A food aficionado: Bento Express

Bento Express has a convenient location at a former Chinese takeout joint, open since last summer. Tucked steps from Starbucks on the corner of Boylston and Tremont Streets, it is between the Boylston T stop on the Green line and the Chinatown T stop on the Orange line. Bento Express provides simple and filling meals without breaking the bank in the Theater District and Boston Common area.

Boston Restaurant Week showcases fine dining for less

Boston Restaurant Week is two delicious weeks in March, when the finest restaurants in the area serve a prix fixe menu with an appetizer, entrée and dessert for $20.13 at lunch and $38.13 for dinner. It’s a great opportunity to sample the best of Boston for significantly less. The Sampan had the opportunity to visit Blue Ginger, Dalya’s Restaurant and Grill 23 & Bar.

Healthy home cooking ideas

Good food is one of life’s great joys, as is cooking at home. In general, home cooking is much healthier than eating out. Cooking balanced nutritious meals at home just needs some planning ahead. This means buying the right ingredients during grocery shopping and cooking them properly.

Fugu Food Truck delivers authentic Asian street food to Boston

The Fugu Truck does not actually serve fugu, a poisonous puffer fish that must be prepared by a licensed chef.
But the spirit of painstaking attention is reflected in Fugu Truck’s dishes. Chef and owner Bing Liu was inspired by a fugu etched on a sushi knife, while working as a sushi chef. Fugu Truck hit the streets of Boston April 1, serving pork belly buns, glass noodle salad and spring rolls made from local ingredients.

Discovering vegetarian dim sum at China Pearl

The China Pearl added 10 vegetarian dishes to its dim sum lineup, made with fresh ingredients and vegetable oil. No artificial tofu “meats” are to be seen, leaving out processed additives for clean vegetable flavors.

‘Spoonful of Ginger’ raises awareness for Asian diabetes

The Asian community and other supporters came out on March 18 for “A Spoonful of Ginger,” an annual gala that raises awareness and funds for the Asian American Diabetes Initiative at the Joslin Diabetes Center. Held at the Museum of Fine Arts, guests enjoyed an open bar and a roomful of Boston restaurants’ signature South and East Asian inspired hors d’oeuvres, while bidding on items at a silent auction and entering a “mystery box” raffle for $50 each.