Tamper Cafe stays strong after one year on the block

Stuck in the Tufts bubble, it’s easy to get caught eating the same food ad nauseum: the same salad at Dewick, the same order at Nick’s or the same latte at the Rez. Rinse and repeat. And if you’ve already picked a favorite cafe or study spot, then forget about it. Hey, there’s no shame -- routine (like old age and death) is pretty much unavoidable.

Tucked away in the unassuming space between Espresso and Gnomon Copy, the very location Boloco (RIP) used to inhabit, Tamper Cafe on Boston Ave. might help get even the most habitual diners out of their rut. The new (or not-so-new…okay, it opened in 2013) kid on our block, it has great options for hungry students and sit-in studiers. Just what the doctor ordered for the most jaded diners among us.

Welcome to Tamper, a little oasis right here in Medford, Mass.! Decor in tones of cool grays and warm browns contrast sharply with simple white walls -- an empty canvas. Hipster-friendly benches are the primary seating option at Tamper, optimal for group projects or large dining parties. Un-fussy details, like the creative lighting fixture that runs along the main wall of the cafe and a few pieces of art along the walls make Tamper's interior aesthetically pleasing, if not homey. Though stark, this atmosphere is not uninviting. Instead, it’s conspicuously simple, a note perfectly in tune with the rest of the joint and the food it serves.

Though the number of items it lists is relatively small, Tamper’s menu is solid -- the choices range from good to great, so it's hard to go wrong. Breakfast staples like slices of toast nearly an inch thick and piled high with jam, satisfying omelets and tempting sweet breads are Tamper favorites. The toast is reason alone to get up early,but if that pesky alarm doesn’t go off, that’s okay too. On weekends, they do a fabulous brunch.

A variety of sandwiches and salads are available for lunch, including the simple and filling hummus salad: a pile of crunchy greens topped with a mountain of chickpea magic, spiced with black pepper for a modest kick. Classics like the egg salad sandwich are available for conservative palates. The grilled cheese with tomato, oozing with flavor, a moderate amount of grease and touch of delicious desperation ("pick me, pick me") begs to become everyone’s new comfort food of choice. A vegetarian-friendly choice, the leafy California sandwich -- packed with so much green you feel aggressively healthy just looking at it -- may be a little bland for some tastes, but there’s something wholesome about the modest ensemble.

Meanwhile, the warm quinoa salad -- topped with a perfectly fried egg, the very essence of happiness -- is the order to beat. The intimidating mountain of golden quinoa and steaming veggies, garnished with a handful of crunchy almonds and finished off with a drizzle of balsamic vinaigrette, is nothing short of swoon-worthy. Seriously, even if you’re not a quinoa person, give it a try: this dish might just turn you into a believer. At the very least, your friends will be cannibalizing themselves with envy over your superior meal. (Important: resist puppy eyes and “share requests” at all costs. Instead, heed the advice of park rangers everywhere and DON’T feed the animals.)

If this heavenly place has a downfall (alas, don’t we all) it’s their hot beverage menu. The tame assortment of teas might be soothing, but the bitter foam on certain coffee beverages is not. So go for iced beverages or stick to simpler cups, and save yourself from pondering that timeless question: who burned my Cortado? Luckily, Tamper more than makes up for this small lapse by offering a nice selection of beers and wine, served on weekday evenings.

Well worth a visit, or taking out a lease on a nearby apartment, Tamper Cafe is located at 340 Boston Avenue.

Tamper is open for business Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. and on weekends from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.