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Restaurant ReviewShanghai Gate (Allston MA)
| (617) 566-7344
| 204 Harvard Avenue,
Allston, MA 02134
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Reviewed by: Jacqueline M. Newman
Spring Volume: 2007 Issue: 14(1) page: 25
 Crossing the river again, and near Boston and closer to Brookline, we find a hidden Chinese treasure called Shanghai Gate. This small place shines serving delicious dishes. In the appetizer category, we delight sharing the Salt and Pepper Mushrooms marinated, battered, and deep-fried. They arrive as a huge perfect-pile of button beauties that feed four of us as a main course. The Scallion Pancake was terrific, as was West Lake Chicken, also the Eight Treasure Delight. The latter includes tofu, peanuts, chicken, pork, shrimp, and other meat and vegetable ingredients.
Among the main courses, Fish in Brown Sauce, the chef advises, is his very best dish. Folks at another table agree but we can not. Why not, because they are out of fresh fish. He Yu Xiang Pork comes in a wonderful garlic sauce and Ma Po Tofu is piquant and perfect. The String Beans in Garlic Sauce are great, as are the Black Bean Pork and the Shanghai Pan Fried Noodles. There is a small list of specials and many are organ meats making the large Chinese clientele extremely happy. The Fish in Hot Pot is on that list as are pigs ears, kidney, and pork belly dishes. Our guests bristle at the thought of ordering any of these, so they jump to our next time we will try them list. At Shanghai Gate, frequent customers, including the ones who told us not to miss this masterful chef's fish dishes, said the appetizers and the rich Shanghai stews are stupendous. They also suggested we arrive early and before leaving home, check their ever changing menu at www.bostonphoenix.com That site lists other places on our list including Hei La Moon in Chinatown and Shangri-La in Belmont. The 'where to go' on our next trip keeps growing, and that surely is great!
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