Good Chinese Restaurant

[induc.livejournal.com]

I am looking for "GOOD" chinese restaurants around Davis Square.
Thanks!

Comments

[eclecticavatar.livejournal.com]

It's not *in* Davis Square, but they do deliver from Union Square: Red House

[skexy.livejournal.com]

I thought the key word was "good"? Not "tastes like shit, but hey, they're open late!".

[ladytatiana.livejournal.com]

The closest thing i've been able to find to "good" Chinese are some thai/tibetan restaurants...particulary "House of Tibet" (excellent, imo) and Tip Top Thai (good, but not great) in Teele Square. I have yet to try Fusion Express, but i've hear they're good. For delivery, I've had luck with New Asia and Sei Bar.

[mrpet.livejournal.com]

Fusion Express closed a while a go. It's Benjapon now (Thai)

[closetalker11.livejournal.com]

And Benjapon is OK ... definitely good if you're looking for something greasy and filling, but not the place to find super-high-quality stuff.

[canongrrl.livejournal.com]

we need to go out more - new asia is heavy into msg. In teele there is sichuan bay which is quite good (I wrote up few more later on)

and this reminds me, I need to contact you about another dinner!

[mrpet.livejournal.com]

Wang's in Magoun Sq delivers to Davis and they are probably the most authentic place in town. Their dumplings are great!

[thebostonreader.livejournal.com]

I second Wang's. We always get our takeout from there. It's always tasty and never makes us sick. And the dumplings are awesome!

[jaypee.livejournal.com]

Third for Wangs. They are the best I've found in the area. They deliver, and you can buy the dumplings in 50ct bags. Just stick them in the freezer.

[klingonlandlady.livejournal.com]

Not to mention, they have *authentic* stuff like Jellyfish Salad. Yum!

[ad-lib.livejournal.com]

4th wangs!


i still want to know what piddle sauce is though.

[ceo]

It actually does smell like stale urine (from someone who had eaten a lot of fish). Don't know how it tastes, nor do I want to.

[turil.livejournal.com]

Again, not sure how close is close, but I've always loved Changcho (or however it's spelled), on MassAve about halfway between Porter and Harvard Squares. I haven't eaten there in a very long time, but I remember fondly going there for lunches when I worked nearby.

[marphod.livejournal.com]

Er... While the food is decent, it doesn't even get close to being 'authentic' Chinese. Changsho's menu is Chinese-for-westerners, through and through. Overly (sickenly) sweetened sauces, very light spicing/flavoring, etc. I can't get the place's popularity.

[turil.livejournal.com]

I thought pretty much all Chinese restaurants in the US was Chinese for Westerners...

[rikchik.livejournal.com]

East Asia in Powderhouse is great, and they deliver to Davis if you don't want to walk up College Ave.

[valadil.livejournal.com]

I'll second that.

[tisana.livejournal.com]

Third.
We've always had great luck with them.

[geoffroi.livejournal.com]

4th!

[bex77]

Make me the 5th voice for East Asia. I've had everything from dinner for two to catering for 40 for Theatre@First from them. Their food is awesome, with very fresh ingredients, and the staff is very helpful.

[lac.livejournal.com]

WE order from Rose's in Medford...obviously not in Davis but they do deliver.
They have sushi too. I've had both and both the chinese and the sushi are really good.

I've had...what is it? Um..>Dragon Garden I think, in Davis on Elm and the few things I've had there were not bad at all.

[rethcir.livejournal.com]

For best delivery, get the number for the Yummy Hut, which is further up elm I believe.

At all costs, avoid the Late Night Chinese Restaurant That Must Not Be Named on college ave.

[eeyorecol.livejournal.com]

Yummy Hut is on Highland, near Somerville Hospital (I used to leave near there and thought they were good, but then they changed owners and I didn't like it as much any more. I'm now a Wang's devotee, so Yummy Hut could be better than I remember...)

[skexy.livejournal.com]

When Yummy Hut changed owners they went up a notch. I still like them a lot; but without the convenience of being around the block, Wang's wins hands down, and now Golden Jade is around the block from me.

[eeyorecol.livejournal.com]

The last ownership change that I was around for was about 5 years ago, so if it's gotten better since then, I may have to try them again (especially since their name RULES)

[sissychrissy1.livejournal.com]

Dragon Garden's my fave, hands down.

[slomotionwalter.livejournal.com]

Same here. Dragon Garden is my favorite chinese food place ever. I don't even live in Davis any more and I make trips there just for Dragon Garden.

[buymeaclue.livejournal.com]

I don't know if they deliver as far as Davis, but Zoe's is a little hole-in-the-wall near Porter Square and really tasty. They'll go to Union in the other direction, and that's about as far away...

(And actually, I have leftover Zoe's for lunch today, and now I want to eat it all immediately. Thanks a lot!)

Quindao Garden on Mass Ave up that way was also pretty great the one time I was there.

(Changsho, mentioned above, is okay enough, but pricey.)

[talonvaki.livejournal.com]

Zoe's (http://www.foodler.com/MA/Somerville/Chinese/Zoes/Full_Menu/961.html;jsessionid=FA26BCF8CA3AEAF1CA8932C93E5473E9). Absolutely. OMG they have dishes I'd never seen on any other menus anywhere. Their Tripe and Cilantro? Is to die for.

Man, now I'm all hungry.

[slinkr.livejournal.com]

Wang's for dumplings. Chili Garden in Medford (it's only 2 miles away) for Szechuan food.

[canongrrl.livejournal.com]

I'm going to expand this one a little

Wang's is pretty awesome - especially the dumplings. They do a lot of the basics quite well and deliver. Really though, its all about the dumplings here. I would also add Quin dao (sp) on mass ave in north cambridge near Hana Sushi - they do fantastic northern fare and almost as good dumplings.

Chili Garden is one of the best sichuan places around (only sichuan gourmet in Billerica is better ihmo)- but their non sichuan food isn't so good. They deliver at least to winter hill, not sure how much further.

If you want pure walking distance then Sichuan Bay in Teele is also quite good. Not quite in the league of chili garden but they do some of the traditional american standards a littler better (if that's what you are in the mood for - ie the general gau and stuff like that).

I would recommend against Changsho is Porter - its fairly bland. The ingredients are all good, but its very very americanized. The person who dissed red hat was partially right - I've never been a fan especially after ordering chow foon and getting spaghetti.

from reading a little more into the post - I think a decent list is forming. sichuan really seems to be the best ;-)

[adaptively.livejournal.com]

I'm chiming in with props for Wang's, they are super yummy and one of the few Asian restaurants willing to help me find a dish that won't set off my soy allergy. (Props for good customer service!) Sichuan Bay is delicious, but gave me hives, so I've only sampled a couple of dishes there. :\

Run, don't walk, away from Kee Kar Lau on Broadway.

[canongrrl.livejournal.com]

ha yes run from kee kar lau as fast as you can.

I didn't know that about Wang's - that also speaks volumes for them as well. I really want to add that everyone at Wang's has been beyond sweet and helpful - it makes the food that much better (same with Sichuan Bay and Sichuan Gourmet - but the latter took some time to reach that level of friendliness - could be because that place (both locations) tend to be hopping busy)

[skexy.livejournal.com]

Yet another vote for Wang's from me; I'm also a big fan of Golden Jade in Ball Square, I love their wonton soup, especially when it's cold out (which its not). And I'll always appreciate Yummy Hut for being above average for a place that was right around the block from me for so many years.

[plumtreeblossom.livejournal.com]

I like Golden Jade because their menu includes some old-school Chinese-American dishes, like I loved as a kid. They have egg foo yung. My inner child approves.

[ad-lib.livejournal.com]

i love golden jade for their chicken pad thai!

Hey

[turil.livejournal.com]

Don't I know you...

Or are there really two Seths in Somerville who like the Red Elvises, Chinese food, Dark Star, Home Movies, and so on?

[infinitehotel.livejournal.com]

Definite agreement with Qing Dao, Wang's, and Zoe's, depending on what you define as "good" Chinese.

Zoe's is Sichuan and has a lot of spicy dishes; it's good but I find I really have to be in the mood for it.


Wangs/Qingdao have similar menus with stuff you don't normally see in non-Chinatown restaurants (frog, intestine, different vegetables etc.) but don't let that scare you off; all of it is terrific, particularly if you order off the Northern Chinese menu and the chef's specialties. The last time I was with someone that ordered beef with brocolli, the waitstaff gave him a sort of dubious look, like "Why would you possibly want that?"

[obie119.livejournal.com]

Chili Garden in Medford is great in person, but their take-out/delivery is hit or miss. We stopped ordering from them when we got an inedible meal that tasted like it was cooked in dishwater.

I miss Sesame near Teele - they had from great dishes. The replacement is okay, but is not the same.

[rxrfrx.livejournal.com]

First tier: Chili Garden (Sichuan), Wang's and Qingdao (Northern Chinese style) and East Asia (US style)

Second tier: Zoe's (a mix of regional Chinese dishes, executed with generally poor cooking technique)


Everything else is a joke.

[sly-salkie.livejournal.com]

Qingdao Garden on Mass Ave, a 5 minute walk from Davis via the bike path, must be tried at least once. Service and atmosphere are meh but the quality is VERY good and they have a local-to-Qingdao menu that scares the pants off me. On the weekends I highly recommend the steamed meat buns if you like that sort of thing.

[syntheticnature.livejournal.com]

Yes, Qingdao is the winner in our household too. Check out the Boston Area board on chowhound.com (http://www.chowhound.com/search?search%5Bquery%5D=qingdao&x=0&y=0) for discussion and dish recommendations. (Personally, I like the lamb with cumin and, on weekends, the steamed meat buns.)

[red-liner.livejournal.com]

I totally concur about Qing Dao....the hot fried chicken and the beef dish with all the peppers in it are balm for the soul (assuming you like some heat - but they have moderated the temperature some since first opening). Also great dumplings, which can be purchased frozen - it's nice to have a sack in the freezer.

[koloratur.livejournal.com]

It really depends on what you mean by "good" Chinese - don't shoot me, but we've really had great luck with Wok n Roll. Delivery rarely takes longer than 15 or 20 minutes, and it's always very hot, very fresh, and tasty. Definitely Americanized Chinese food, but much less grease (and higher quality) than your standard hey it's midnight I want some General Tso's sort of Chinese :)

[publius513.livejournal.com]

We actually just found a brand-new favorite Chinese place, completely by accident:

Thai and Mandarin Kitchen. Not in Davis, but they certainly do deliver (in fact, they are right at this moment at the door delivering). We found them via Foodler.com

[ron_newman]

That's the one on Mass. Ave. between Day and Dover, used to be called just 'Thai Kitchen' ?