66 Beach St
(between Hudson St & Oxford St)
Boston, MA 02111
This restaurant is easy to miss... As you walk along the entrance, you notice big signs taped to the windows, making hard to see the crowds at this bustling little place. I would not have known about it had not been for my colleague Cliff, who grew up in Chinatown before the Mass Pike came in, forever altering his vibrant community.
He has shared stories with me of the "old" Golden Gate- the original restaurant that was such a "hole in the wall" that at one point in its history did actually have an actual hole in one of the walls as result of somebody's fierce punch. Eventually the owners sold the place, and the new owners added "new" to the name, in what I believe was in the hopes of preserving some of the original's legacy.
Stories like these are so valuable and should not be forgotten.
Per Cliff's suggestion, the three of us made our way to the New Golden Gate Restaurant to sample what Cliff calls some of the best Chinese comfort food around. I heard some of Cliff's native Cantonese and to more specific, Taishanese- which originated in the South Guangdong Province. After a 2 minutes conversation with our young waiter in Taishanese, Cliff announced he had order a few dishes for us to sample... some of his favorites.
About ten minutes later, my other colleague and I were stunned when 6 huge plates of food arrived, all heaping and vibrant. This was a big meal for 3 people... We had a big food mountain to climb and we were certainly up for the challenge.
The following photos show a few of the dishes I was so lucky to try! (some of them aren't necessarily on the menu...)
Salt and Pepper Calamari. This had a definite kick, and my limited tolerance for all things spicy hindered my enjoyment of this dish... I wish I could eat more spicy food! The few bites I did have before the heat kicked in were absolutely delicious! Perfectly fried, and crunchy- this is a winner!
This was the star of the meal for me, and the reason Cliff has been raving about the New Golden gate restaurant. He remembers eating this dish as a young chap at the old Golden Gate, and due to popular demand and tradition, the new restaurant serves it up as well. This my friends is true fusion cuisine. Behold! Roast Beef in Black Bean Sauce.
Those are indeed tomatoes you'll see in there. The sause is thick, creamy, and very zesty. Not an usual dish at a Chinese restaurant in China, but the flavors marry well together. This is a truly American Chinatown creation, and its simplicity is also its brilliance.
The Roast Beef was tender and just a tiny bit pink on the inside The Black bean sauce is Cliff's favorite, and now I see why.
Chinese Broccoli with just a tad of Oyster sauce drizzled on top. Love the vibrant green! Notice the Ulong tea as well. This is what we had during our meal and not just after it.
Pan-seared chicken. Not your average crispy fried chicken. It came with a special black salt that I was told I had to lightly sprinkle on top! KFC... you have some serious competition...
Finally, they brought us a sweet black bean and tapioca liquid pudding-type soup. Mildly sweet, and surprisingly, and perfect closing for the meal...
If you are looking for a low-key meal in Chinatown, I hope you'll check out this small, unassuming spot that packs a real punch.
