
Apart from its Fresh Side-like characteristics, Mango Mango is also well on its way to creating a name of its own. Whether you are tired of waiting 45 minutes for your Fresh Side fix or are looking for a quiet dinner, free of any necessity to shout to be heard, Mango Mango is a welcome escape from the bustling nightmare that Fresh Side becomes at its peak hours. Most importantly, the service at Mango Mango retains a personable quality that only a small restaurant with limited patrons has: the manager was nice enough to speak with me several times about their food, and the staff looked happy rather than haggard and frazzled.
The food: The manager describes his restaurant as “just for local café, with good soups, salads and sandwiches.” They make their own guacamole and hummus, both served with grilled naan, and all of their own salad dressings (my favorite was the honey miso). They work hard to keep all of their recipes healthy, using fruits and homemade condiments and spices to add a little flavor, and the portions are generous without being excessive. The menu recently changed in September, so if you haven’t been in awhile, it now boasts a plethora of different types of hot sandwiches and soups, and their salad listings come with a bunch of new salad dressing options.
So far in the last week, I’ve been there twice, and both times the food was unreal. Their coconut stew (served over couscous!) is my personal favorite: it has hearty chunks of potatoes, carrots, and zucchini, which you can get with chicken or shrimp (which they do not skimp on). The place is also extremely vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free friendly, and they offer to accommodate any eating preferences one may have. Recently, they added a vegetarian-chicken to the menu, and while I question the authenticity of fake chicken, my vegetarian friend Rhea Ghosh ’10E informs me that it tastes like real chicken (although I don’t think she actually knows what real chicken tastes like). Another favorite, the roasted chicken sandwich with guacamole and apple slices, is served on grilled sourdough with a side salad, and, like many of their sandwiches, experiments with different textures and flavors by adding fruit. The end result is truly delicious. My friend Ansel Orr ’10 ordered this culinary masterpiece, and after he offered me a bite, I ended up beasting half the sandwich before he realized his grave error.
Unlike most other places, I personally wanted to try everything on the menu. While each item takes risks, it all still looks yummy and not overly chancy. The manager recommends the curry chicken salad sandwich with a side salad (he also favors the honey miso dressing) and a side of hummus and naan, but he says the most popular dish is the fish tacos (a.k.a. tempeh tacos, for those vegetarians out there). They make their own chipotle lime sour cream to go with them, which I’m told is really amazing.
The kicker: Mango Mango is definitely a must try. The staff is super nice, the food is great at reasonable prices, and you can bring as many bottles of wine as you like. The best part? The manager promises a 15 percent discount to all Amherst College students, staff and faculty through the month of October, so try it soon. Happy eating!