Beijing Star in Waltham - Recc's

[jayk]

Hi all,
I have been thinking of heading over to Beijing Star in Waltham for a meal. Any recommendations on what to order? I read from previous posts that there are two menus and will definitely ask for the Chinese menu. I heard the breakfast was good as well - better than Shangri-la?

[MC Slim JB]

I think galangatron mentioned most of my favorites but two: dry-sauteed shredded eel, and shredded pork with sliced pancake, usually a foyer whiteboard special. The latter is basically a flat whole-wheat noodle dish, simple and very Northern and really satisfying. I also like lamb with scallion and the sort-of-Sichuan steamed sliced beef, which at least has real Sichuan peppercorns (not the novelty they were a few years ago).

One of my favorite lunches there is a bowl of soup noodles with shredded pork: specify "home-style", which gets you the fat, irregular knife-cut noodles, a chewy wonder. You'll need a nap afterward, but it's a great winter dish.

http://mcslimjb.blogspot.com/

[StriperGuy]

Glad my old Waltham standby is getting some love on Chowhound. They do have quite a few dishes that noonone else in Boston has. Dim sum is good and unique too.

[astrid]

Can you talk more about the "fat, irregular knife-cut noodles" (dao xiao mian). I had given up hope of finding them here, once I came back from China. Can you only get them in the soup? What is the soup like? Is it spicy, or just a porky, meaty broth? The version I dream about was more Uighur -- lamb broth with cumin and ridiculous amounts of Sichuan peppercorn, covered in chopped cilantro. That's not what we're talking about here, is it?

[StriperGuy]

Not that soup. Been a while since I had it, but if I remember it was just a nice solid pork with veg soup and then a huge pile of the knife cut noodles.

A friend who is of Chinese descent said that by his standards the noodles were a bit clunky, but as it is the only place in Boston that makes them they rock in my book.

[MC Slim JB]

This is a very accurate description of the knife-cut noodles in soup I've had at Beijing Star. I've never had them elsewhere, so it's hard for me to judge how they rate.

http://mcslimjb.blogspot.com/

[Luther]

It's the only place in MA I know they have knife noodles. They are gooey and crudely cut, fun to eat but maybe not of high technical skill. I've had them at BS in a brown sauce with ground meat and peas- sort of a non-spice take on the traditional.

The versions I've had in Flushing always were a dry version (topped with cumin and fennel flavored gound meat) and clear soup with cilantro and fennel seed on the side.

[jayk]

Sounds good. I can't believe I haven't been here yet. It has been on my list for 2 years now. Hopefully I can get there this weekend.

[bugsmum]

cold homestyle noodles, either spicy or not
scalloped rice stick w/ pork and spinach
eggplant w/ bean sauce
tofu w/black mushrooms and bamboo shoots
shredded pork in bean sauce

best hot and sour soup I've ever had

Love this place.

[peregrine]

Hurry on down while they have a third, red, bilingual menu with the New Year's Specials!
The dry cooked lamb chops were outstanding!
The special duck was, too, as is the tea-smoked duck on the pink menu.
It's hard to go wrong on the pink menu, which comes in both an English and a Chinese edition.

[galangatron]

chive pie
lamb soup with shao ping
hand pulled noodle soup
pork shank in soy sauce
jumbo meat ball casserole
sauteed chinese okra

[jayk]

Thanks! Is the hand pulled noodle soup - really authentic? I haven't had this dish in years - is the Chinese menu only in Chinese - my chinese is a little rusty...

[y2000k]

We go there every so often, but only on weekends for the Northern dim sum. They do offer the knife-cut noodles on the dim sum menu.

We also love the lamb soup with shao ping - a must for us