Last week I used this column as a public invitation, possibly a dare, to lure anyone interested in cuisine and culture with me on an outing. I received an eager response about the hidden trove Qing Dao Garden from fellow foodie Yue Huang, a BU student from Beijing. Figuring she would be appropriate to school me on authentic Chinese fare, I accepted the challenge and met her at the Davis Square restaurant for lunch.
We were graciously welcomed, even when our party grew to seven, by a smiling Chinese couple in the minimally decorated restaurant, an interior typical in China. Our hosts excitedly enlightened us about the daily specials ‘-‘- fish head in both. I was tempted, but reluctant, so instead I opted for a jellyfish, garlic and cucumber cold salad ($5.95). Though listed as a side dish, it served well as a palate cleanser between dim sum and spicy shredded pork. The jellyfish was julienned to thin slices and absorbed the flavors of the garlicky sauce it was prepared in, similar to a broiled squid.
Although we initially ordered separately, the meal was best enjoyed family-style, criss-crossing chopsticks (forks only available upon request). The pork with cilantro ($9.55), although it had more of an American than Chinese influence, was tasty but basic; heavy on cilantro and onion, with a subtle sweetness. The table shared three orders of dumplings: spinach, pork and cabbage, and shrimp, each order of 12 handmade dumplings only $5.95. I was able to eat six, but really, really wanted to continuously pop them into my mouth. Will, Yue’s boyfriend, regaled us with a tale of an experience in China, where after a beer-induced hunger pang, he had inhaled threefold my limit. Apparently everyone has their own dumpling record, tallied for bragging rights and hilarious anecdotes.
After what seemed like an infinite wave of empty plates being replaced by more hot pork, we finished with steamed red bean dim sum, (10 for $7.95). Although not as good of a deal as the savory dumplings, they served to be a a decent dessert. Overall, the service was unbeatable, the cuisine was the best Chinese I’ve had between Boston AND New York (including both Chinatowns) and, though sparsely decorated, the ambience was incredibly conducive to savoring the bold flavors and rich conversation my companions and I shared.
I walked away, stuffed, from Qing Dao garden with a new appreciation for culinary secrets in Cambridge and the priceless knowledge that fortune cookies originated in Los Angeles.
Qing Dao Garden
2382 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA
qingdao-garden.com
Tune in next week for my account on BU’s ‘Taste of Elegance,’ 6 p.m. Monday at 808 Commonwealth Ave. Or, if you’re feeling up to the challenge meet me there and sample pork dishes from some of the best chefs in Beantown. Tickets are $20 for students.
This is an account occasionally used by the Daily Free Press editors to post archived posts from previous iterations of the site or otherwise for special circumstance publications. See authorship info on the byline at the top of the page.
