To B. Good or to indulge with 9 Tastes of questionably-prepared food? That was the question FM set out to answer by scouting the streets of Harvard Square.
Less than a week ago, The Harvard Crimson shocked students with health inspection results for popular eateries in Cambridge. B Good emerged unscathed, while 9 Tastes was hit with a grand total of 12 violations. Even though one of these 12 included a failure to be “vermin proof,” patrons of 9 Tastes seemed unfazed and unaware as they strolled out from under the blue overhang on John F. Kennedy St.
“The food is excellent and very reasonably priced,” one woman from Watertown said. “You can get a full lunch with soup, appetizers, rice, say whatever, for seven dollars.”
Harvard’s own also seemed blissfully unaware of 9 Tastes’ abysmal health code rating. “It’s always clean,” an admiring second year at the Kennedy School said.
While the everyday customer may not be able to tell the difference between twelve violations and none, the owners themselves acknowledge the difficulty of restaurant maintenance.
Nancy Jitjaruek, co-owner of 9 Tastes with Panja Lymswan, admits how hard it could be.
“Every restaurant has at least 10 violations,” Jitjaruek said. “It’s very common. There’s so much you need to think about. I try to improve my restaurant as much as I can—impress our customers.”
Too bad the health code inspector isn’t as easily impressed as hungry Harvard students.
