Zhu Restaurant Opens in Boston's Back Bay

Last fall, it was reported that a new Asian dining spot was coming to the Back Bay of Boston, and now we have learned that it is in the process of getting up and running.

According to a poster within the Friends of Boston's Hidden Restaurants Facebook group page, Zhu restaurant is now open on Boylston Street, with the Instagram page for the place indicating that it is in a soft opening phase with hours from 11:00 AM to 9:30 PM today. The new restaurant focuses on Chinese seafood and dim sum while offering beer, wine, cocktail, and spirits, and as mentioned in an earlier article here, it has moved into the space where the Irish pub Lir had been until closing in 2020 after 17 years in operation.

The address for Zhu is 903 Boylston Street, Boston, MA, 02115. Its Instagram page can be found at https://www.instagram.com/zhuboston/

[Earlier Article]
Zhu Restaurant Plans to Open in the Former Lir Space in Boston's Back Bay

(Follow Marc on Bluesky at @marchurboston.bsky.social)

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[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

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Shangri-La in Belmont Is Closing

A beloved Chinese restaurant in the western suburbs is shutting down after being in business for many years.

According to a source, Shangri-La in Belmont is getting ready to close, with a note within the website for the Belmont Street spot saying that they will be shuttering on May 31 "due to uncontrollable circumstances." The family behind the eatery does leave the door open to a possible rebirth of place, saying that "we will update you if we decide to relocate in the future." 

Shangri-La first opened more than 20 years ago, serving a mix of Chinese-American and Taiwanese dishes while also offering a dim sum/brunch menu as well.

The address for Shangri-La is 149 Belmont Street, Belmont, MA, 02478. Its website can be found at https://shangrilachinese.com/

by Marc Hurwitz (Also follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston)

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[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

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Hei La Moon in Chinatown May Be Able to Stay in Its Home

Last spring, it was reported that one of the largest Chinese restaurants in Boston might be losing its home to development. Now we have learned that they may be able to stay on thanks to revised plans for the space.

According to an article from Universal Hub, Oxford Properties has filed new plans with the city to build a 14-story building on Lincoln Street in Chinatown that would mainly be used for research and development, while also having space on the ground floor for Hei La Moon if things can be worked out with the restaurant. Originally, the developer had submitted plans to open a 24-story office tower that would replace both the restaurant and the parking garage that also resides in the space.

Oxford mentioned that it had also talked with the people behind C-Mart to see about their returning to the site as well, but the owners have no interest in reopening the store there, which has been closed since the spring due to the pandemic.

Hei La Moon is a longtime local favorite in Chinatown that is known in part for its dim sum. Its address is 88 Beach Street, Boston, MA, 02111.

[Earlier Article]
Building Housing Hei La Moon in Chinatown May be Replaced by Office Tower

by Marc Hurwitz (Also follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston)

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[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

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Please help keep Boston Restaurant Talk and Boston's Hidden Restaurants going by making a one-time contribution or via a monthly subscription. Thanks! (Donations are non-deductible.)

Payment Options

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Dim Sum Cafe in Medford Has Closed; Exact Status Unknown

A Chinese restaurant known for its all-day dim sum is closed, and it is not known if or when it may open back up again.

According to a poster within the Friends of Boston's Hidden Restaurants Facebook group page, Dim Sum Cafe in Medford is shuttered, with a note out front saying "Due to understaffing, we are unable to continue to run the restaurant at this time. Dim Sum Cafe will be [closed] for a short period of time and hope to serve you again soon." The Fellsway West eatery appears to have closed just before Thanksgiving, though it is not known exactly when the note went up.

The address for Dim Sum Cafe is 679 Fellsway West, Medford, MA, 02155. Its website can be found at https://www.dimsumcafemedford.com/

by Marc Hurwitz (Also follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston)

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[Related article from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): Slideshow--Twelve Food Items from Asian Restaurants in the Boston Area]

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New China Pearl in Woburn Is Closing

A suburban Chinese restaurant known in part for its dim sim is closing.

According to multiple sources, including a poster within the Friends of Boston's Hidden Restaurants Facebook group page, New China Pearl in Woburn is shutting down, confirming what a source had told us a few weeks ago. A post from the Mishawum Road spot confirms the closure, saying that "due to our lease ending at the end of July, we will be closing our doors with the last day of service being July 16."

New China Pearl opened 11 years ago, offering a lunch buffet and a variety of Chinese-American and Chinese appetizers and entrees along with dim sum.

The address for this soon-to-close Chinese restaurant in Woburn is: New China Pearl, 288 Mishawum Road, Woburn, MA, 01801.

by Marc Hurwitz (Also follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston)

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[Related article from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): Slideshow--Twelve Food Items from Asian Restaurants in the Boston Area]

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Building Housing Hei La Moon in Chinatown May be Replaced by Office Tower

by Marc Hurwitz

The future of a spacious Chinatown restaurant appears to be in question, as new development could be coming to the space.

Bisnow is reporting (via a letter posted on the bostonplans.org site) that the parking garage building at Lincoln Street and Beach Street that is home to Hei La Moon may be replaced by a 24-story office tower that would include restaurant and retail space on the ground floor along with indoor and outdoor public space. Oxford Properties, which is behind the proposal, sent the letter of intent to the Boston Planning & Development Agency last week, with the developer hoping to meet with the city to discuss the plans.(Bisnow says that Oxford purchased the garage a couple of years ago for $40 million.)

Hei La Moon is a sprawling dining spot that is known in part for its dim sum; the restaurant has been featured on our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants, with a link to the review being here:

https://hiddenboston.com/HeiLaMoon.html

The address for Hei La Moon is 88 Beach Street, Boston, MA, 02111.

[June 26 update: A Facebook post indicates that a meeting is slated to take place this evening that should give more information on the proposal to build an office tower at the site currently occupied by Hei La Moon.]

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[Related article from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): Slideshow--Twelve Food Items from Asian Restaurants in the Boston Area]

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Green Tea in Newton Has Closed

A suburban Chinese restaurant that offered a variety of dishes along with dim sum on weekends has very quietly closed.

According to several sources, Green Tea in Newton has been locked up and dark for at least a couple of weeks, with no indication as to why it has shut down or what might happen to the space. A check on the website for the Elliot Street eatery shows that the site is still up and running, though its phone number does appear to be out of service. As soon as we find out what the exact status of the space is, we will post an update here.

Green Tea was known in part for its Northern Chinese, Hong Kong, and Taiwanese fare, along with its weekend dim sum and sushi options.

The address for this now-closed Chinese restaurant in Newton was: Green Tea, 24 Elliot Street, Newton, MA, 02461.

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[Related article from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): Slideshow--Twelve Food Items from Asian Restaurants in the Boston Area]

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Chau Chow City Restaurant in Boston's Chinatown Is Closing

Chinatown's restaurant scene is taking another big hit.

According to an article in the Sampan, Chau Chow City on Essex Street closes on Sunday, April 30 after being in the neighborhood for 32 years, with the post saying that the restaurant's lease is up this month and the landlord is apparently raising the rent, according to the people behind the dining spot. This is the second big closure to hit Chinatown of late, as East Ocean City on Beach Street recently shut down as well.

Chau Chow City first opened on Beach Street in 1985, moving to its current home approximately 12 years later. Another location of the restaurant is located on Morrissey Boulevard in Dorchester, with the Sampan saying that that one will remain in operation.

The address for Chau Chow City in Chinatown is 83 Essex Street, Boston, MA, 02111.

Thanks to Universal Hub for initially bringing this to our attention.

[June 8 update: A photo sent by a source indicates that the former Chau Chow City in Chinatown could soon be replaced by a new hot pot and sushi place.]

[Related Article]
East Ocean City in Boston's Chinatown Has Apparently Closed

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[Related article from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): Slideshow--Twelve Food Items from Asian Restaurants in the Boston Area]

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Yong Yong Is Opening in Malden

A new restaurant has come to the downtown section of Malden, and it features a variety of options for dining.

A Twitter note from @DuffyMalden indicates that Yong Yong has soft opened on Ferry Street, with the grand opening for the place coming sometime this week. Based on information from the Twitter post as well as the restaurant's Facebook page, it looks like the dining spot is offering sushi, a hotpot buffet, dim sum a la carte, and Chinese dishes.

The address for the new restaurant in Malden is: Yong Yong, 108 Ferry Street, Malden, MA, 02148.

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[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

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Dim Sum Cafe Opens in Medford

A new Chinese restaurant has just opened its doors in Medford.

According to their Facebook page, Dim Sum Cafe is now open on Fellsway West (Route 28), with their grand opening being this past Monday. A post on their page says that the dining spot features "delicious dim sum to eat at the comfort of your own home," with a picture showing that the eatery offers Szechuan, Cantonese, and Mandarin fare. Dim Sum Cafe is open for lunch and dinner seven days a week, with hours being 11:00 AM to 10:00 PM Monday through Wednesday, 11:00 AM to 11:00 PM Thursday through Saturday, and 11:00 AM to 9:30 PM on Sundays.

The address for this new Chinese restaurant in Medford is: Dim Sum Cafe, 679 Fellsway West, Medford, MA, 02155. Their Facebook page can be found at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dim-Sum-Cafe/175526439264728

Thanks to food writer MC Slim JB for bringing this to our attention (via Chowhound).

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Gitlo's in Allston Has Closed

It looks like a tiny dim sum spot in Allston has closed its doors after being in business for a little less than three years.

According to a poster on the Chowhound site, Gitlo's Dim Sum Bakery at 164 Brighton Avenue has shut down, with a new Greek dining spot apparently moving into the space. Calls placed to Gitlo's have gone unanswered, their Facebook page has been dormant for awhile, and a "spotter" for us who works in Allston and regularly gives us information on the neighborhood has confirmed that it has indeed closed.

Since opening in late 2007, Gitlo's Dim Sum Bakery has been known as a no-frills place featuring dim sum every day for lunch and dinner. The restaurant has offered such dim sum items as shumai, dumplings, homemade clear noodles, daikon cake, and custard bun.

Before Gitlo's moved into the spot (which is just west of Harvard Avenue), a Vietnamese restaurant called V. Majestic resided here for a number of years.

As soon as we find out more information on the restaurant that is apparently moving into the space, we will post an update here.

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Jin Asian Restaurant Shut Down by the Town of Saugus

An Asian restaurant on Route 1 in Saugus that is one of the largest dining spots in the Boston area has been closed down after town selectmen voted to revoke all of their licenses. According to Wicked Local Manchester, Jin Asian Restaurant was put out of business by the town of Saugus after the Board of Selectmen voted unanimously this week to take away their licenses, citing public safety issues. Also noted is the fact that Jin owes more than $250,000 in taxes in fees to the town.

Jin first opened in 2006, moving into the spot where Weylu's used to be high up on a hill overlooking Route 1 near the Route 99 intersection. The restaurant has featured a mix of Chinese, Japanese, and other Asian fare, offering sushi, dim sum, and much more, including the largest buffet in New England.

[January 28 update: According to an article within the Saugus Advertiser/Wicked Local site, a new Asian restaurant will be opening where Jin used to be. The article states that a beer and wine license as well as an entertainment license were given to ATM Mabo LLC earlier this week. It appears that the restaurant will open in about three months.]

For more information on the closing of Jin Asian Restaurant in Saugus, please go to the Wicked Local Manchester link below:

Saugus selectmen revoke Jin Restaurant's licenses permanently

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