Meyers and Chang

1145 Washington St
South End, Boston
617.542.5200
http://www.myspace.com/myersandchang
Map

Highly Recommended

This new addition to Boston's Chinese restaurant scene is quite different from the more traditional Chinatown restaurants not too far away. It has almost a diner-meets-Asia feel to it with plastic bar stools and tables reminiscent of '70s kitchen tables but with a modern flair. The large windows looking out to the corner of Washington Street and East Berkley Street are covered with large stylized red dragons that make an impression while still allowing in plenty of light (though it was dark on our visit there).

The food was also not your traditional Chinatown fair, it is a mix of food inspired by different Asian regions. The waiter pointed out that the plates are small, and therefor meant for sharing and mixing. He recommended that we get 4-5 plates for the two of us. Although we had snacked some before heading out, that estimate was much too high. The plates may be small, but the food is rich and filling. We ordered three plates and found they were more than enough. The prices are reasonable at $4-$13 per plate. This restaurant serves a mix of wine, beer and saki as well.

We ordered Mama Chang's pork and chive dumplings ($11), a plate of decently sized pot-sticker style dumplings made with fresh fillings and dough, served with a side of soy sauce. They were delicious with perfectly browned and crispy sides filled with a fresh pork and chive filling that wasn't watery or greasy like similar dumplings from other restaurants. We also ordered the wok-charred udon noodles ($11) made with chicken and baby bok choy. This dish was filling and tasty, and showed off the versatility of the udon noodles when taking on the charred/browned taste of the pan and sauce it was cooked in. Last was the traditional scallion pancake ($7) which was good, but my least favorite of the plates. It was a little doughy for my taste, though the flavor was enhanced by the thin, reddish sauce served along side (though the salt content of the sauce was probably not good for me).

The server brought our bill with small dishes of lemon and ginger mouse, the perfect way to end this meal with just a touch of sweet and tart. The bill came tucked into a little golden pig, a nice change from the ubiquitous black folder usually found in restaurants.

I look forward to visiting Meyers and Chang again to try some of the other tempting dishes on the menu, though it may be difficult to get a large group into this relatively small space. Parking is limited in that area, though there is a lot on Harrison Ave a couple of blocks away that we were able to get into.