January 13th, 2006
East Ocean City
I had lunch today at East Ocean City, 25-29 Beach St., Chinatown, which offers one of the best Chinese combo plates in the city. For $5.25 you have a choice of entrees (Szechuan shrimp, General Gau's chicken, etc.), which all come with either peking ravoli, chicken wings, egg roll, or scallion pancakes, and hot-and-sour or egg-drop soup. Tea and white rice are also complimentary. My Sesame chicken was juicy, rich, and not too salty, a flaw common to many versions at other restaurants. I requested scallion pancakes instead of the chicken wings and the waitress told me it would be a dollar extra but then didn't include it in the bill. Lucky me. Although I ate everything served to me (plus some nibbles of my partner's dish), there was no uncomfortable belly heaviness that usually follows a large lunch of asian food, probably because all the food was savory but not greasy.
Two things distinguish East Ocean City from the plethora of "authentic" restaurants in Chinatown: 1) red marble steps and 2) window fish tanks full of glaring king crabs, fish, lobsters, and conspicuously dead shrimp. The dining room is just that, white tableclothes, plastic chopsticks, and a faux tuxedoed staff who serve you pleasantly and quietly. The menu includes many traditional rice, noodle, poultry, beef, and seafood entrees besides just the lunch specials, so I imagine this place gets crowded at dinnertime.
The Info
East Ocean City
25-29 Beach St., Boston
617-542-2504