One year ago, I published
Yurine's Pot, the first
Tipsy Sensei story and it featured an ancient Japanese legend about
Shōjō, water spirits who love
Sake. In honor of this anniversary, it thus seemed appropriate that I should visit a Chinatown restaurant called
Shōjō. I previously reviewed this restaurant, after a lunch visit, proclaiming it
A Welcome Addition To Chinatown. Please read that post for background information on the restaurant and here you can read my new thoughts after my dinner visit with
Jen and
Adam.
The restaurant was fairly busy for a Tuesday night, even at 8pm and later. Their lunch and dinner menus are different and the current version of their Dinner Menu included 14
Soups & Small Plates ($4-$10), 2
Pasta ($15-$16), 8
Entrees ($14-$18), 4
Sides ($3-$5) and 1
Dessert ($5). It is an eclectic, fun and interesting selection of dishes, Asian inspired but usually with unique twists. Consider the
Winter Salad, made with Hijiki, Goat Cheese, Candied Walnuts & Sriracha Cider or the
House Smoked Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin with Asian Gnocchi, Kung Pao Sauce & Toasted Peanuts.
I began my meal with a glass of
Hakushu 12 Year Old Single Malt, a Japanese whisky, a nice sipping spirit with intriguing fruity elements and a mild smoky backbone. They also carry the
Hibiki and
Yamazaki Japanese whiskies. Japanese whisky intrigues me, and it is difficult to find much of it in the Boston area.
We decided to start off by splitting several Small Plates, and each one was delicious, compelling and I would recommend all. Not a dud among them. The
XO Fresh Corn ($4) is made with Soy and a Housemade XO Sauce, which is a mildly spicy seafood sauce. The sauce was complex and intriguing, rich in umami, elevating a simple dish of corn.
The
Tempura Housemade Pickles ($5), which come with a whole grain mustard aioli, were an addictive treat. Pink peppercorns are used in making the pickles which are mildly sweet. The tempura batter is light, clean and crunchy and cover a thin sliced, crisp and juicy slice of pickle. One of the best fried pickle dishes in the city.
The
Suckling Pig Bao ($8), which has received raves from many, is worthy of the accolades. Made with a Smoked BBQ sauce and Housemade Kimchi, the pork was flavorful and had a delightful, crunchy exterior. The light smokiness of the sauce enhanced the pork.
The
BBQ Pork Ribs ($8) are covered by a sweet chile glaze and topped by a frisee fennel salad. The tender and flavorful meat easily falls off the bones, and each rib was meaty. The glaze is only mildly spicy and I would love to see a spicier version of these ribs. Pure BBQ rib pleasure.
For entrees,
Adam opted for the
Kimchi Fried Rice ($14) with tofu steak and a farm raised fried egg. He was very pleased with his entree, though a tofu steak would not have been my choice.
Jen decided on the
Pistachio Crusted Tuna Steak ($18) with wasabi risotto, honey-soy glaze and pumpkin croutons. She also was impressed with her entree, raving about its flavors. She also remarked on the large size of the dish, having expected a smaller portion.
I opted for the
Char Siu Pulled Pork Ravioli ($15), with house smoked bacon, Chinese celery, and shaved Pecorino. Each ravioli, cooked al dente, was quite large and filled with plenty of tender, tasty meat. The addition of the bacon, celery and cheese added a nice mix of flavors and textures, elevating this dish, delivering an Asian flair to an otherwise Italian style dish. Very enjoyable and also recommended.
For dessert, we ended with the
Chocolate Sesame Balls ($5), which I previously
reviewed and which were equally as delicious this time.
Overall, our dinner was excellent and impressive, and each dish delivered. Service was professional, courteous and attentive. I believe you get a good value for the price and
Shōjō is certainly a welcome addition to Chinatown. Dine there for lunch or dinner, and I bet you too will enjoy their intriguing cuisine.
