That crispy skin! Who can resist its taste and texture? It might be the most popular element of Peking Duck, a Chinese dish of roasted duck. It can be found in a number of restaurants in Chinatown. The version at China King might be one of the most popular. During the 19th century, nearly all U.S. newspaper references to Peking Duck referred to the breed and not the dish. This breed was introduced into the U.S. during the 1870s and quickly became […]
According to the Boston Daily Globe, August 17, 1902, Oong Ar-Showe was the first Chinese man to come to Boston, although the article is inaccurate on that point. However, Ar-Showe was one of the first to reside in Boston, and he became a very successful businessman, especially in the tea trade. Tea was introduced into the American colonies during the mid-17th century. By the end of the century, it is said that more tea was being drunk there than in England. During the […]
How much did Chinese restaurants earn during the 1920s? How were they financed? And what did they pay their employees? We can get some insight into the answers through examining two restaurants, the Royal Restaurant in Chinatown and the Imperial Restaurant in Cambridge, both connected by one of the same partners, Chung Moi. Chung Moi was born in China and came to San Francisco in 1912, where he remained for about three years before moving to Boston. There, he first […]
In 1796, the first Chinese person documented to have lived in Boston was Chou, a teenager who worked for a local sea captain. Much of that story is known to many and the sea captain is often considered to be a kind and compassionate person. However, there is a dark twist to this story which is known to very few. John Boit, of Boston, was made the Captain of a ship, the Union, when he was only 19 years old. The […]
“We opened Viet Citron because we love cooking for the adventurous and savvy foodies in this community.”–Trân Ngọc Lee At the beginning of the year, a short time before the pandemic began, Việt Citron, a Vietnamese restaurant on Middlesex Turnpike in Burlington, opened. They were closed for a few months and recently reopened, under restrictions due to the pandemic. Since the reopening, I’ve been dining there at least once a week, enjoying its fresh, delicious Vietnamese cuisine. The small restaurant […]
By Richard Auffrey Who was the original “Queen of Chinatown”? The answer will likely surprise you, until you consider the circumstances of the time. For approximately twenty years, until her death in 1906, Bella Long was the undisputed Queen of Chinatown. She was likely the first white woman, married to a Chinese man, who lived in Boston’s Chinatown, having arrived in town around 1880-1882. Her past before she moved to Chinatown was mired in mystery and throughout most of her […]
From restaurant owner to blackjack dealer, Mary Yick, like two other Chinatown restaurateurs, Ruby Foo and Anita Chue, was another pioneering woman in the Chinatown’s restaurant industry, owning the Tiki Hut restaurant on Tyler Street. Mary Yick was born around 1934 and made her first appearance in a local newspaper, the Boston Herald, in November 1939. At age 5, she and two other young Chinese girls were photographed walking in a parade in Chinatown, part of the first rice bowl party for war […]
It’s the most popular spirit in the world, with over 11 billion liters produced, and nearly all made in a single country – China. Despite its great popularity, many Americans know little, if anything, about it, and it’s time to enlighten people about the wonders of this fascinating spirit known as Baijiu. Commonly pronounced as “bye joe”, the term derives from two words, bai (‘transparent’) and jiu (‘alcoholic drink’), so baijiu roughly translates as ‘white liquor.’ I consider baijiu to […]
It’s the most popular spirit in the world, with over 11 billion liters produced, and nearly all made in a single country – China. Despite its great popularity, many Americans know little, if anything, about it, and it’s time to enlighten people about the wonders of this fascinating spirit known as Baijiu. Commonly pronounced as “bye joe”, the term derives from two words, bai (‘transparent’) and jiu (‘alcoholic drink’), so baijiu roughly translates as ‘white liquor.’ I consider baijiu to […]
Let me continue the tale of the admirable Ruby Foo. Her restaurant in Chinatown opened around 1929 and the first advertisement I found for it was in the Boston Globe, July 2, 1935. The restaurant, known as Ruby Foo at The Den, offered “delicious Chinese Foods” and it was open until 4 a.m. It was said that Ruby Foo originally presented Cantonese food for the Chinese community, but eventually, the quality of her food enticed non-Chinese to dine there. Ruby’s restaurant was […]
