Best Chinese Restr. in Boston area???

 Someone wrote:
 >From: [email removed]
 >Subject: RE: Best Chinese Restr. in Boston area???
 >Date: 19 Oct 1993 10:57:22 GMT

 >Shun-Chang T. wrote:
 >|I've been around Boston for a while, and I've been to quite a few
 >|Chinese restaurants here as well. Frankly, they're all horrible.
 >|
 >|Any recommendations?
 >|
 >|
 >|[email removed]

 >try 'chau-chau' or 'new shanghai' in china town.
 A lot depends on what kind of Chinese.  I recommend a restaurant on Main
 Street in Cambridge with the embarassing name of 'Pu-Pu Hot Pot'.  Its near
 the corner of Main St. and Mass Ave.  Try the Kung Pao Shrimp  and the pressed
 duck appetizer.

 Larry J Lennhoff
 ----------------------------
 "Bring Food or Be Food"

 Alex M. wrote:
 > In article , [email removed] (Shun-Chang
 > Tsai) wrote:
 >
 > > I've been around Boston for a while, and I've been to quite a few
 > > Chinese restaurants here as well. Frankly, they're all horrible.
 > >
 > > Any recommendations?
 > >
 >
 >
 > Sally Ling's in Newton Centre and Bernard's in Chestnut Hill Mall
 >
 >
 > --
 >
 > Alex M. Milshteyn, M.D.
 >
 > "Conscience is the inner voice that warns us somebody is looking"
 >                                   -- H.L. Mencken

 Here are the chinese resaurants I have collected for the Boston
 area from previous posts on the net.  None of the recommendations
 are based on MY experience.

 Chau Chau (Chinatown) - great, cheap Chinese dive.  Try the chicken
 w/black bean sauce and the steamed fish w/ginger sauce.

 Changsho (Cambridge) - Chinese food, a bit upscale, a bit pricey, but
 good.

 Chinese
 -------

   Asian Garden -- Chinatown
      Harrison & Beach, in the basement
      (good fresh food, esp seafood)
   Beijing III -- Brookline (Coolidge Corner)
      Beacon St, 2 blocks west of Coolidge Corner
      (mixed reviews, a bit pricey)
   Bernard's -- Newton (Chestnut Hill Mall)
      199 Boylston
      (excellent food, a bit pricey)
   Cafe China -- Cambridge (Inman Sq)
      1245 Cambridge St
      (pretty food, reportedly bland, though)
   Chef Chow -- Brookline (Coolidge Corner)
      Harvard St, south of Beacon
      (many people find the food consistently good; others are unimpressed;
       good lunches, though, and try the Szechuan Spicy Fish)
   Changsho -- Cambridge (betw Harvard/Porter Sq)
      1712 Mass Ave
      (mixed reports, lots of meat, somewhat elegant but unimpressive)
   Chau Chow -- Chinatown
      (good cheap Chinese, sometimes long lines.  Try pea greens, chicken w
       black bean sauce & steamed fish w ginger sauce.  Excellent seafood)
   Chef Chang -- Brookline (St Mary's)
      1004 Beacon St
      (usually very good, especially if you know what to order)
   China Grove -- Chinatown
      10 Tyler St
      (try the shredded eel w yellow leeks)
   China Pearl -- Chinatown
      Tyler St
      (very good dim sum, almost or as good as Golden Palace & less chaotic)
   Chung Wah -- Allston
      Harvard St
      (cheap & funky, good food, try the Broccoli in Garlic Sauce)
   Crystal Restaurant -- Cambridge (Central Sq)
      (good, but not outstanding -- good Dun Dun noodles)
   East Ocean City -- Chinatown
      Beach St
      (good place, good service, nice atmosphere, a lot of unusual dishes)
   Eastern Pier Seafood -- Downtown (Fish Pier)
      across from Jimmy's Harborside
      (get grey sole in black-bean sauce & stir-fried pea-pod stems)
   Food Hall -- Chinatown
      Beach & Tyler, 2nd floor
      (variety of good food)
   Golden Palace -- Chinatown
      Tyler St
      (wonderful variety of tasty Dim Sum)
   Ho Yuen Ting -- Chinatown
      13 1/2 Hudson St
      (very good food; specailizes in seafood, but does a good job w everything
       try hot & sour soup, peking ravioli, hunan chicken, beef ginger scallion
       hot pot, hon sue sea bass, steamed flounder)
   Imperial Tea House -- Chinatown
      (good dim sum, but not as good as Golden Palace)
   Joyce Chen -- Cambridge (Alewife)
      (good low-fat low-sodium foods)
   Larry's -- Cambridge (MIT)
      Mass Ave
   Lucky Dragon -- Chinatown
      Beach St.
   Mandarin -- Cambridge (MIT)
      Mass Ave
   New Asia -- Somerville (Union Sq) & Lexington
      326 Somerville Ave
      (pretty good; very quick-cooked Szechuan-style food, try the
       Yu Hsiang [savory green beans])
   New House of Toy -- Chinatown
      (good original food, good dim sum)
   Noble House -- Brookline (Coolidge Corner)
      1306 Beacon St, 232-9580
      (well prepared Szechuan & Cantonese food in a pleasant atmosphere,
       though some find it uninteresting and overpriced)
   Orchid Garden -- Brookline (Brookline Village)
      Harvard & School
   Quan's Kitchen -- Allston
      Commonwealth, nr Brighton Ave
      (take out, a few table, good & cheap, esp noodle dishes)
   Royal East -- Cambridge (Central Sq)
      792 Main St
      (new owner, still erratic, but some say this is the best in Cambridge now.
       good quality Chinatown-style food -- chow fun, rice sticks
       fantastic tangerine beef)
   Sally Ling's -- Newton Center
      (mixed reviews -- bland food)
   Shanghai Village -- Arlington (Arlington Center)
      Mass Ave on left just before center of town
      (very good and incredibly cheap)
   Chung Wah (Allston) -- Chinese
   Quan's Kitchen (Allston) -- Chinese
   Shanghai Village (Arlington Center) -- Chinese

 3.  Dynasty (on Edinboro St. in Chinatown)

     Outstanding dim sum.  Best I've ever had.  I was told this restaurant
     is being boycotted because of employee mistreatment by owners (like
     not paying salaries occasionally).  I liked the food though.

 Chinese
 -------

   Asian Garden -- Chinatown
      46 Beach St, in the basement
      (good fresh food, esp Hong-Kong style seafood.  Try the eel,
       whole roe scallops, lobster, crab, hot pots, chinese broccoli
       in oyster sauce, hot tapioca in coconut milk)
   Beijing III -- Brookline (Coolidge Corner)
      Beacon St, 2 blocks west of Coolidge Corner
      (mixed reviews, a bit pricey, try Dragon & Phoenix)
   Bernard's -- Newton (Chestnut Hill Mall)
      199 Boylston
      (excellent food, a bit pricey.  Try the Hunan Lamb)
   Cafe China -- Cambridge (Inman Sq)
      1245 Cambridge St
      (pretty food, reportedly bland, though)
   Carl's Pagoda -- Chinatown
      Tyler St.
      (hole-in-the-wall with good food.  Try Carl's Special Steak)
   Chang Fang's -- Sommerville
      Beacon St, across from Jimmy Mac's
      (Some unusual dishes on menu.  Try the bean curd homemade style,
       strange flavor chicken.  Excellent appetizers, fried & steamed
       dumplings & noodles.  Occasionally an off night)
   Changsho -- Cambridge (betw Harvard/Porter Sq)
      1712 Mass Ave
      (mixed reports, lots of meat, somewhat elegant but unimpressive;
       gone totally downhill since under new management)
   Chau Chow -- Chinatown
      52 Beach St
      (good cheap Chinese, sometimes long lines.  Try pea greens, chicken
       w black bean sauce, peking ravioli, hot & sour soup.  Excellent
       seafood, incl steamed fish w ginger sauce, salted jumbo shrimp.
       Avoid the beef dishes; thet're often mediocre & the moo shi beef,
       while tasty, was way too oily.  Grand Chau Chow across the
       street has the same menu but is a tad more expensive and is
       fancier & cleaner)
   Chef Chang -- Brookline (St Mary's)
      1004 Beacon St, 277-4226
      (usually very good, especially if you know what to order)
   Chef Chow -- Brookline (Coolidge Corner) & Cambridge (Harvard Square)
      Harvard St, 1 block south of Beacon, Brookline
      50 Church St, Cambridge
      (many people find the food consistently good; others are
       unimpressed;  good lunches, though, and try the Szechuan
       Spicy Fish)
   Chef Lee -- Somerville
      296 Beacon St, 876-7666
      (Good Szechuan food, esp the Yu Hsiang dishes, Kangsho shrimp,
       and Ta Chien chicken.  Also try shrimp-stuffed eggplant)
   China Gate -- Chinatown
      21-23 Edinboro St
      (ok for conch in black bean sauce, seafood in ginger & scallions,
       chow foon)
   China Grove -- Chinatown
      10 Tyler St, 542-5857
      (try the grilled eel and the scallop or shredded eel w yellow
       leeks)
   China Pearl -- Chinatown
      Tyler St
      (very good dim sum, almost or as good as Golden Palace & less
       chaotic.  Good soups & Cantonese & Hong Kong style seafood)
   Chung Wah -- Allston
      Harvard St
      (cheap & funky, good food, try the Broccoli in Garlic Sauce)
   Crystal Restaurant -- Cambridge (Central Sq)
      460 Mass Ave, 576-1550
      (good, but not outstanding -- good Dun Dun noodles.  Stick with
       the specialities, like red sauce eggplant)
   East Ocean City -- Chinatown
      25 Beach St, 542-2504
      (good place, good service, nice atmosphere, a lot of unusual
       dishes.  Try house-special soup, clams in black bean sauce,
       and chow foon)
   Eastern Pier Seafood -- Downtown (Fish Pier)
      across from Jimmy's Harborside
      (get grey sole in black-bean sauce, stir-fried pea-pod stems,
       sizzling squid w ginger & scallions)
   Eldo Tea House -- Chinatown
      57 Beach St, 338-2128
      (Cheap, good, generous portions.  Seafood is good.  Try the
       Singapore dishes, esp laksha noodle soup)
   Food Hall -- Chinatown
      Beach & Tyler, 2nd floor
      (variety of good food)
   Fortune House -- Chinatown
      3 Beach St, 2nd floor
      (good Hong Kong style seafood; try stone oysters w garlic,
       ginger & scallions)
   Golden Palace -- Chinatown
      Tyler St
      (wonderful variety of tasty Dim Sum)
   Ho Yuen Ting -- Chinatown
      13 1/2 Hudson St
      (very good food; specailizes in seafood, but does a good job w
       everything.  try hot & sour soup, peking ravioli, hunan chicken,
       beef ginger scallion hot pot, hon sue sea bass, steamed flounder)
   Hsin Hsin Chinese Noodle Restaurant -- Downtown (Back Bay)
      25 Mass Ave, 536-9852
      (Wonderful soup and noodle restaurant.  Try scallion pancake and
       house-special pan fried noodles)
   Imperial Tea House -- Chinatown
      (good dim sum, but not as good as Golden Palace)
   King Fung Garden -- Chinatown
      Kneeland St across from the Mass Pike approach
      (hole-in-the-wall dive w amazing food.  Great Hunan style food
       and scallion pie)
   Joyce Chen -- Cambridge (Alewife) & Downtown (Theatre District)
      115 Stuart St, Downtown, 720-1331
      390 Rindge Ave, 492-7373
      (good low-fat low-sodium foods)
   Larry's -- Cambridge (MIT)
      Mass Ave
      (try the General Gau Chicken)
   Mandarin -- Cambridge (MIT)
      Mass Ave
   New Asia -- Somerville (Union Sq) & Lexington
      326 Somerville Ave
      (pretty good; very quick-cooked Szechuan-style food, try the
       Yu Hsiang [savory green beans])
   New House of Toy -- Chinatown
      16 Hudson St, 426-5587
      (Hong Kong style; less oily.  good original food, good dim sum.
       Try the dried scallop, winter melon & sliced duck soup, and the
       grey sole w Chinese ham & black mushrooms)
   Noble House -- Brookline (Coolidge Corner)
      1306 Beacon St, 232-9580
      (well prepared Szechuan & Cantonese food in a pleasant atmosphere,
       though some find it uninteresting and overpriced, try the
       Singapore Rice Stick)
   Ocean Wealth -- Chinatown
      8 Tyler St, 423-1338
      (good for exotic seafood or chef's special duck)
   Orchid Garden -- Brookline (Brookline Village)
      92 Harvard St at School, 731-9760
      (Taiwan style.  Try Royal chicken delight, pan fried noodles,
       crispy cod in curry sauce, chung king pork, fried shumai)
   Peking Garden -- Lexington Center
      Waltham St
      (Well established, excellent, very good Hot & Sour soup, Dim Sum
       on the weekends; try the Chicken with Pine Nuts.)
   Quan's Kitchen -- Allston
      Commonwealth, nr Brighton Ave
      (take out, a few tables, no msg, good & cheap, esp noodle dishes)
   Royal East -- Cambridge (Central Sq)
      782 Main St, 661-1660
      (new owner, still erratic, but some say this is the best in
       Cambridge now.  good quality Chinatown-style food -- chow fun,
       rice sticks, fantastic tangerine beef, good Suan La Chow Show)
   Sally Ling's -- Newton Center
      (mixed reviews -- bland food, overpriced, small portions)
   Seven Star -- Newton Center
      (great five-flavor chicken; best scallion pancakes around)
   Shang Chai [Kosher] -- Brookline (Coolidge Corner)
      Harvard Ave about 4 blocks down from Beacon
      (Kosher Chinese with mock-meat using tofu, seitan, etc.
       Good "beef" w broccoli & "chicken" curry, but dishes are
       generally greasy & service is slow & disorganized)
   Shanghai Village -- Arlington (Arlington Center)
      Mass Ave on left just before center of town
      (mixed reviews -- incredibly cheap)
   Stars Ocean Chinese Seafood Restaurant -- Downtown (West Fenway)
      70-72 Kilmarnock St, 236-0384
      (cheap & good, try the Shanghai duck, house special soup)
   Tai Pan -- East Cambridge
      Cambridgeside Galleria, 494-0008
      (Try clams in black bean sauce, lobster Chinatown, sesame chicken)
   Yangtse River -- Lexington
      Depot Square
      (Peking Garden's longtime competitors, very, very good, though
       not quite great -- try Hacked Chicken, Yangtse River Beef,
       Ma La Shrimp, Twice Cooked Pork)
   Yu's -- Brookline (Coolidge Corner)
      1374 Beacon St, 734-2929
      (takeout, with newly added sitdown area, no msg, good
       hot & sour soup, Peking noodles, Beef Chow Foon)

 Christine L. wrote:
 |> There are a lot of very bad Chinese restaurants in Harvard
 |> Square (Hong Kong, the one in the big white building on
 |> Mass Ave towards Porter Square, etc. etc.)  The only decent
 |> one in the Square is Chef Chow's, on Church St..  You'll
 |> have much better luck in the Square with Thai - they are
 |> all good, esp. Bangkok House on JFK.
 |>
 |> Christine

 I went to a Thai restaurant called Siam Garden on Mt. Auburn St.
 in Harvard Square last week and my wife and I thought it was terrible.
 The only bad Thai restaurant I have been to in Boston. It seems
 to be popular so maybe it was just an off night.