Celebrated Lunar New Year dinner at Myers & Chang! While owners Joanne Chang and Christopher Myers…read morewere away in Asia, the staff did a good job "holding down the fort". Staff was very knowledgeable about each entree, and provided information about how entrees were cooked and served. They also had a "halvsies" menu of half-size portions (ideal portions for one or two diners). Started with the Mama Chang Pork Dumplings, which were excellent, and the cauliflower appetizer (a little spicy, but very good). Liked the udon noodles with chicken and bok choy, although a little less red chili pepper would have suited my tastes better (good for those who like a bit of zing to their food). The lettuce wrap chicken was well worth the 20-minute wait. Finished with the lemon ginger mousse, which was very light. The fortune cookie on the mousse was fresh and crisp, so good that some thought it might have been baked at Joanne Chang's Flour Cafe and Bakery. The finish was extra nice, with a red lucky envelope with chocolates accompanying the check, an orange at each table (signs for good fortune in the New Year), and red decorations hanging in the restaurant to create a festive setting. Good choice for the start of the New Lunar Year of the Fire Horse!

First time here tonight and had a great experience! A friend had won a gift certificate to this…read morerestaurant at an auction and invited us to go to dinner. The interior is very cool, cozy, and the cool red paint design on the glass windows makes it all feel very charming and comfortable. We did have a bit of a wait for our table despite having reservations. We ordered a bunch of appetizers to share between the 4 of us - scallion pancake, bourbon chicken wings, spicy salmon rolls, pork belly buns, sliced beef, eggplant, hot n sour soup, golden potato and lemongrass soup. I think my favorite of those was the eggplant dish - perfectly cooked and flavorful with ginger and soy. Wings were good too. The soups were nice I liked the hot n sour one. The lemongrass soup was a creamy one quite tasty but also quite filling and rich. For entrees, we ordered the roasted soy glazed salmon, the Indonesian fried rice, bok choy and surf and turf noodles. Everything was good. We were all so full and also had leftovers. But decided to order dessert too - everyone loved the vanilla bean ice cream (the menu described it as a parfait) with orange granita - really generous too - 3 scoops of ice cream and the orange sorbet which was more granular than a sorbet more like very finely crushed ice. Very refreshing! The banana caramel crème brûlée was really good too - nice and creamy. The lemon ginger mousse was very creamy but I thought had a bit too much of ginger. I think the deserts were hands down everyone's favorite part of the meal despite everyone pretty much denying they wanted any! Service was very friendly by our server Julie who was delightful! Lovely young lady. Overall great experience!!

I was staying at the Ritz and had made a reservation at Legal down the block because it seemed like…read morea right of passage after being in Boston so often and never having hit it. When we walked into Legal, the place was dead, the music was awful, and the vibe was just not there. So we sat at the bar and grabbed a drink while searching for a place to get an actual dinner where we could find last-minute reservations. Shojo in Chinatown came up with great reviews and after looking at the menu and seeing that we could get a reservation, we headed over. It was a short walk from the Ritz and Chinatown is just such a fun place with great energy. When we walked in, we knew we had made the right call and were easily able to switch our reservation from a table to bar seats, which is always an added bonus. The place is low lit and the music is on the louder side, but nothing was excessive to the point that we didn't enjoy our time there. We ordered a variety of drinks while there - a Toki Highball draft, a spicy tequila drink with lemongrass, a few different types of Japanese whiskeys as well (they have a really extensive list). As far as food goes, they categorize their menu into Snacks, Baos, and Rice, Noodles, and Dumplings. There's a lot of vegetarian friendly options, which is always a plus for me. My highlights were the 7 vegetable stir fry, fried eggplant bao, edamame dumplings, and the Thai veggie spring rolls. The salt and pepper calamari was also really great. Everything was terrific and really unique. Service was good - not great, but they took notice of empty glasses and were quick to bring out food, so I have absolutely no complaints. Shojo is somewhere I'd absolutely return to when staying in the area, I'm really happy we all turned what would have been a very touristy, depressing experience into something with a WAY better vibe and time!

I was here about a year ago, it's a cool place and the food is great. Last time I was here I was…read morenot impressed by the food, but we had truffle corn dumplings and bone marrow (cooked very well, this is difficult) and it was 5/5 delicious. I was very impressed. Their "Tea Garden" matcha whiskey drink is by far one of my FAVORITES in all of Boston. Incredible drink. Absolutely incredible. Service at the bar was not horribly attentive, but they got the job done and that drink is as perfect as ever. Ambience is dim (not too dim) with flattering lighting and is on the louder side. Cool and casual atmosphere, with food and drink that excels. This is going to be a spot I return to much more quickly now.

Fusion in the best possible way!…read more Moonshine 152 is near our son's apartment and we've only been twice.. but both times we were absolutely enthralled by the options, the vibe, and the FOOD! It is soooo good! The menu has so much variety that my only complaint is that I can't physically eat a fraction of the things that look good! Today's awesomeness according to the eaters: Chicken wings- outstanding, required if you like chicken! Meatballs- very tasty and tender and seductively fragrant with a touch of tang. Yum. Chicken dumplings- deliciously! (I asked for one word, there you have it Braised rabbit pasta- creamy but delicate, slightly tangy, tender and succulent! Short rib beef bimbab- creative, nice cut sticky glaze beef, lots of tasty textures Cajun Tilapia- The fish, the green tomatoes, the shrimp, and the sauce each have unique textures and flavors that made me smile down to the last desperate plate scrape! I recommend Moonshine 152 to everybody that visits Boston. It checks so many boxes that as I sit here waiting for dessert (pavlova, excited!) I wish again I could stuff in some of these other entrees! ENJOY and tell us about the other dishes!

This review is for delivery!…read more We ordered the crispy basil chicken, crab rangoons, shishito peppers, artichoke salad, brownie, and butter cake. Everything was sooooo tasty. They even gave us an extra dessert as a thank you which was totally unexpected but very much appreciated. The chicken was full of flavor and they dressed the rice in the perfect amount of sauce. The crab Rangoon have a spicy jalapeño sauce and come on a bed of greens. The shishito peppers have a sauce too - couldn't tell what it was, but we enjoyed it. The artichoke salad was a surprise - lots of different flavors and textures. All three desserts were sooo yummy!!!! We will be ordering again soon!

Come for the Peking duck! 10/10…read more This is an elevated version of a Chinese family-style restaurant located in the heart of downtown Boston. Exactly what we needed after a trip of lobster rolls and fried food. The service was incredibly friendly and attentive! They also have a selection of dishes that incorporate black truffle which was intriguing. We got the chicken and truffle soup dumplings and it was so good! I'd recommend!

JiangNan had some great dishes! I didn't try the peking duck on this visit, but the house specials…read morewere still excellent. The braised pork belly was prepared really well; the sauce was decadent without tasting like a pile of sugar, and the meat itself was very tender. The crispy tofu was also great, lots of spices and a nice golden breaded crust made for a good vegan dish (but that's why I didn't get to try the peking duck...). And the pineapple beer was a fun drink, it's about 50/50 beer and pineapple juice so it was more of a cocktail than an actual beer. The line for a table was a chaotic experience. I know that popular restaurants are always a bit of a mess, especially those that don't take reservations. But this place was especially disorganized, it took a while to get seated fora party of two, and even then, it was a consolation bar spot. I hope they can get more organized in the future!

I guess I've had my head in the clouds because HELLO?? Why haven't I tried Cloud sooner?! The food…read morehere packs bold flavors and creatively reinterprets Asian classics. Be prepared to EAT because the portions don't disappoint. Plus everything is super tasty! There's definitely something on the menu for everyone. A few of my favorites are the Spicy Edamame, the Salt & Pepper (S&P) Combo, the Popcorn Chicken, the Pepper Steak Pasta & the Ramen (the charsiu was soo good)! The bar here also makes the best cocktails and has a great selection of liquor. There's usually nothing open late these days but Cloud is actually open to midnight/1AM Mon-Sun. It's the perfect spot to start or end the night with friends! It can get quite busy at the bar or in the dining area but the staff are really accommodating and friendly. The interior is vibey and casual. Check them out if you haven't already!

First impressions. They hung up on me after saying they recommended that I make a reservation…read more I called back and found out that they don't take reservations over the phone, but I could make one either on their website or on Resy. What!? $25 charge per person for a late cancellation? I wasn't planning on no-showing, but I'm also not willing to put my credit card down to commit for a group. Cloud Asian Fusion is in the corner of the plaza that houses China Pearl and Kam Man, to the right of Kam Man. It is a long narrow type space. Rather industrial, and concrete. I arrived first and scored the last table in the room with the bar, only to later discover that there were a few tables in the room in the back to the right. My DCs were running late, so I gave our waiter a head's up. He never made me feel bad for taking up the space. And it helped that there was never a queue waiting to be seated that Sunday night. We each ordered our own meal while sharing bites. While there are a few entrees at Cloud Asian Fusion that include both protein and vegetable, such as the Braised White Fish $22 (assorted mushrooms, fried tofu) one DC ordered, mine (Siam Crab Curry $22 - lump crab, spicy red curry, basil, bean sprouts, Thai Chili, thin rice noodles) and my other DC's (Mapo Katsu $16 (chicken katsu, mapo sauce, short grain white rice, furikake) came without (I don't count the small stash of raw bean sprouts on my plate), so I added the blistered green beans $16. Our server was pleasant and told me that they could make anything less mild. Even so, the slow burn from the milder Siam Crab Curry was a bit more than I would have liked. He checked up on me and offered to have the chef prepare a fresh batch with a milder curry powder instead, so I could better enjoy my meal. The original orange yellow of my crab curry bowl was turned a green yellow in its replacement. But it was still tasty, and still generous with lump crab meat. This was a good pick! The green bean vegetable dish was quite good too. I was happy with my meal. I sampled the other two dishes and found the regular mapo sauce recipe too spicy for my taste. The fish dish was tasty, but we found nothing especially fusion about it. 3 stars all around experience, but 4 stars for my own meal.

Very good food and good service! The portions were generous, and we ordered 4 dishes for 3 people…read more We also got a dessert and it was delicious. Bravo!

Had a reservation and was seated promptly. It was a bit busy but service was attentative. Server…read morewas knowledgeable about the menu and kind. My sister and I ended up getting a few dishes to share: Japanese fried chicken, halibut, crab yakimeshi, and lobster norteña. The kitchen was able to accomodate and put the sauce and avocado for the norteña on the side (my sister is picky) which I appreciated. The food came out pretty quick and was delicious. The halibut was not my favorite (I wouldn't order it again) though even that was yummy. The japanese fried chicken?! Amazing. I almost didn't order it but am glad we did. The meat itself is packed with flavor, but it's even better with the sauce it's served with (as most things are. The crab yakimeshi was our next favorite item. The rice was phenomenal. For dessert we got the cachangas which wonderully surpassed our expectations. It was a fun dish that reminded us a bit of pretzel bites (but way more airy and delicious). I thought the price we paid was fair for 3 dishes, dessert, and two drinks. Ambiance was nice. Good for a date, girl's night, special occassion, etc. Would definitely come back! Parking can be found on street if you're lucky or it's around $22 at Lafayette Garage which is right across the street.

I can see why the reviews on this restaurant are all over the place: the food is good, but the…read moreorganization is not professional. I arrived at around 6, alone, to try it out. The restaurant shares an entryway with an apartment rental realty business, which is already a bit weird from the point of view of atmosphere. I almost missed the door to the restaurant because it's in a corner, and there were several delivery boxes of takeout containers waiting to be taken in, almost blocking the doorway. If I had been in a wheelchair, I wouldn't have been able to get through the door. I mentioned this to the front desk staff and the boxes were gone before I left. My plan was to eat at the bar. It turned out that there was a large party hanging out at the bar before sitting down at the large central table, so the only room for me was at the very edge of the bar. However, the bartender was nice and got me a menu, and they did eventually sit down so I got a little more space. My cocktail (pomegranate old-fashioned) was excellent. So was my turmeric tandoori salmon. I had a glass of Pinot Grigio, which was very reasonably priced for Brookline. I was not thrilled by the cardamom chocolate tart: the chocolate was liquid, inside a stale-tasting shell. Overall, it has potential and I'll probably come back. I'll call in advance to ask about large parties, and I'll avoid the chocolate tart unless I'm assured that it's changed.

I had really been looking forward to trying this place and was finally able to on Valentines Day…read more The decoration was adorable and I'm pretty sure they were booked out for the evening. There was a great singer, pianist, and sax player to really set the mood. They were super fun, especially when a couple got engaged! To start, I got their ginger martini and while my friend went with a Do-er neat (not a whiskey drinker myself, lol). He tried to order 2 of their beers but they were out of both. My drink came after 15 mins and then we had to remind the waiter about his whiskey. That took another 10. We started with the chicken bao buns and the samosas. Both spectacular! My only complaint is the little size for the samosa size. For our mains we got the short rib and the white butter chicken. The butter chicken could've used a bit more chicken for the price and was frankly a bit tough. The sauce was great. The short rib was flavorful and packed the perfect punch. Dipping the garlic naan in both sauces was my fav part!! Overall an ok experience. I want to give the restaurant grace because it was very packed but service was poor. I think we had 4 different staff members help us total which probably led to lots of miscommunication.

Food was great, we got a lot, shared a bunch. The standout winners were the crispy rice squares and…read morethe veggie wontons... they were almost cheesy!! Very good. Drinks were also great. The white lotus was excellent. Noodles were ok, something interesting in the flavors that was unusual. I'm glad that they tried something creative with it, points for that even though it wasn't my taste. Octopus, tofu, cucumbers were good, the buns and the mushrooms were great. -1 point for service time, our server took a long time to serve us food, check in, get orders, refill water etc. we'd look at them and then they still wouldn't come over. Ambience 10/10

We just came for drinks and dessert but were pleased with both…read more The drinks were interesting and delicious. We were also impressed by the dessert selection with many good choices. We ended up getting two and they were both very good. Service was great. Staff was friendly and attentive. The area of the restaurant we were in was extremely dark but had a nice vibe to it with the birds nest chandelier

Toro is Boston Southend's classic! The food was incredible! I love the street corn!! The service…read morewas amazing--our server was attentive despite how busy it was. We also tried the gambas and the tortilla, and everything was seasoned to perfection. Can't wait to come back!! We came during lunch so although it was busy, it was doable! This place is fully packed after work hours!

Food was absolutely delicious! Definitely recommend the crispy octopus, the grilled shrimp, tuna…read morecrudo, and the asparagus - very well made, excellent flavors, and good portion sizes for two. The food came out very quickly. Only note is that given the popularity, it is very tight inside and can be hard to hear conversation.