There is no secret that the best restaurant in Chinatown isn’t even Chinese, but Malaysian. Boston’s many Chinatown restaurants, on a whole, are inferior to those of other major U.S. cities. However, its one Malaysian establishment (part of a small Northeast cities chain) is prone to induce unstoppable salivating. Which is why my family has spent countless birthdays, anniversaries, Mother’s Days, and Father’s Days here.
The spacious two-tiered dining room is in a modeled after Malaysia’s huts, which sounds kitschier than it actually is. The high ceiling and walls are lined with natural wood paneling, and there is an open kitchen were diners can see just how big a fire those woks need.
There is no simpler and tastier appetizer here than the roti canai, also called an Indian Pancake on the menu. It is flakier and much lighter than naan, and comes with a delicious yellow curry dip with chunks of chicken. The chicken and beef satays are always sweet and tender.
One of the best entrees is the Buddhist Yam Pot, which is a fried but meaty taro shell filed with vegetables and either seafood or chicken (go for the seafood...live a little.) Likewise, any of the soup casseroles served in a clay pot are great. The duck in bean curd is another spectacular dish in which the two distinct flavor meld perfectly in your mouth.
On dishes I don’t like, and there are few: My mother has a special affinity for fish head, which I will never understand, so she sometimes orders Penang’s version in curry broth. I also don’t care much for the Hainanese Chicken which is as bland as it is in Chinese restaurants, even with the soy sauce. The Pad Thai is likewise bland and so oily that you begin to feel your arteries clogging after the first few bites.
The dried curried chicken comes with bone and skin on, and no sauce. Instead, it is cooked over low heat with a curry glaze, which somehow always results in a slightly bitter taste. If you’re a curry fan, I suggest just getting more orders of the Roti Canai if only for the dip.
My only complaint, other than the aforementioned dishes, is the service. When the restaurant gets busy, the servers tend to rush you and slide the check onto the table as soon as you’re done eating. Best to go for lunch or a weekday dinner.
But back to the positives.
A few other recommended dishes are the mango chicken, the sizzling seafood combination platter with scallops, shrimp, and squid, and the fried pearl noodles with shrimp, pork, egg, and sprouts.
None of the dishes are too spicy, but if you want a cool nonalcoholic beverage anyway, the menu has a long list of exotic and nonexotic fruit drinks, and soy, durian, and red bean shakes. There is even a whole fresh coconut, which I may order the next time I go. Which, knowing my family, is likely to be very soon.
Penang - 685 Washington St., Chinatown
Comments