Who makes the best PuPu platter in all the land?

[Swankalicious]

I am in the mood for a mound of greasy, deep-fried Americanized chinese food. Where shall I go??

[Klunco]

I really like The Wok on Rt. 9 in Wellesley (on the Newton border) for my American Chinese fix. I find that they hit all the classics but their versions are slightly more refined, flavor wise. It's the Cantonese-based American-Chinese food I love, but without the heavy handed grease, msg (not that there's anything wrong with a little msg), and overall muddy flavors from poor ingredients that can be found in a lot of places. I just find their food to have the classic flavors I want from this genre but in a slightly cleaner and clearer way. I can get my fix of Moo shi, spring rolls, orange chicken, etc. and not feel awful walking out.

Add in a full liquor license, friendly staff, and a nicer atmosphere than a lot of places in the genre and I'm sold.

[hargau]

Agreed, the Wok is excellent. Also Lotus Flower/Lotus Blossom are both excellent. I have not had a pupu platter at either but i can imagine them doing it well.

[jira]

The Wok has some of the best Peking Ravioli in the area. My favs were at the long deceased Rainbow Noodle House on Washington St near Beacon in Brookline. King Fung Garden also has great ravs and Scallion Pancakes, but they can be inconsistent. They do have a Pu-Pu platter on the menu in Brookline, but I seriously doubt they do the sterno thing.

[MC Slim JB]

Superb pan-fried dumplings and scallion pancakes at China King, too.

And I need to thank whichever Hound first pointed me to the roast-beef-stuffed scallion pancakes at Taiwan Cafe. Those are spectacular!

http://mcslimjb.blogspot.com/

[UnclePH]

Isn't the "best pupu platter" an oxymoron?

[Boston_Otter]

Not when some are inedible junk made up of frozen pre-packaged mass produced eggrolls and crab rangoon deep-fried to thaw, while others are all made in-house and are worthwhile chow.

[PainterGirl]

Have you tried Tahiti on Providence Highway in Dedham? Been getting my Friday night after work ribs/fried shrimp/Suffering Bastard combo all summer. The patrons in the lounge around me order the pupu frequently....will have to order one and check it out....this place is a classic for the genre

[KevinJF]

Agreed. Tahiti is my number 2 for Americanized Chinese after Golden Temple.

[nsenada]

I have to get back there sometime - I used to love Tahiti in the 70s when I was a kid.

[Beachowolfe]

I worked at Buggaboo creek one summer during college and we used to close the lounge at Tahiti like 4 nights a week. those chairs are awesome.

[FriedClamFanatic]

Funny.I have never seen a PU-PU platter down here in PA, but remember them well from my days on Cape Cod and Prov/Bos/SEMA. Not to sidetrack the convo, but what items do you like the best?.and does the sterno do anything to enhance that?

[phatchris]

Billy Tse and Garden Gourmet have my recent favorite PuPu's

[Kcjones106]

I have been on a search for a new great Chinese place for the last five years since our favorite local place changed owners and with it all of their great recipes. I'm an eggroll junkie and can't seem to track down "the goods". I love the ones that look bright green and red inside not the spring rolls or the ones with shrimp. any one know where to get them?

[MC Slim JB]

Not what you're looking for, but Myers + Chang does a "tribute" to the classic oversized American-Chinese egg roll is really delicious.

http://mcslimjb.blogspot.com/

[Kcjones106]

Thanks I will check it out for sure!

[Wannabfoode]

2nd the rec for the M&C eggroll. Soooo good

[ScotchandSirloin]

South Pacific in Newton has that type of egg roll.

[cambridgeMike]

Fantasy Island on the Salem/swampscott border has that

[maillard]

Lucky for you I have a friend who cannot set foot in a chinese restaurant of any sort without ordering an eggroll. Worst were Peach Farm and Mary Chung, best were the recently closed East Asia and Qingdao. However, this is not based on trying every egg roll in all of Boston (yet!... will make sure to update you if anything notable is found).

[Swankalicious]

I find Myers + Chang exceptionally overrated. Many Tweets do not a good restaurant make.

[Gabatta]

Their awesome teasmoked ribs (among other dishes) do a good restaurant make.

[teezeetoo]

I find it a perfect storm of public relations - I've tried three times and find the food overrated and the whole atmosphere too twee for words. yet others whose opinion I respect do like it. Maybe it's a psychological reaction on my part: what's the fuss about modernizing Asian in a non-Asian modern space? Good Asian restaurants have been doing it forever without much credit and certainly no public relations coups.

[MC Slim JB]

I liked it before they ever got on Twitter, and I still like it. But I concede that my fragile mind may have been warped by relentless social-media bludgeoning.

http://mcslimjb.blogspot.com/

[teezeetoo]

I don't think so, MC and I tried it again because I respect your opinion and doubt that it's just brainwashing. I think I just feel assaulted by the publicity on this place: it feels like getting "happy face" icons on every email, something that immediately turns me into a grinch. I didn't, by the way, find the food bad, but I couldn't imagine what there was to fuss about compared, say to YoMa. I know, I know, different audiences and different purposes.

[beb31]

If you are south of the city, Golden Pacific in Holbrook has that type.

[hardtail60]

As a fellow egg roll junkie, I find none match that of Hawiian Island in Plaistow NH. really. Chopped and diced ,not the long red cabbage that is so popular now. Ops have to head up there now....DTs coming! O ya, pu pu is very good. The large bone ribs and wing. Yum old fashion Polynesian food.

[ipsofatso]

Mandarin Reading

[Boston_Otter]

I'll disagree with chuck and vote Kowloon. It really depends on what you get on the pupu -- but their Kowloon wings are amazing.

I'd also put in a vote for Chung King Rick's Cafe. I love their crab rangoon and shortribs.

[Gabatta]

Kolwoon's pupu platter had enough MSG to give me nightmares for a week.

I would vote for Golden Temple as well.

[treb]

Did you have vivid images of the Andleman bros in your nightmares?

[Gabatta]

Yes, but their bodies were steak and cheese eggrolls from Davios! MSG really messes with me.

[Boston_Otter]

As with 99.9% of people, MSG has no more effect on me than salt, so more wings for me!

[Gabatta]

I can tell if I have eaten it almost immediately, so I must be the 0.1%. Enjoy your toxic wings!

[chuck s]

Funny you ask. While channel surfing today I came across the Phantom Gourmet which claimed that Kowloon had the world's best. I went with some friends last year on a lark and had the world's worst. Don't listen to anything the phantom says. On the other hand we had one at the South Pacific in Newton and it wasn't bad. Just what we were expecting.

[KevinJF]

The Andelmans have a long history with Kowloon.

[KevinJF]

Golden Temple in Brookline. I have not ordered a PuPu in ages, but I think it is tops for Americanized Chinese food.

[CookieLee]

The problem with the Golden Temple version is that it doesn't come in the PuPu tray with the sterno fire in the middle, just comes arrayed on a platter. What's the fun in that? And the food gets cold.