Chow Main


Porter Square isn’t known as a foodie destination, but it does boast one of my favorite Chinese takeout spots, Qingdao Garden.

The restaurant is named after the coastal city of Qing Dao–also spelled Tsingtao, which is a name you might recognize if you’re a fan of Chinese beer. Beer, you ask? The city and surrounding peninsula was annexed by Germany in the early part of the 19th century, and a brewery was built in 1903 (you can also see the German influence in the architecture around the old port).

Anyway, back to the food. This is northern Chinese fare, so don’t expect the more fragrant cooking of, say, Sichuan. But you can’t go wrong with several dishes: Peking style eggplant, hot chili chicken, minced potato with hot pepper, and pork with cilantro. The restaurant also does a very good dim sum service on weekends.