From: James_J_Kowalczyk@cup.portal.com
Newsgroups: ne.food
Subject: Re: Hong Kong Kitchen (was Suan La Chow Show)
Date: Mon,  7 Sep 92 21:59:11 PDT
Organization: The Portal System (TM)
  <lacdinINN9sl@news.bbn.com>

milo@cbnews.cb.att.com (guy.f.klose) writes:

>So, how many of you are craving Suan La Chow Show, while Mary
>is on sabbatical?  Next question is, how far are you willing
>to drive?
>
>There's a small restaurant on Rt. 125 in Bradford (just past
>N. Andover) called the Hong Kong Kitchen that has it on 
>the menu.  I tried it, figuring that it can't possibly be
>as good as Mary's, and I was pleasantly surprised.  Not quite
>as piquant, but it was pretty good.  Good enough to tide one
>over until the real ones come back.  Their recipe seems close
>enough that you would swear the chef, or the owner, came from
>Mary's.

After I read this last week, I decided to give this place a try.

I was very pleasantly surprised by the Hong Kong Kitchen.
The menu was quite extensive with many of my favorite items,
including many that I have never seen on a suburban menu.

Of course, I ordered the Suan La Chow Show and was not disappointed.
They were pleasantly hot, yet slightly sweet on a bed of bean
sprouts.  They also handled the dry-fried beef and onion Chow Foon
very well (one of my favorite take-out dishes).

I returned a few days later and talked to the owner (or at least one 
of the owners).  He told me that Hong Kong Kitchen had been open
for about 4 months, and that this was their second restaurant.  When
I asked what the other restaurant was, I was pleasantly surprised 
to hear that it was Royal East, on Main St. in Cambridge!  I mentioned
to him that I used to know that restaurant quite well when I lived 
in Cambridge.  He said that the menu at the Hong Kong Kitchen is 
identical to Royal East's.  I also mentioned to him that I used to
like Mary Chung's Suan La Chow Show, and he told me that when he and
his partners bought the Royal East from Colleen's 8 years ago, their
head chef was Mary Chung's husband, and that they bought Mary Chung's
recipe for Suan La Chow Show.  Hence, the similarity.  (Btw, I recall
reading something about such a connection between Mary Chung's and
Royal East some time ago on the Net...)

So far I have had take-out 3 times from Hong Kong Kitchen, and I have
not been disappointed yet.  Even the General Gau's Chicken was good
(and this dish usually does not hold up well as a carry out).

The restaurant itself is fairly small (approx. 50 person capacity).
But the interior is pleasant, with what appears to be a well-stocked
bar.  (Definitely not just a take-out place.)  I would definitely 
recommend it to anyone in the Merrimack valley area

I live in Andover, but it only took me about 15-20 minutes
to get there (I-93 N to exit 48, 213 east to I-495 N, I-495 N
one exit to exit 48, the 125 connector to 125 N, and then about
1 mile north, in the Academy Plaza - the plaza is flanked by 
a Dunkin Donuts on the south and a Pizza Hut on the north).

Hong Kong Kitchen           Tel. (508) 521-3399
701 South Main St.          FAX  (508) 521-5175
Haverhill, MA  01835
(Rte. 125 Bradford)         Sun - Thu 11:30 am - 10:00 pm
                            Fri - Sat 11:30 am - 11:00 pm

>If you don't live in the Merrimack Valley area, probably the
>quickest way to get there is to travel I-93N to I-495N.  Then
>take the Ward Hill, Rt. 125 connector exit.  At the end of the
>connector head north (to the left).  Maybe a mile or so, on
>the right, is a small shopping plaza, with the Hong Kong Kitchen
     ^^^^^
actually, it's on the left

>towards the back of the plaza.  As a landmark, there is a
>Pizza The Hut just beyond the plaza.
>
>Guy
>-- 
>Guy Klose
>milo@mvuxi.att.com

Thanks for the tip, Guy!


Jim Kowalczyk                James_J_Kowalczyk@cup.portal.com
Eisai Research Institute
Andover, MA  01810
Newsgroups: ne.food