Best cheap eat

Winner: Tampopo

A lot of people don’t realize that the old Sears building (now called University Hall) in Cambridge’s Porter Square has an Asian food court tucked inside. The place is cheap eats heaven, with several stops offering Japanese street food, sushi, and more. Our go-to is the closet-sized Tampopo, which serves up crispy tempura, delicate fried octopus balls, hearty rice bowls, and udon and soba soup dishes, nearly all of which are under 10 bucks. If you’re particularly hungry, combo plates featuring savory potato croquettes, fried seafood, and pork and chicken cutlets may be the way to go; the seafood combo is the “priciest” at around $11. –Marc Hurwitz

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