Chinese Food in Boston
Lilith Tsai
(Taiwan)
It is always exciting to have an experience living in a foreign country. Studying aboard is a good opportunity to learn to be independent, because it forces us to be physically disconnected from our families, intimate friends and our comfort zones. I have been attracted by the historic and cultural atmosphere of Boston since I was a child. Therefore, since arriving in Boston, I have tried to learn the life style of this new city. To be honest, it is a painstaking process to get used to the habit of eating and food in a totally foreign country. Even though we have pizzas, burgers, sandwiches and salads in Taiwan, they are not our main daily dishes. Living in a plain dorm without a kitchen, microwave, and fridge and having western food every meal has almost driven me crazy, so restaurant hunting is one of my principal missions in Boston. Fortunately, I can find some homey tastes here in Boston to relieve my homesickness and to remind me of the night markets in Taiwan. Therefore, based on my personal experiences, I would like to introduce some Taiwanese or Asian restaurants near Boston University and in downtown.
In the neighborhood near Boston University:
Wherever we live, off-campus or in-campus, we will go to school five days a week. As a result, it is very important for us to know where to hang out with our classmates after class, or otherwise to have a quick meal alone. Believe or not, in the neighborhood near Boston University, we can find some of the most well-known Chinese restaurants in Boston.
113 Brighton Ave., Allston (617) 202-3868
If the price is your main consideration, Blue Asia Café is definite your first choice. The food they serve is very close to our daily homemade taste; it is tasty and sizeable. The ambience is bright, clean and warm. They also serve some Korean and Japanese dishes; however, they are Taiwanese styles. Surprisingly, Taiwanese traditional desserts can also be found here, such as rice ball soups, soy pudding soups and shaved-ice bowls. My recommendations are Grilled Chicken Leg over rice, Fired Chicken cutlet over rice and Spicy stewed beef soup with dumplings. Blue Asia Café always brings me home.
103 Brighton Ave., Allston (617) 254-8889
Jo Jo Taipei is a suitable place for celebrations, dinner meetings, cultural exchanges, family days, and special festivals. Their menu is various and assorted, from street food to festival dishes, almost all kinds of typical Taiwanese dishes are served here. Not only is the food they make close to genuine Taiwanese dishes, but it is also divine and delicious. Furthermore, it is not very greasy and salty. If you are going to hold a Taiwanese Night, it is a wonderful restaurant to introduce Taiwanese food cultures and styles to classmates. My recommendations are salted crispy chicken, crispy smelly bean curd, pancake with scallion and roasted beef, beef and vegetable sautéed with noodles, pig intestine with smelly tofu hot pot, and sautéed Chinese squash. You can have a very pleasant dining experience here with your friends. However, do not order too many dishes; it would be costly.
110 Brighton Ave., Allston (617) 254-1122
Are you looking for a cozy place to spend a leisure afternoon or a quiet place for reading? Having you been missing the less sugar Bubble Tea or milk tea with pudding? Do you want to have a Taiwanese style breakfast for brunch? You can find all the answers to the questions mentioned above in Infusion Tea Spa. I am satisfied with the Bubble Tea here because the “bubbles” are chewy and the milk tea is not so sweet. In fact, it is so tasty that I am addicted to it and I cannot find another Bubble Tea shop in Boston which is as good as Infusion Tea Spa. It is absolutely worth it to give it a try.
In China Town:
There are several well-known Chinese restaurants in Chinatown. We can always see the lines in front of some restaurants. However, fame is not always equal to quality. We can sometimes discover unexpected good tastes in some inconspicuous restaurants.
56 Beach St., Boston (617) 451-9988
Walking into the store, I am attracted by the smell of wheat and my mouth is watering. It is a traditional Taiwanese bakery, which is very different from the other Chinese bakeries in Chinatown. Taiwanese pastries are more varied and creative. The variety of the pastries they make is very traditional. In fact, I can find some old-fashioned kinds of pastries which have disappeared from Taiwan. I was so amazed that I have spent a lot of time here chatting with my sister and enjoy our afternoon tea. The fleshy owner is sociable and friendly. He always gives us an extra discount if we buy additional beverages. If there are not so many customers in the store, he will make some special homemade milk tea for us and play Taiwanese pop music in the store. It is very helpful for a newcomer to ease nostalgia. The coffee flavor of tiger skin cake, pudding cake and green tea cake are my five star recommendations.
34 Oxford Pl., Boston (617) 426-8181
If you want to have a huge bowl of beef soup noodles or an herbal chicken soup pot with bitter gourds, Taiwan Café can meet your requirements. The diversity of Taiwanese food can be proved in their menu. They serve in big potions at fair prices. The main dishes are a little greasy and strong flavored, while their soy bean milk is unexpectedly satisfying. You can try different dishes each time, and Taiwanese Café can never let you down.\
Special Directions of Hot Pots:
In traditional Chinese culture, people would like to have a hot pot in the center of the round dining table, which represents reunion and perfection. I also love to eat hot pots to get through the extremely cold winter. Here are some recommendations for hot pot restaurants. Bon Appetit!
80 Brighton Avenue, Allston (617)782-8888
16 Tyler Street, Boston (617)292-8828
21 Hudson Street Boston (617)338-6688
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Hot Pot Buffet Restaurant (New)
70 Beach Street, Boston (617)338-0808
Pictures by Lilith Tsai
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