Incognito as a girl out on the town enjoying the increasingly popular Davis Square restaurant and bar scene, I entered Martsa on Elm with a young man in similar disguise. Little did restaurant owners, Dechen Martsa and husband Choesang, know what power was concealed behind my critical eyes, as we were seated at a table for two in the small space that they have inhabited since July 9 of this year.
Martsa on Elm, a Restaurant featuring Tibetan-style cuisine, has taken over the space that was formerly the Savannah Grill, an impressive Mediterranean eatery.
Martsa is owned and operated by a young couple of Tibetan origin. The menu displays a variety of dishes which draw upon the traditional flavors and ingredients of their home country.
The menu at Martsa is extensive in chicken and beef dishes as well as vegetarian specialties and soups that warm the soul, a remedy for the cold weather that is characteristic of Tibet, with its high altitude.
Though Tibetan food seems to follow much of the philosophy of other Asian styles of cooking, the menu at Martsa reflects the distinctness of the region. While it maintains a foundation of meats and potatoes atop noodles and rice in a fusion of spicy and sweet flavors, the abundance of such spices as curry and black cumin reflect the influence that India has had on Tibetan dishes.
For an appetizer I ordered the Onion & Potato Bhajis, onions fried in a chickpea batter. In my attempt to try what sounded like the most foreign of the samplers and starters, I was presented with what turned out to be only a slightly more flavorful version of onion rings.
I was more successful with my main dish. Enticed by the vegetarian specialties offered, I decided to try the Pumpkin Curry, made up of butternut squash in a sea of spices and vegetables. The dish offered a nice blend of spices and textures, and was able to have a bite to it, while remaining shy of being offensively hot.
My accomplice was quite pleased with his meal of curried chicken with potatoes. A satisfaction which was supplemented by the restaurant's reasonable prices, with main dishes ranging from $8.75 to just $12.25.
In a space comparable to a Tufts double, the owners were wise in keeping the decor to a minimum. With sparsely decorated walls and simple dining sets, the atmosphere still remains quite intimate and is a nice location for a quiet dinner with friends or perhaps a prospective love interest. Minimalism is a recurring theme at Martsa, translating into the background noise and even the wine list, which is virtually non-existent.
The closest thing to alcohol on the menu was the Hot Cider, a "Tibetan style hot cider with a drop of cooking wine." Upon exploring this issue further, I was informed that while Martsa does not have a license for liquor, patrons are more than welcome to bring their own.
Martsa is a welcome addition to Davis Square, and a diversifying agent adding to the Asian-style scene previously dominated by nearby Indian restaurant Diva.
