Photo via statPaige on Flickr

Already battling to maintain relevance in a food market overflowing with a variety of shopping experiences, the news about a Wegmans eyeing a brand-new Fenway location is going to have an adverse effect on Shaws’ local business “without a doubt,” experts say.

“It is going to effect that particular store,” says Boston University School of Management emeritus Professor Ronald Curhan. “I am not talking about corporate, I am talking about that one store—they will have to share some business. When a competitor moves in close to your market, you are going to lose some business.”

On Monday, Mayor Tom Menino announced the anticipated arrival of the New York-based supermarket, Wegmans, during a speech delivered to the Boston Municipal Research Bureau. “It will open in the Landmark Center and continue the progress in that neighborhood,” Menino said in his prepared remarks. This will mark the first Wegmans in Boston and the second in Massachusetts. The supermarket chain already has a profitable location in Northborough.

Although the notion that Wegmans, which has a cult-like following due to it’s pricing and stock variety, is bound to scoop up loyal Shaws customers and attract a wide-range of new local shoppers is no surprise, Curhan said the announcement will mean that Shaws will have to come up with additional offerings in order to maintain a competitive edge in the Boston neighborhood.

“The classic response of a supermarket to a competitor coming into the area is not to wait until they are already there. The classic response it to have promotional features—not just price—but other things you do and offer and have them before they arrive,” says Curhan, adding that he expects to see that from Shaws in the coming months.

Shaws has recently been struggling on the corporate side as customers have lost interest in shopping at some locations based on higher prices compared to the competition. According to the Boston Globe, “once one of the region’s dominant grocery sellers,” customers continue to flock to different chains to get the basic necessities from grocery retailers. The report claims that Shaws “lost its way” and analysts place the blame on Supervalu Inc., a Minnesota-based supermarket agency that purchased both Shaws and its affiliate, Star Market, more than a decade ago. The Globe cites this eye-popping statistic:

Shaw’s sales have eroded by about $1.5 billion since 2006 and its New England market share has dropped from 19 to 11 percent.

Then in January came the news that Shaws and Star Market were part of a $3.3 billion buyout. Now, because of the new owners and the fact that the Shaws location in the Fenway area is fairly up-to-date and doesn’t require much capital investment, the Fenway spot can focus their efforts more on promotional ideas, rather than fixing the store, says Curhan.

“I think they can continue to stay afloat … Wegmans is known for their prepared foods, and to the extent that [Shaws] can offer promotional material in this area, they will probably do that. Some could be made in the store, or bought, but if they are going to make a run for it with Wegmans as the competition, then clearly they have to change some things,” says Curhan, adding that the high operating costs at  Shaws will give them “a lot of room to go down in pricing.”

Luckily, Shaws still has time to do some advanced planning, since the Wegmans announcement is still in its first stages, and the company has yet to finalize a deal on a location. “We are very interested in a site in the Fenway neighborhood. Discussions with the developer are underway, and we anticipate that an acceptable agreement can be reached in the near future,” says Jo Natale, Wegmans’ director of media relations.

The post What Does A Wegmans In Fenway Mean for Shaws? appeared first on Boston Magazine.

Steamed shrimp dumplings
YoMa, $7.50

Foie gras–shiitake shumai
Blue Ginger, $16

Sweet-potato dumplings (served with sriracha fried rice)
Mei Mei Street Kitchen, $7.50

Takoyaki (octopus dumplings)
Bon Chon, $7

Mama Chang’s pork-and-chive dumplings
Myers + Chang, $11

Chicken-and-mushroom dumplings
Empire, $12

Steamed shrimp dumplings (har gow)
Winsor Dim Sum Café, $3.15

Shrimp shumai with sweet-and-spicy mustard
Red Lantern, $9

Szechuan cho-show (a.k.a. chao shou, or spicy wontons with sesame paste)
Jo Jo Taipei, $7

Foie-gras gyoza with pink peppercorns
O Ya, $18

Szechuan pork dumplings with roasted chili vinaigrette
Sichuan Garden, $5.50

Peking ravioli
New King Fung Garden, $4.50/$6.25

Taiwan-style pan-fried dumplings
Dumpling Café, $7

Edamame dumplings
Haru, $8.50

Braised-short-rib-and-Chinese-celery pot stickers
Blue Dragon, $9

King Crab dumplings
Haru, $9

DID YOU KNOW?

 The term “Peking ravioli,” widely used instead of “pot stickers” on Chinese menus, was coined by the late Cambridge resident Joyce Chen in 1958, in order to introduce dumplings by equating them with a more-familiar food.

For more on Asian cuisine in Boston, check out our complete guide to Asian cuisine: Umami Rising.

The post Wonton Regard appeared first on Boston Magazine.

Illustrations by Liz Noftle

1. Fill your soup spoon with a base layer of Chinese black vinegar. With your chopsticks, pick up the dumpling by the pleated tip and place it in the spoon.

2. Bite off an opening in the top to release steam from the dumpling, then stuff a sliver or two of ginger inside.

3. Count to five (so you don’t burn your mouth), and slurp the whole thing at once.

For more on Asian cuisine in Boston and all things dumplings, check out our complete guide to Asian cuisine: Umami Rising.

The post How to Eat a Soup Dumpling (a.k.a. Xiao Long Bao) appeared first on Boston Magazine.

Introducing the Snowflake Dumpling: When Jason Doo—a visiting fellow at Harvard and a chef who has worked at places like Sensing and Menton—opens Kinsai this year, the restaurant will be the first in Boston (he’s still scouting locations) to serve “snowflake” dumplings, a variation on the pot sticker. Fried in a combination of flour, maltose, oil, and water, the snowflakes acquire a lacy crust at the bottom that holds several of them together—and shatters into wafer-thin crackers upon eating. In short, the snowflakes are the ultimate pot stickers. (Photo by Heath Robbins)

Bon Me
Kendall Square

The owners of the popular Vietnamese-inspired food trucks were scheduled at press time to open a brick-and-mortar eatery in February, offering the same stuffed banh mi sandwiches and tea-smoked deviled eggs you can find on the trucks, plus rotating dinner specials.

Blue Dragon
Fort Point

The second restaurant from celeb chef Ming Tsai, a casual gastropub, is scheduled to arrive this month. Tsai will keep his “East Meets West” ethos going. Pub classics like shepherd’s pie will feature an Indonesian twist, while sliders will have a Chinese spin.

Mei Mei Street Kitchen
Brookline

Another food-truck darling that will open a restaurant—in this case, this spring, by the St. Marys T stop. Mei Mei staples like pork buns and cheesy scallion-pancake sandwiches will be on the menu, as will larger, restaurant-only dishes.

Ittoku
Brighton

Rumor has it that the owners behind Café Mami, Ebi Sushi, and Sapporo Ramen have banded together to create a Japanese spot that will take over the Petit Robert Bistro space on Comm. Ave. Details so far are few, but we are hearing one bit of delightful news: There will be ramen.

Kinsai

Menton and Sensing alum Jason Doo will open an ambitious upscale Chinese project by fall. A nightly chef’s-table tasting menu—with set, 20-odd-course dinners—will be available, as will 1930s-Shanghai-style craft cocktails and snacks.

An As-Yet-Unnamed Izakaya from Guchi’s

After launching the city’s ramen craze (see Wonton Regard), the team behind Guchi’s Midnight Ramen (led by the O Ya chef Yukihiro Kawaguchi) will open a restaurant, centered around the concept of izakaya (Japanese small plates).

For more on Asian cuisine in Boston, check out our complete guide to Asian cuisine: Umami Rising.
Can’t wait for these spots to open? Check out The 20 Essential Asian Restaurants in Boston.

The post On the Horizon appeared first on Boston Magazine.

Over the past year, Boston has fallen for ramen—the Japanese noodle-based soup that typically conjures up images of late-night college munchies, but that, when made from scratch, can hold its own on a high-end menu. The local catalyst for ramen’s newfound respectability? Guchi’s Midnight Ramen, a side project of Yukihiro Kawaguchi, an O Ya chef, and Tracy Chang, an O Ya alum. Last year they began serving after-hours bowls filled with house-made noodles and an umami-rich pork broth (pictured above) at highbrow locales like Bondir. Today, tickets for Guchi’s events sell out in less than a minute, and Kawaguchi’s ramen has become, arguably, the most in-demand dish in town. Suddenly, restaurants all over town are adding ramen to their menus. Here’s where you can find the very best versions—including, by the way, right in your own kitchen.

The Best of the Broths

TJ Connelly, the music director at Fenway Park, has a quirky side gig: sampling every bowl of ramen in Boston, New York, and beyond. (He’s chronicling his journey with the Twitter hashtag #ramenquest.) When he can’t get ramen from Guchi’s, these are his four other must-have bowls in the Boston area.

Photos by Connor Sumner

SHRIMP + TOFU RAMEN
Myers + Chang, South End
Lunch Only

TJ Says: “Thanks to ingredients like fermented tofu, scallion butter, and nori, this version is anchored by a uniquely rich, funky broth. Thinner noodles make for quick slurping.”

SPICY MISO RAMEN
Sapporo Ramen, Porter Square
Lunch + Dinner

TJ Says: “The blend of simple noodles, spicy ground pork, corn, scallions, and warming broth is comfort food at its height—and a great starting point for those trying real ramen for the first time.”

JIRO RAMEN
Yume Wo Katare, Porter Square
Dinner Only

TJ Says: “The huge bowl is filled with a chewy mix of wheat noodles and bean sprouts in a savory pork broth—all topped with slices of tender, fatty pork. Arrive hungry, and say yes to extra garlic.”

VEGGIE RAMEN
Uni, Back Bay
Thursday to Saturday After 11 p.m.

TJ Says: “Vegetarian ramen typically tastes like an afterthought, but Uni’s version—with a broth fortified with dried mushrooms, white miso, and Parmesan rinds—is the best I’ve ever found.”

Using Your (Packaged) Noodle

Photo by Heath Robbins

When Toro and Coppa chef-owner Jamie Bissonnette isn’t in the mood to make his own ramen at home, he likes to dress up a package of store-bought noodles. Here are his go-to ingredients (all of which can be found at Asian grocers like H Mart).

• Neoguri spicy seafood-style Korean ramen
• Chinese black vinegar
• Dried mushrooms
• Fish sauce
• Fried shallots
• Hot sesame oil
• Dried shrimp
• Togarashi seasoning
• Pickled green peppercorns
• Thai bird chilies
• Soy-cured egg
• Quail eggs
• Boiled lotus root
• Bamboo shoots

All styling by Jessica Weatherhead/Team.

For more on Asian cuisine in Boston, check out our complete guide to Asian cuisine: Umami Rising.

The post Everybody Loves Ramen appeared first on Boston Magazine.

1. Cold-cut banh mi, $3, Ba Le, Dorchester

2. Hot-dog-filled buns, $1.35 for four, Yi Soon Bakery, Allston

3. Orion cuttlefish peanut balls, $4, Hmart (Burlington)

4. Sweet purple-taro bun, $1.35, Yi Soon Bakery, Allston

5. Black milk tea with boba, $3.35, Infusions Tea Spa, Allston

6. Tuyamaya cakes (multipack), $4.29, Hong Kong Supermarket, Allston

7. Meiji Pucca chocolate-filled crackers, $2, Hong Kong Supermarket, Allston

8. Twist doughnut, $1.50, Café Japonaise, Brookline

9. Green-tea cake, $5, Café Japonaise, Brookline

10. Adzuki cream puff (filled with red beans and whipped cream), $3.50, Café Japonaise, Brookline

11. Tuyamaya cakes (multipack), $4.29, Hong Kong Supermarket, Allston

12. Heavy-cream shoku pan bread, $4.50, Café Japonaise, Brookline

13. Crispy egg rolls, $5 for six, Ba Le, Dorchester

14. Crab crackers, $2, Hong Kong Supermarket, Allston

15. Peanut butter bun, $1, Yi Soon Bakery, Allston

16. Grilled-pork banh mi, $3.65, Pho Viet, Allston

17. Meiji Hello Panda strawberry-filled biscuits, $1.29, Hong Kong Supermarket, Allston

18. Vietnamese iced coffee, $3.50, Ba Le, Dorchester

19. Strawberry brick toast, $3.50, Infusions Tea Spa, Allston

20. Deep-fried golden buns with condensed milk, $5 for three, Infusions Tea Spa, Allston

21. Chocolate-dipped Pocky sticks, $2 per pack, Hong Kong Supermarket, Allston

22. Spicy beef jerky, $5 per quarter pound, Ba Le, Dorchester

23. Negita Ebi Kamaru (prawn crackers), $2.29, Ming’s, South End

24. Red-bean mochi bun, $1.35, Yi Soon Bakery, Allston

25. Beef-curry-filled fried doughnut, $3.25, Café Japonaise, Brookline

26. Strawberry “Tiger Skin” jelly roll, $2, Yi Soon Bakery, Allston

27. Chocolate “Tiger Skin” jelly roll, $2, Yi Soon Bakery, Allston

For more on Asian cuisine in Boston, check out our complete guide to Asian cuisine: Umami Rising.

The post Have $5? appeared first on Boston Magazine.

Photos by Anthony Tieuli

Anh Hong
Dorchester

The fried quail (pictured above) is excellent, but the showcase at this spot is a classic Vietnamese seven-course feast called bò 7 món. The parade of plates begins with slices of beef cooked tableside and folded into rice-paper wrappers with salty nuoc cham, pickled daikon and carrots, and fresh greens. The meal’s crescendo is a platter of charred la lot leaf–wrapped sausages flanked by scallion-stuffed grilled beef and a massive meatball. Most awe-inspiring, though, is the price—$33 for two.

291 Adams St., Dorchester, 617-265-8889.

Bon Chon
Allston and Harvard Square

Korean fried chicken dominates the menu here, but you’ll also find other excellent dishes, like okonomiyaki—a fried seafood pancake that’s sliced into pizzalike wedges and topped with bonito flakes—and spicy kimchi-and-bacon fried rice. Best of all, though, is the restaurant’s beer squid, the cephalopods julienned thin and doused in a caramelized garlic–butter glaze.

123 Brighton Ave., Allston, 61-254-8888, bonchon.com.

Chilli Garden
Medford

The back of the menu is filled with a variety of spicy Szechuan specialties—best among them a peppercorn-studded, mouth-numbing bowl of mapo tofu with black beans and ground beef; smoky slices of double-cooked pork belly tossed with leeks; and al dente shreds of sweet-and-sour cabbage punctuated by red chilies.

41 Riverside Ave., Medford, 781-396-8488, chilligardenmedford.com.

ChungKiWa
Medford

Korean barbecue restaurants, with their beer-friendly, table-grilled meats, are perfect for rowdy celebrations, and this Medford spot is a standout. Hearty dishes like samkyub kimdhi-bokum (a stir-fry of kimchi and pork belly served with steamed tofu) and crisp mung-bean pancakes keep appetites satisfied while the pork bulgogi and kalbi short ribs sizzle on the grill.

27-29 Riverside Ave., Medford, 781-391-5606, chungkiwaboston.com.

Doowee & Rice
Somerville

Le Cordon Bleu–trained chef Duy (pronounced “Doowee”) Tran has made his culinary name with the wildly popular meat and rice plates at this tucked-away Somerville spot. But just as good are his fluffy bao baos, stuffed with gingery chicken and apple or fall-apart braised pork, and his Vietnamese rice noodles with marinated beef, perked up with fish sauce, cilantro, scallions, peanuts, and fried shallots.

868 Broadway, Somerville, 617-764-1906, dooweeandrice.com.

The post The 20 Essential Asian Restaurants* appeared first on Boston Magazine.

The 20 Essential Restaurants in Boston

Plus: Six New Restaurants On the Horizon

Chinatown Tour

We present Chinatown’s hidden treasures.

Everybody Loves Ramen

Check out the best of the broths in Boston, and learn how to make your own versions.

Wonton Regard

Some of the best dumplings around, from the traditional to the anything-but.

Plus: How to Eat a Soup Dumpling

Your Guide to Dim Sum

Where to go, what to order, and tips for good dim sum etiquette.

Good Libations

The best scorpion bowls, beer, and sake.

Have $5?

…then you’ve got more than enough for one or more of these delicious items.

The post Umami Rising appeared first on Boston Magazine.

The iconic Chinatown Gate. (Photos by Mark Fleming)

China King

From the owners of the old King Fung Garden comes this small, red-walled spot, which specializes in affordable three-course Peking duck feasts ($38 for four diners) featuring crackly-skinned meat with house-made pancakes; a stir-fry with vegetables; and a clear soup made from the carcass. Just be sure to order 24 hours in advance.

Don’t miss: Shanghai chow mein noodles; sautéed pea-pod stems (available by request).

60 Beach St., 617-542-1763.

Taiwan Café

Come here to sample Taiwanese iterations of the classics: sumptuous scallion pancakes; home-style braised eggplant with basil; and gua bao stuffed with braised pork and peanuts.

Don’t miss: Steamed sticky rice with pork and mushrooms; mustard greens with edamame and bean curd.

34 Oxford St., 617-426-8181, taiwancafeboston.com.

Roast meats are a specialty at Wai Wai.

Don’t leave Wai Wai without a scoop of ice cream (we like the coconut and ginger flavors).

Wai Wai

This ice cream shop/roast-meat haven more than makes up for its deficiencies in atmosphere with its white-cooked chicken, which is chopped to order and layered over rice with potent poaching liquid and a vibrant ginger-scallion sauce. Cash only.

Don’t miss: Rice plates with crispy pork; ginger ice cream.

26 Oxford St., 617-338-9833.

Japanese-inspired hot dogs from Fei Fan Eatery.

Avana Loft Building

Walk past a cell-phone store and up a flight of stairs to find this mini food court, where vendors hawk everything from mammoth Japanese-style hot dogs (Fei Fan Eatery) and steamed-to-order dumplings (Dumpling King) to wafflelike Cantonese egg puffs (from the cart in the back).

Don’t miss: The Fei Fan Eatery “crazy dog,”  topped with teriyaki sauce, mayo, and shredded nori.

42 Beach St.

Gourmet Dumpling House

Forgo the dumplings here in favor of the true star of the menu: “sliced fish Szechuan-style,” a bowl of tender fish fillets and napa cabbage swimming in chili oil and chili flakes.

Don’t miss: Garlic eggplant; fried buns with chive and egg.

52 Beach St., 617-338-6223, gourmetdumpling.com.

Ho Yuen Bakery

The best traditional Chinese bakery in the area, Ho Yuen specializes in dense moon cakes and all manner of filled buns. Cash only.

Don’t miss: Coconut buns; steamed barbecue-pork buns; lotus-leaf-wrapped sticky rice.

54 Beach St. #1, 617-426-8320.

Sweet dreams courtesy of the Ho Yuen Bakery.

More assorted pastries and buns from traditional Cantonese bakery Ho Yuen.

The post Chinatown Tour appeared first on Boston Magazine.

Photos by Heath Robbins
Styling by Jessica Weatherhead/Team 

Turnip Cakes

Chinese radish (or, sometimes, taro root) is shredded, boiled, mixed with rice flour and Chinese sausage, molded, sliced, and pan-seared.

Mango Mochi Balls

The mochi dough (made from glutinous rice) is blended with mango purée, filled with fresh mango chunks, and dusted with dried coconut flakes.

Shark’s-Fin Dumplings

This dish, traditionally made with pork, shrimp, cilantro, and carrots, is named for the ridged texture of the pinched wonton—not the filling.

Bo-Lei Tea, Also Known As Pu’erh Tea

You’ll typically receive Jasmine green tea at the start of your meal, but there are actually five additional varieties:

1. Bo-lei (pictured), popular with the Chinese for its ability to aid in the digestion of rich food.

2. Chrysanthemum, which has flower buds that expand in the hot water.

3. Wulong, also known as oolong.

4. Shou-mei, a type of white tea.

5. Tie-guan-yin, another type of oolong.

Tip: To indicate you’re ready for a refill, leave the lid off to the side of the teapot.

Etiquette: Pour your dining companion’s tea before your own.

Sticky-Rice-Stuffed Lotus Leaves

Sticky rice is mixed with Chinese sausage, chicken, ground pork, and crushed salted egg yolk, then steamed inside a lotus leaf.

Rice Noodles with Pork Ribs

Rare, bone-in spare ribs are placed atop rolled noodles and steamed.

Salty Pork Dumplings

Thin-skinned wrappers made from sticky rice-flour batter are filled with ground pork and dried baby shrimp and fried.

Rice Noodles

Rice-noodle sheets are wrapped around shrimp, beef, or—in this case—airy fried crullers, and served with a soy-based sauce.

Pineapple Buns

Named for their golden, cookielike crust, these pastries actually don’t contain any pineapple, but are instead filled with creamy custard.

Congee

This traditional rice porridge is topped with tea-smoked dried fish, peanuts, and scallions. Other toppings include ground pork and a preserved duck egg.

Chicken Feet

The trimmed and cleaned feet are deep-fried, then simmered slowly in soy sauce, cloves, and hoisin sauce till they’re soft.

Barbecue Pork Buns

You’ll also find baked and fried pork buns, but this fluffy variety, filled with honey-barbecue char siu, is most common.

Tofu and Vegetables Stuffed with Shrimp

Blocks of tofu (and vegetables like eggplant and green pepper) are filled with ground shrimp and then fried.

Crab Claws

A claw, with the meat attached, is encased in a ground-shrimp mixture and fried.

Sauces

Condiments such as hot sauce, mustard, red vinegar, soy sauce, sambal, and chili oil are typically available upon request.

Shumai

These open-faced dumplings are filled with ground shrimp and pork, then garnished with a red dot of dyed scrambled egg.

Har Gow Steamed Shrimp Dumplings

Chopped pieces of shrimp fill a translucent, wheat-starch-and-cornstarch-based pouch.

Stir-Fried Noodles

These thin noodles are pan-fried until crisp, then tossed with scallions, soy sauce, and onion. Not typically available on carts.

Sesame Balls

Sesame-seed-coated spheres made from a rice-flour batter are filled with dense, sweet lotus-seed paste or less-sweet red-bean paste.

Egg-Custard Tarts

Rich custard is poured into a flaky pastry shell and baked.

WHERE TO GO

Dim Sum from the Cart: Hei La Moon, Chinatown; and China Pearl, Chinatown.

Dim Sum from the Menu: Winsor Dim Sum Café, Chinatown; Great Taste Bakery, Chinatown; and China Pearl, Quincy.

OR TRY THIS INSTEAD

Taiwanese-style brunch—centered around noodles, buns, and the ultimate scallion pancake—is another way to inject fun into an otherwise humdrum Sunday.

Where to Go: Jo Jo Taipei, Allston; Chung Shin Yuan, Newton; and Shangri-La, Belmont. Brunch served on weekends only.

WHAT TO ORDER

Photos by Connor Sumner

Scallion Pancakes Rolled with Roast Beef

These flaky disks are rolled around thin slices of roast beef.

Fried Steamed Buns

At Jo Jo Taipei, the buns are topped with sweetened condensed milk and crushed peanuts. Other versions are stuffed with pork and chives.

Salty Soy Milk

This savory concoction is finished with dried baby shrimp, scallions, and a drizzle of chili oil. Pair it with an order of fried crullers.

Leek Pockets

Half-moon pastries filled with a mixture of leeks, egg, and vermicelli noodles.

For more on Asian cuisine in Boston, check out our complete guide to Asian cuisine: Umami Rising.

The post Your Guide to Dim Sum appeared first on Boston Magazine.