FINE CHINESE CUISINE IN BOSTON. IF PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT, IT’S NO WONDER THAT CHINESE CUISINE, WHICH HAS BEEN AROUND FOR MORE THAN 5000 YEARS, HAS GREATLY INFLUENCED THE NEW ENGLAND FOOD SCENE. WHETHER YOU’RE LOOKING TO EAT LIKE A HAN DYNASTY EMPEROR OR A 20TH CENTURY PEASANT, THIS DIVERSE FOOD SCAPE PROVIDES PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITIES TO SPLURGE OR SAVE BASED ON YOUR BUDGET. LOCATED ACROSS FROM THE BOSTON COMMON, ZIYANG, NORTON MAY BE A SPLURGE WHEN COMPARED TO ITS CHINATOWN NEIGHBORS, BUT IT’S NEW YORK BASED. NAMESAKE WAS MICHELIN RATED FOR GOOD QUALITY AND VALUE IN 2023. OUR GOAL IS TO SERVE TRADITIONAL CHINESE FOOD TO EVERYONE LIKE WONDERFUL PEOPLE. OF BOSTON. AND ARE YOU DOING THAT? WE’RE DOING IT AND WE’RE DOING WELL. GENERAL MANAGER JEREMY CHEN’S CLAIM IS BACKED BY THE RESTAURANT SIGNATURE DISH, A PEKING DUCK THAT IS LITERALLY ON FIRE. AYR WHAT MAKES PEKING DUCK SO SPECIAL? DIFFERENT FROM, SAY, CHICKEN? AS YOU CAN SEE, THE CRISPY SKIN AND THEN BODY FAT AND THEN THE PREMIUM ME IT COMES ALL TOGETHER IN ONE SLICE. SO WHICH IS REALLY JUICY. IT’S SO JUICY. IT IS. IF YOU SPLURGE FOR A WHOLE DUCK SLICE TABLESIDE AND GARNISHED WITH GOLD FOIL, THAT’S $88. I’M GOING TO SHOW YOU HOW IT’S DONE. FORTUNATELY FOR ME, A TUTORIAL ON THE PROPER WAY TO WRAP AND DRESS THE MEAT WAS FREE OF CHARGE. SO THE FIRST STEP WE TAKE ONE PIECE OF THE SO THIN PANCAKE, AND THEN WE TAKE, UM, TWO SLICES OF THE DUCK MEAT. DO YOU LIKE, UH, DO YOU LIKE CUCUMBER AT ALL? OKAY, I’LL HAVE SOME. I WANT YOU TO DO IT EXACTLY THE WAY YOU WOULD DO IT FOR YOUR MOTHER. ABSOLUTELY. OKAY. AND THEN WE HAVE THE DUCK SAUCE, WHICH IS THE KEY. MAKES THE PANCAKE STICKY AND FLAVOR. IT’S DELICIOUS. THANK YOU. ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS. NEXT UP IS CUMIN LAMB ON A SIZZLING PLATE. ARE YOU READY? I DON’T KNOW OKAY. WOO! SO IS THIS THE SAME WAY THAT IT’S SERVED IN CHINA OR ARE YOU GUYS DOING YOUR OWN TAKE. OH, WE HAVE UM, LIKE SIMILAR ITEMS, SIMILAR DISH FROM CHINA. BUT WE WANT TO DO IT IN INTERESTING WAY. THAT WAS INTERESTING. YEAH. THAT SURPRISED PEOPLE. THAT SURPRISED ME. YEAH. AND FOR THE FINALE. GEAY. OH, THAT’S SO COOL. SO THIS DRINK IS MADE WITH, UH, RICE WINE, WHICH IS REALLY UNIQUE. ALL RIGHT, HERE WE GO. CHEERS. CHEERS TO YOU. THE LUNCH SPECIALS OFFERED AT MANY CHINESE FOOD RESTAURANTS IS A GREAT WAY TO SAVE. AND FOR 35 YEARS, SOME CHANNEL FIVE FOLKS HAVE TAKEN ADVANTAGE. RIGHT HERE AT NEEDHAM’S MANDARIN CUISINE. TAKE ANOTHER SOPHIE, CAUSE I FEEL GOOD. CHUCK CURTIS, NATALIE JACOBSON, HARVEY LEONARD TAKE ALBERT AND THEN OF COURSE, ANTHONY EVERETT IS OUR REGULAR CUSTOMER. BUT MEDIA CREDENTIALS ARE NOT REQUIRED TO MAKE THIS WALL. I SEE KIDS GROW UP HERE AND THEN THEY BRING THEIR SPOUSE BACK AND THEN CHECK OUT THEIR PICTURES ON THE WALL. OWNER JOHN LO TOOK OVER MANDARIN CUISINE IN 2014, BUT SHE’S BEEN HERE SINCE DAY ONE. I START HERE WAITRESSING. YES, AND THEN I DO MANAGEMENT UNTIL ALL THE SENIOR RETIRED. THEN I TAKE OVER THE BUSINESS WHILE THE RETRO DECOR IS A DRAW ALL DAY, THINGS REALLY HEAT UP BETWEEN 1130 AND 3 P.M. WHEN SAVING ARE ON THE MENU IN THE FORM OF 27 DIFFERENT LUNCH SPECIALS. OUR LUNCHEON SPECIAL IS A GOOD DEAL. WE COME WITH SOUP, RICE AND MAIN COURSE AND THE APPETIZER FOR 13 TO $15, AND WE HAVE A GOOD PORTION ON THAT TOO. NOW THAT MAY BE AN UNDERSTATEMENT. THIS IS A FEAST FOR QUEEN. THIS IS FEW OF THE MOST POPULAR DISHES IN OUR LUNCHEON MENU. WHAT DO WE HAVE? LET’S GO AROUND. SO YES, WE HAVE THIS FISH FILLET WITH BLACK BEAN SAUCE AND THEN SESAME TOFU. AND THEN WE HAVE THE GENERAL GAO CHICKEN. I HAVE A QUESTION. WHO IS GENERAL GAO? GENERAL GAO IS A VERY FAMOUS GENERAL IN CHINA. HE LIKES THAT KIND OF CHICKEN. IN AMERICA, WE MODIFY IT TO WHITE CHICKEN, SKINLESS AND BONELESS. AS YOU SEE, WE HAVE RICE AND THE APPETIZER COME WITH IT. AND SO THIS IS 13 TO $15. YES. THIS IS THE BEST DEAL IN TOWN. AND EVERYTHING WAS DELICIOUS AT BOTH RESTAURANTS. NOW THE CONCEPT OF THE CHINESE LUNCH SPECIAL LIKE THOSE FOUND AT MANDARIN CUISINE, MAY COME FROM THE FACT THAT IN TRADITIONAL CHINESE CULTURE, MEALS ARE SHARED BANQUET STYLE. THE LUNCH SPECIAL CATERS TO AMERICAN’S PREFERENCE, NOT TO SHARE. SO YOU’RE BASICALLY GETTING A MINI BANQUET ON A PLATE NEXT, TH

In Mass., enjoy both upscale and budget-friendly Chinese food options

In Boston, Jiang Nan offers Chinese-Fusion cuisine, while Needham’s Mandarin Cuisine brings “value by the dozen.”

Updated: 8:00 PM EDT May 16, 2024

Jiang Nan offers Chinese Fusion cuisine, elevated to match its stunning Downtown Boston location on Tremont Street, across from the Boston Common. Born in Queens, New York, the new Boston location offers a similar menu that earned the franchise a Michelin Guide Recommendation for “Quality and Value.”Mandarin Cuisine brings “value by the dozen” to Needham, offering 27 different lunch specials daily. The retro décor features photos of many customers from over the years including more than a few of WCVB’s legendary alum.

BOSTON —

Jiang Nan offers Chinese Fusion cuisine, elevated to match its stunning Downtown Boston location on Tremont Street, across from the Boston Common. Born in Queens, New York, the new Boston location offers a similar menu that earned the franchise a Michelin Guide Recommendation for “Quality and Value.”

Mandarin Cuisine brings “value by the dozen” to Needham, offering 27 different lunch specials daily. The retro décor features photos of many customers from over the years including more than a few of WCVB’s legendary alum.