Chinese food recommendations?

Submitted by Tomekon2011 t3_10on2vt in LowellMA

My favorite Chinese food place, Gold Star, seems to have shut down (or was forced to shut down). And I'm having a crisis trying to find a new place to go. Any recommendations?

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babebluize t1_j6fozzw wrote

China Star has good old fashioned americanized Chinese food and authentic Chinese specialties. Tasty Dumplings has a smaller menu but great food- I think they recently got and award for being in the top 200 restaurants in MA. My favorite Lowell adjacent restaurant is Le Chen in Lawrence right off 495.

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Pit-Smoker t1_j6gbuql wrote

100% China Star for Chinese. From Fried Rice to duck to Jellyfish on this menu. Awesome food, awesome experience.

Other Asian cuisines, obviously, will give you different replies from me.

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Tomekon2011 OP t1_j6fpvv5 wrote

I'll have to check these out, thanks. I've been mostly trying places in South Lowell but nothing has really satisfied that craving.

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babebluize t1_j6fqjki wrote

South Lowell there is MeiWei on Andover Street. It’s a little better than Gold Star was, but not great. Jade East down the toad on 38 used to be OK, but they also were shut down for violations. I’m not sure if they have reopened yet.

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dch5288 t1_j6fq016 wrote

Tasty Dumplings has great dumplings, but I've been going the extra few minutes into Chelmsford for Sichuan Palace. Truly great Sichuan dishes and perfectly good American Chinese as well.

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ChrisSlicks t1_j6gmuvj wrote

2nd Sichuan Palace if you like authentic spicy Chinese food. New owners took over about 2 years ago and things have only improved. We sat and chatted for about 20 minutes the other night, they are super nice.

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electricomicbook t1_j6g1452 wrote

i would argue that mandarin asian bistro (on market street) >>>> mandarin lowell (on middlesex)

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Dry_Inflation307 t1_j6ftgrk wrote

Oxyear Food Court in Centralville just opened and I hear it’s great.

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SeaJay1187 t1_j6ghh3l wrote

Sizzling kitchen has amazing food.

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BostonianNewYorker t1_j6fu606 wrote

Asian bakery and restaurant? It used to be called China Star. I can recommend some Korean places like Korean BB.Q and Bon Chon

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Tomekon2011 OP t1_j6fyk7s wrote

Oh yeah those have both been on my list of places to try. I didn't even know we had a Bonchon until I happened to go down that way a few weeks ago. It looks great

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BostonianNewYorker t1_j6fzsd8 wrote

It's really really expensive, you can order them from door dash too if you're not in the mood to drive or dine in

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Satzah t1_j6fxlzq wrote

Mandarin on Middlesex Street is consistently good for take out!

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gollygee17 t1_j6ghp3l wrote

I like Fuji on Middlesex! They have both Chinese and Japanese food and it’s great!

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Engelgrafik t1_j6iwdvb wrote

My favorite Chinese in the "area" is Sichuan Gourmet in Billerica. I like them because their sauces aren't just sweet goopy overuse of corn starch like so many places. Plenty of sauces are supposed to use corn starch but it seems most places go way too heavy and add too much sweetening to appeal to American tastes.

Locally, I'm actually a fan of China Star (the one in the Acre) but I only ever order two or three dishes. I haven't been in years though so can't vouch for consistency or if they're even around.

If you want to expand beyond Chinese, check out Cambodian food at Peephuptmei just west of Cambodia Town (they make a fish dish called Ah-Mok which is insanely delicious), and Zabb Elee (Tum Kao Pun is a sweet-spicy cold noodle salad that is incredibly addictive) a few blocks away for Laotian. Fantastic places.

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older_man_winter t1_j6gnwte wrote

Tasty Dumplings, Sizzlin' Kitchen, and Fuji on Merrimack are all fantastic. Blue Taleh does a very nice job. Pho 88 in Drum Hill is really good.

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Bosstonz16 t1_j6fwwcr wrote

As a Gold Star customer for 30 years, it's current (and maybe permanent) closure was a huge bummer. I've been going to Mandarin on Middlesex Street and did my annual NYE jumbo takeout order from Mandarin. Food is really good, prices are slightly cheaper than Gold Star, and my family commented they liked Mandarin better than our staple Gold Star. Many of my coworkers frequent the Mandarin as well. I'd definitely recommend giving them a shot even though it's in a different neighborhood than Gold Star.

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Tomekon2011 OP t1_j6fy8bf wrote

Yeah I've been going to Gold Star since I was a child. I recently stumbled across a lease listing for the building, so it looks like it's gone for good unfortunately. A lot of people seem to be recommending Mandarin, so I may need to stop by there at some point.

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Dr_ThunderMD t1_j6j1vys wrote

Also a life long Gold Star customer here. The quality took a real turn for the worst the last 5 years, so not surprised about the food poisoning issues that lead to their closure.

That said, +1 for Mandarin, they’ve become the Gold Star replacement in my house.

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babybeccc t1_j6gvb91 wrote

I think tasty dumplings is overrated. Their ramen is good but the dumplings aren’t anything spectacular in my opinion. I’m so sad to hear about Gold Star, they had the best dumplings ever

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TotallyNotMeDudes t1_j6hbf7o wrote

Is Chen’s Kitchen still on Mammoth? That place was my fav when I lived in Lowell.

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Neesaki t1_j6jfk8j wrote

I like to go with Dragon Kitchen. Though they are in Dracut

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ArsenalGod- t1_j6mzew3 wrote

I think you should give Green Bamboo on the way to bridge st in downtown

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