Chinese restaurants in Boston

 Someone wrote:
 >Christopher S. wrote:
 >
 >>I would suggest Mary Chung's on Mass. Ave down towards MIT.
 >
 >GREAT choice for szechuan - you gotta try the Suan La Chow Show
 >(homemade dumplings w/bean sprouts & spicy soy sauce)...

 Mary Chung's enjoyed a great reputation in its earlier
 location, in what is now the bioran building across the sreet
 from the present location.  I share the widely held opinion
 that the present incarnation doesn't come close to living up
 to that reputation, and wonder if my memories of the mary's of yore
 are pure unreliable nostalgia.  Anyways -- and take this with a
 grain of salt, because I ate their twice in the new location
 and then gave up in disgust -- It Ain't All That.  Those who
 don't have nostalgia to spice their meal are likely to be pretty
 gosh darn disappointed...as they are likely to be
 with the general state of Chinese food in Cambridge.  Head
 across the river into Chinatown, try East Ocean City or
 Chau Chow or New Ho Toy or just about anywhere, you won't
 be disappointed.

 Larry's would hardly qualify as the best.....

 I too liked the old Mary Chung's much better than the new. Royal East
 used to be great (10 yrs ago), but I wasn't thrilled with the dinner I
 had there last year sometime (very greasy and non-descript) in the
 flavors.

 These days I prefer Wok and Roll in Porter Sq., very fresh ingredients
 and some different choices from the standard fare. Love the eggplant
 with chicken, wonton soup and the spicy tofu....

 I also really like the hot and spicy wontons (Very much like suan low
 chow show)  from Great Wok in Arlington Heights. Never had any
 spicier.... Great Wok also uses very fresh ingredients and you can watch
 them cook your food, pretty cool (mostly they do takeout)

 Dave Stracher
 [email removed]

 Someone wrote:
 >
 > bex Hunter wrote:
 > >
 > > Deborah B. wrote:
 > > >I'm looking for good Chinese food in the Boston area, particularly near
 > > >Harvard Square.  Any suggestions?
 >
 >   Anyone know anything about a Larry's Chinese Restaurant in Cambridge?
 > I recently heard from someone that it's the best in the area, but have
 > never been there (or heard about it before).
 >
 > > >
 > > >-Deborah
 > > >[email removed]
 > >
 > > Right in Harvard Square, we like Ta Sheng on Eliot Street
 > > (on the 2nd floor above TGIFridays and Narita).  Great dim
 > > sum on Sundays, and 3 dish combos for under $20.
 > >
 > > Mary Chung's, on Mass Ave. below Central, is good.  But they
 > > only take cash.  Famous for suan la chow show, dun dun noodles
 > > and chicken velvet.  All very spicy.
 > >
 > > Royal East, on Main Street between Central and Kendall, is
 > > also very good.  Also serve suans.
 > >
 > > For something slightly different, try Cafe China in Inman
 > > at the corner of Prospect and Cambridge - a mixture of
 > > Continental & Chinese...
 > >
 > >  -B
 > > --
 > > Beckie Hunter                           [email removed]
 > >         "Profound is a firm grasp of the obvious."

 I was a regular at the old Mary's during the 80's and mourned its passing.
 News of the restaurant coming back was prime topic of conversation for
 months!
 When she returned, I'm sure I built my hopes up way too high.  In the 3 or 4
 times I've gone back I've been somewhat disappointed.    In particular, the
 spicyness was spotty.  But, Mary's is still better than 95% of the places
 out there!
 And, when I'm in Cambridge, I try to do a big takeout to enjoy Mary's at
 home for the next few days.

 My favorite dishes:
 - #22 Suan La Chow Show - (These are definitely homemade.  Go mid-afternoon
 to see the waitresses assembling them.)
 I can eat these day and night.  I've found no equivalent anywhere.  I've
 tried Yangtze River in Lexington.  Not the same thin, hot garlic sauce as
 Mary's.
 Suans even survive takeout if you rotate the container 3 times to coat the
 wontons perfectly.
 When I left my job in Cambridge back in '91, I ordered 30 "Suan-babies" togo
 for my office goodbye party.  It was heaven on earth.
 - Dun dun noodles with shredded chicken
 - Ma paw tofu
 - Dry cooked sliced beef  (again, I haven't found an equivalent anywhere for
 this dish in the Boston area).
 - homestyle chicken or homestyle beef

 Ivan