January 29, 2008 by willng24.

That is right.  The once popular Saugus Chinese Buffet restaurant has added the hot pot cuisine to their menu.  I was there last night and was actually impressed by the number of people dining on a Monday night.  My group of 4 had to wait 30 minutes for a table.  During this time I got a drink at the bar.  However, it was so dark I could hardly see what I had ordered.  A Bud Light and a red wine ran $11.50.  Rather high for a Chinese Restaurant, but about right for a buffet joint.

Once seated the feasting began.  The hot pot set up at Jin isn’t as nice as Shabu Zen.  Actually, it is the exact cookware I use at home (portable burners).  However, everyone is here for the food, not the cookware.  It is still buffet style as you had to go to each station to get the items you’d like to cook.  This was a bit of a hassle, but allowed me to move around as you wait for things to cook.  The variety of ingredients were great.  Everything from Prime Rib Eye to Sushi to that great Sesame Oil sauce.  Jin definitely did a great job on the variety.

The only downside to this dining experience was the lack of sweet treats.  Usually Jin has a whole section of cookies and pastries to ease your meal.  However, this time there were only a few preserved fruits and some cookies.  Additionally, the lack of the fishing net spoons made it difficult for me to scoop out the scallops I had cooking for much too long.

All in all the hot pot experience at Jin was great.  A little too far of a drive for my taste, but for $19 and all you can eat..it is surely a winner.  Ohh I forgot to mention, this has become so popular that Jin is raising their prices from $19 to $23.  I recommend you call ahead so you aren’t surprised.

The Chinatown Blogger had mentioned labor disputes in a past entry, but I surely didn’t see a hint of it while I was at Jin.  This location has always had trouble surviving because of the massive size of the restaurant, but I hope Jin is around for a little longer.

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January 22, 2008 by willng24.

I just realized that the Chinese New Year is just around the corner, so to prepare myself for the festivities I began cleaning my apartment. You may think I have some time before February 7th, but you haven’t seen my apartment. This got me thinking of my childhood during the New Year. We use to see tons of family and friends and just feast wherever with whomever. What a great holiday! However, this also got me thinking of the superstitions that my family use to follow. I remember that I couldn’t shower or cut my hair on Chinese New Year. Additionally, all house cleaning had to be done before the that day.

Ever since I moved out of the nest, I don’t follow those traditions anymore. However, I know my family still does.

So what superstitions did your family believe in? Do you still follow them? There are surely odder ones than just the washing of the hair.

Below is a list of superstitions I found on about.com.

1. Dirty Doings

Put your feet up and relax. Certainly the most enjoyable of the Chinese New Year superstitions, sweeping and cleaning is strictly forbidden. The Chinese believe cleaning means you’ll sweep all of your good luck out the front door.

2. Time to Come Clean

Before you can enjoy number two, you need to give the house a full spring clean, before putting cleaning tools in the cupboard on New Year’s Eve.

3. Read Between the Lines

Be sure to stock up on reading materials before Chinese New Year, as Hong Kong’s bookshops will be padlocked tight. In Cantonese, book is a homonym for ‘lose’.

4. Choppy Waters

Make sure you avoid rough seas in the new year by not buying shoes over the holiday period. In Cantonese, shoes are a homonym for ‘rough’.

5. Balance the Books

If you’re in debt, it’s time to dip into your pockets and pay people off. The Chinese believe that if you start the new year in the red, you’ll finish it the same way.

6. Ghostly Conversations

Caught round a campfire over the holiday period? No ghost stories. Tales of death, dying and ghosts is considered supremely inauspicious, especially during Chinese New Year.

7. Lady in Red

Chinese New Year is packed with colors, and while all the colors of the rainbow bring good luck, it’s the color red that is considered the ultimate luck bringer.

8. Sweet Year

Hong Kongers have a sweet touch at the best of times, but Chinese New Year offers the perfect chance to raid the sweet shop, as eating candies is said to deliver a sweeter year.

9. Feel the Breeze

Welcome in the New Year with a blast of fresh air, opening your windows is said to let in good luck.

10. Get to the Point

Sharp objects are said to be harbingers of bad luck, as their sharp points cut out your good luck, pack them away.You should also avoid the hairdressers or you’ll have your good luck chopped off.

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January 14, 2008 by willng24.

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January 12, 2008 by willng24.

The Around C-Town blogger was lucky enough to enjoy a meal at Ginza on Hudson St. this past week. Ginza has been operating in Chinatown for many years and has become a common staple for sushi in Chinatown. The owners also opened another location on Beacon St. in Brookline.

I have to say I was a bit reluctant to return to this restaurant. My prior dining experience left a less than favorable impression on me. However, I was there to celebrate the birthday of a good friend so I was willing to give Ginza another chance. I have to say I was surprised. The dining experience was much better than before. The temperature of the restaurant was pleasant. The wait staff was very helpful and the management was nice enough to try and find the Celtics game for me…but with no luck.

If my attempt for seconds didn’t show my excitement, the sushi was a lot better than before, but it wasn’t outstanding. It was a pleasant dining experience with almost no complaints. I would consider returning to Ginza if they were able to maintain this standard. The only complaint I would have is that our waitress went through the specials a bit too quickly for us to remember them. However, she made up for it by highlighting them when she returned with an itemized sushi menu. Good Catch!!!

I will have my fingers crossed the next time I go to Ginza in Boston.

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January 7, 2008 by willng24.

Happy New Year Everyone! I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday. I apologize for not being around for so long, but finishing my degree and enjoying the holidays got the best of me. However, I’m back and ready to give you folks some great info into Chinatown and the surrounding Boston area.

I had the opportunity to dine at the new Shabu Zen in Brighton over the holiday. It is the second location for Mr. David Wong. His original location at 16 Tyler St. in Boston has become famous for the hot pot dinning experience. The new location at 80 Brighton Ave. in Allston will surely be a success too. There are two advantages to the Brighton location. It is so massive (about 4x the size of the one in Boston) that hopefully there won’t be a line. Additionally, there is parking in the back…thank god! I grew up in the area and throughout the years parking has become a nightmare.

So go warm up from the New England winter with a hot pot at Shabu Zen!!!!

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