For persons wary of "Chinese Restaurant Syndrome" and the overuse of monosodium glutamate, Hunan's dishes are very low in MSG. The management also has indicated on the menu that persons allergic to any amounts of MSG may ask a waiter to serve them MSG-free food.

This place already rivals the best Chinatown spots for cuisine and menu and can be reached by a 15-minute walk from Harvard Square. Hunan is a definite must for Chinese food enthusiasts.

Hong Kong

1236 Mass Ave

The Hong Kong restaurant, on Mass Ave opposite Lamont Library, only comes close to serving "authentic" Cantonese-style food, including the popular varieties of egg food yong, fried rice and beef-vegetable dishes.

The cooking falls short because of an inordinate use of monosodium glutamate (MSG). After eating in Chinatown restaurants (where the Chinese-Americans eat) you'll be able to taste the adulteration of the Hong Kong's dishes on the first swallow. In fact, if you fill up on Hong Kong food, you'll come down with the infamous "Chinese Restaurant Syndrome"--aching jaws, pounding temples and a long-lasting headache.

The soups, particularly won ton and egg drop, are good because of a noticeable absence of MSG excess. The fried rice dishes are slightly bland, despite an overuse of dark soy sauce in the kitchen.

The menu of exotic drinks, a drawing card of the Hong Kong, is quite extensive, but fairly expensive. Standard mixed drinks are also more expensive than drinks at other Cambridge watering holes.

Despite all this, the Hong Kong still offers large portions on their dishes, especially during lunch hour when customers can buy economical and filling luncheon plates. Its location on Mass Ave also makes Hong Kong a convenient eating spot for students. But if you're looking for "authentic" Cantonese food, it is advisable to spend the subway fare on a trek to Chinatown. Several restaurants there offer just as much food for the dollar as the Hong Kong, but without the heavy taste of MSG.

Hungry Persian

14A Eliot St.

The Hungry Persian has moved from its cramped basement on Boylston Street and reestablished itself on the first floor of a pleasant green clapboard house next to Charlie's Kitchen. The restaurant now encompasses two fairly spacious rooms and a patio, so you no longer have to feel guilty about lingering over your meal while hungry and impatient customers breathe down your neck.

Fortunately, the Persian has brought along its menus intact, complete with the old address, the old prices and the old grease spots. In fact, the only thing that has changed is the service--and that's changed for the better.

As for the food, it would be hard to improve upon. Most of the dishes consist of a round of Syrian bread generously stuffed with lettuce, tomatoes and various other ingredients, all flavored with a spicy tahini sauce. The house specialty, the Hungry Persian, which includes roast beef, cheese, ham and turkey, is about the best of these variations. The falafel--the best in the Square--runs a close second. The roast beef special, the highest-priced item at $1.60, is less successful, with a scarcity of meat and an abundance of a rather bland lemon sauce.

The Persian really outdoes itself on its beverage menu, offering--among other things--13 varieties of tea, three varieties of coffee, and hot and cold cider. Only one dessert is offered, baklava at 40 cents.