I've never had Sichuan food that wasn't packed with mountains of garlic before, but it was…read moresurprisingly good! We stopped by for a late lunch on a Saturday afternoon. We got the Szechuan cold noodle ($10.95), Szechuan style string beans with pork ($13.95), cumin lamb ($19.95), and a bowl of rice ($1.85) to share. The one who took our order warned us that the dishes would be spicy but they were honestly okay! If you can handle Shin ramen or hot Cheetos then the dishes are even milder. The cold noodles were nice and chewy and soaked in chili oil. I wouldn't have minded if they were more garlicky. The sauce had a nice balance between sweet, sour, and savory. The string beans were fresh and had a pretty mild flavor to them with just the right amount of salt. There wasn't a lot of pork in the dish. I loved the flavor of the cumin lamb although it was on the greasy side. Each piece of lamb was so tender and packed with smoky cumin flavor! This was probably the spiciest dish of all of them and it went perfectly with rice. The lunch specials seem like a very good deal especially since food prices have increased so much recently.

I visited Cilantro for take out on a Saturday evening, and I was quite pleased. The person running…read morefront of house was polite and helpful as I figured out my order and had excellent knowledge of the menu offerings. For appetizers, I got the vegetarian spring roll and scallion pancakes. Both were delicious, and they were not excessively greasy, a problem I often find in these items. I ordered four vegetarian main courses: Chinese Eggplant with Basil, Spicy Broccoli with garlic sauce, sauteed lotus root with black fungus, and Kung Pao tofu. The vegetables were all well seasoned and delicious, but the kung pao tofu was my favorite dish of the night. The tofu was crispy on the outside and slightly firm but moist on the inside. And the sauce complemented the rest of the dish well. Our total bill was around $100. I will absolutely visit Cilantro again, and I recommend it for take out!

I ordered the 1/2 roast duck and it was great! Its just I had to pay $3 for that small rice because…read morerice isnt included on their entrees. The service was nice and quick. The space was quiet as it wasnt that busy during thag time. My only concern is the $3 small bowl rice!

The food was surprisingly tasteless and poor quality. The seafood soup had calamari that were so…read moretough that, despite my love for them, I couldn't chew them at all. My friends ordered the same dish, but one of theirs came out bland and without any sauce. The waiter's explanation was that they have two chefs... and so what? The service was awful. I don't mind when staff don't speak English well, but not to the point where she couldn't understand us and we could barely understand her. She was rude, pointing her finger at each person's face while speaking. And yes, at the end, she demanded a tip. When we explained why we weren't going to leave one, we had to listen to a long lecture--in very hard-to-understand English--about how "not nice" we are. Stay away from this place! I think the restaurant survives only because people like us don't check reviews before coming in. Never again. This is the first time in my life I didn't leave a tip.

A dinner with my Korean friends revealed my current favorite Chinese restaurant in Boston!…read more Soup Steamed Dumplings Pork 小籠包: The dumplings were large, incredibly juicy, and the meat filling was tender and smooth. The seasoning was only slightly sweet, perfectly complementing the freshness of the meat. These were the best Xiaolongbao I've had in the US, although the skin was a bit soggy and unappetizing. Pork & Leeks Dumpling: My friend ordered these, opting for pan-fried dumplings. They were piping hot, incredibly fragrant, and the meat filling was tender. The chive flavor was mild, which is perfect since I don't like chives lol. A touch of vinegar was definitely needed to cut through the richness! Sliced Fish Szechuan Style: Calling them "sliced fish" is a bit of a stretch; "fish fillets" would be more accurate. They were probably made with basa fish, and the fish was incredibly tender, almost melting in your mouth. The broth was fragrant, and the numbing and spicy flavor was authentic, earning high praise from my friend from Sichuan. Lamb with Ginger & Scallions Onion: A perfectly good Beijing dish, but it was prepared with the feel of a Cantonese stir-fry, which suited my Cantonese palate perfectly. The lamb was incredibly tender, with no gamey taste, and stir-fried until the oil was visible but the sauce wasn't thickened. The sweetness of the onions and carrots added to the complex flavor. Sweet and Sour Pork Tenderloin: Just average, like a typical Shanghai style home-cooked meal. Nothing special to say. General Gao's Tofu 左宗豆腐: My first time trying the famous "General Tso" (I don't know why they call it General Gao) series of American Chinese cuisine. It felt similar to the technique used in Shanghainese "Kung Pao宮保." A slightly sweet and sour flavor with the aroma and mild spiciness of dried chili peppers, the ingredients were deep-fried and coated in a thick sauce. The tofu was overcooked, the edges were hard, and the sauce became a bit watery towards the end. This dish was just okay.

I ordered the lunch special chicken and broccoli through DoorDash. It came with this dark brown…read moresoup with mushrooms- wasn't sure what it was so I didn't try it (also 93 degrees so not in a soup mood lol). Even though it was a lunch special, I was actually really happy with the portion size. A normal container of rice and separate container of the entree. The biggest issue was the taste. It was just muted and kind of bland. The sauce also had a really oily, almost slimy consistency. It kept separating, so there was a layer of oil on top and the sauce underneath. A lot of the time, it honestly felt like I was just eating oil instead of sauce. The rice was great tho- really fluffy and soft. Cooked perfectly

I stopped in for first time on a Sunday . No one in…read morerestaurant except a male couple preparing to leave. I ordered the Basil Ginger Chicken with white rice and chose the honey bbq rib which they charged a 1.00 extra? Why for dinky pieces and dinky portion of bbq ribs served and over cooked . It was a bad choice vs the chicken fingers? Lunch special Came with hot and sour soup. I ordered an appetizer of pan fried dumplings . Well, I was given the other departing diner's check? Only two tables including mine to manage for the owner, manager, waitress ? Maybe cook too? Owner / manager/ waitress on phone and no attentive ... then her call got annoying long and loud... my ambiance worsen and now just bad. No soothing Asian music here... I explained that I got their check and she corrected by dropping at correct table. Then , I was given no place setting. I hope it was washed down before I arrived. Dumplings arrive , no plate... ok ... I'll improvise and eat off the dumpling serving plate which was small and looks like a dry cleaner shirt cleaning after this one. Dumplings nothing to brag about... filling ok but lacked flavor . The entree dish arrives and she takes my knife away with the dumpling empty dish? Why ? Did I look upset or dangerous ? Now no knife to cut the chicken pieces . Well the ribs for 1.00 extra were lousy and dinky pieces chopped up like chopped beets. Well, the basil chicken I thought was noodles only as the meat was the most tender chicken I ever had... it was excellent but I wanted stronger ginger or basil. While eating , another couple comes in and the place empty , but she seats them next to my table that was jammed in a foot away... they looked at me and facial expressions displayed implied they didn't want to watch me chow down like a cannibal on a meat Carcass while they are there for their intimate lunch and conversation. Fortunately they spoke in foreign tongue and my forced ease dropping was ineffective. Why seat customers on top of each other? When all tables empty? No fortune cookie, pineapple here. Never had my water refilled either ? Chicken tenderness was the winner here .

The hot and sour soup was superb as were the boneless spare ribs and mooshi pork!…read more Best of all, the hostess found the diamond that fell out of my engagement ring in the bathroom. (Afer 55 years of marriage, I was pretty devistated until she spotted the stone on the floor. Plan to return soon!

A gathering with project colleagues. The cooking method was fairly authentic, but the spiciness was…read moreonly at the Cantonese level. Fish Fillet with Hot Chili Sauce水煮魚片: As expected of their signature dish! The basa fish fillets were incredibly tender, the Szechuan peppercorns were fragrant but not numbing, and the overall flavor was oily but not greasy. The server would remove the chilies after serving, so there was no need to worry about the spiciness. Beef Fillets & Cabbage with Hot Chili Sauce水煮牛肉: Redder and spicier than the boiled fish. The Szechuan people present commented that this was the only dish with flavor. The beef was very tender; although you could taste the tenderizing powder, it wasn't a big problem. Scallions and Szechuan peppercorns contributed much to the fragrance. Pork Intestine with Preserved Vegetable酸菜大腸: Surprisingly, it tasted like... Hakka cuisine? The pork intestines were cut on the thicker side, not the usual kind, but the slightly sour and spicy flavor with a light thickening was just right. Spicy Frog in Fried Pot乾鍋牛蛙: Despite the name, there was a lot of sauce; the bullfrog meat was too tough and chewy. Not recommended. Ma Po Tofu (With minced pork)麻婆豆腐: Very delicious! The tofu was very tender, and the Sichuan peppercorns were very fragrant. Duck with Peking Plum Sauce京醬鴨片: The duck meat was mushy and lacked texture, and the Beijing plum sauce was heavily diluted. I had a feeling of not knowing what I had eaten. Sichuan Spicy Dumpling紅油水餃: I loved them!! The dumplings were large, the filling was generous, and the skin was on the thicker side, giving them a good chewy and firm texture. Besides the chili oil and peanuts, there was a hint of vinegar, which was very refreshing. Steamed Juicy Pork Bun小籠包: The restaurant claims they are handmade daily. Plenty of soup filling, but slightly oily; the skin was chewy but not dry, unfortunately one was broken. If this isn't the case for most places, then Fuchun Ju excels in its fillings, while Zoe's excels in its skins; both are comparable and worth trying.

Definitely do not get the xiao long bao (soup dumplings) here. The skin was rather thick, and the…read moretop was so doughy (see pics for the substantial chunks of dough). The soup and meat itself was decent, but the thick skin sort of defeats the point. The beef noodle soup tasted fine, but nothing to write home about. The beef with chili sauce appetizer was probably the best out of what we ordered. The chili sauce was a back of the tongue/mouth sort of spicy, and the beef tasted good. Service was attentive and employees were friendly. It was on the quieter side when we dined in, not because it was empty but because the vibe seems more relaxed and calm.

For a quick late lunch, I stopped by Shanghai Fresh on a Thursday afternoon. The place was…read morerelatively empty so I received seating immediately. I ordered the 雪菜肉丝炒年糕 Stir Fried Rice Cake with Pork & Mustard Greens ($17.95). It wasn't too oily, and had extra strong wok hei / 鍋氣. That puts it above the random neighborhood Chinese restaurant's version. That said, the portion size was probably halved. The interior seemed well put together. The bronzed teapot looked a lot better than the beat up stainless steel sort. The complimentary salt and pepper peanuts cemented the details. Personally, I would like a larger portion size, but I think the price point and offering caters to a more modern sensibility.

Consistently solid. One of the few places to get certain Shanghainese dishes. Love the tea they…read moreserve before the food arrives. I'll always have a soft spot for this place.

Very disappointing and overpriced…read more The roast duck was black, extremely hard, and honestly inedible. The portions of the other dishes were very small considering the prices. Even worse, I developed diarrhea after the meal. I cannot say for certain that the food caused it, but the timing was very concerning. Sharing my experience so others can be cautious before dining here. I definitely will not return.

We were really disappointed…read more This was a restaurant we grew up enjoying, so we were excited to come back. We remembered the buffet and were hoping to enjoy some of the dishes we grew up with, but found out it's no longer there. Since prices have gone up everywhere, we decided to order from the lunch menu instead. We ordered the General Gao's chicken and a simple order of chicken fingers. Unfortunately, neither was good. The General Gao's was chewy instead of crispy and lacked the flavor we remembered. The chicken fingers were extremely overcooked, almost like they had been fried multiple times. They were so crunchy they were hard to eat and had a bad aftertaste. When we arrived at lunchtime, we were the only customers in the restaurant. Sadly, after our meal, we understood why. This place used to be packed, and it's heartbreaking to see a restaurant that's been around for more than 30 years decline like this. Unfortunately, this was our last visit. We'll continue making the drive to Golden Temple whenever we're craving Chinese food.

I got a friend's recommendation for this place, so i ordered via UberEats…read more First thing i noticed was...... boxes were completely full. They literally put full of food inside the box. It was quite impressive since i see half box full in general. Foods were all tasty but it is a bit below my expectation. Maybe i expected way too much since my friend strongly recommended. But still, amount was great, food was enjoyably tasty enough, price was reasonable.

Although the sign says "Taiwanese," it doesn't feel like Taiwanese food at all... more like a mix…read moreof Northern China and Sichuan cuisine. As a Cantonese, I really don't like it. Hot & Sour Soup 酸辣湯: Extremely sour, too sharp. Homemade Sausage 自製手工香腸: Tastes like mild Chinese sausage, rather hard and dry. Home Style Spiced Chicken 木蘭燒雞: As a cold dish, it has the feel of Northern-style braised chicken, salty and smoky. It's okay, but the chicken and skin are too soft. Minced Pork with Preserved Long Beans 酸豆角小炒: Also very sour and quite spicy, the flavor is too stimulating for me. Shredded Beef w. Hot Chili Pepper 角椒牛肉絲: Large portion, very flavorful, the fresh green peppers are even a little crunchy, which is interesting. If you can handle spice, you'll probably find it quite appetizing. Ma-po Bean Curd 麻辣豆腐: Not very spicy, the tofu is smooth and flavorful. However, the Sichuan peppercorns are a bit over-fried, you can taste a slightly bitter aftertaste. Braised Pork Shin in Brown Sauce 冰糖元蹄: There's no such thing as a bad pork shin. This one was stewed until incredibly tender, practically falling off the bone, with a pure, non-greasy flavor. However, to be honest, the sweetness of the rock sugar and the color of the sauce were just average. Sauteed Chinese Squash 清炒絲瓜: As a Cantonese, my favorite thing is still green vegetables. Lightly thickened with cornstarch, it was refreshing and smooth - a very standard dish.

Ordered the noodle soup on a day I was looking for something homey and comforting. It was really…read morebland, as the dish came with just soup and slightly overcooked noodles. Admittedly, the price was $10, so it is only fair that I keep my expectations low. I probably could have used the soup as a base for another home-cooked dish, but I ended up drinking it.

The wings and fried plantains on point. Definite recommend unfortunately no garlic for the plantainsread more

Happy Lamb in Cambridge, Massachusetts would get a 3.5 if i could give it…read more The service was quick and efficient and our server was kind, but seemed very overworked and a bit stressed, maybe they need more people working on a shift. The hotpot was okay! the curry broth gets a 10/10 for me, but the Spicy Broth gets a 4.5/5 for me. there's something about it that didn't settle in my tastebuds well, i'd personally go without, but my other two friends I went with loved it, so take that as you will. The selection of additives, corn, greens, sauces, fish, noodles, etc was clean and well stocked. the fish fresh, as well as all of the meat we ordered for our hotpot. I personally recommend their Mango milk slush if available during your visit, it was very good, 10/10 There was plenty of seating, and the food smelled pretty amazing walking in. Pretty view to the streets outside, well lit, but the women's bathroom was a bit creepy, dark, and not well maintained at the time of my visit . 2/3 stalls were fully out of order and 1/2 sinks was clogged with some sort of liquid? I can say the ONE open stall was clean at least.

Delicious AYCE hot pot spot in Central square with delicious food and attentive service. We…read morepreviously had a bad waitlist experience, but have since come back two times without incident. As a party of four, we were seated promptly in a booth and asked for our choice of broth and menu (classic for their standard variety of meats, premium for even more options). We chose the classic menu and the half-and-half broth to have one side with spicy and one side without. Their non-meat ingredients bar was clean and had a great variety of veggies, tofu, and seafood items, and was kept well stocked while we were there. Servers were attentive to refilling our broths and taking additional orders for meat. All four of us left with full bellies and a great experience. What a great dinner/activity to assemble and cook your own plates of delicious food while chatting with your friends or family. Will definitely be back ever again!