Kitschy Kowloon = Classic Chinese
Written: Feb 07 '04 (Updated Dec 07 '05)
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Pros: Kitschy decor, lower than average prices
Cons: Poor service, lower than average food
The Bottom Line: Kowloon is worth a visit for the kitschy decor. The food and service may disappoint.
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| modernmarvel's Full Review: Kowloon |
Kowloon has been a landmark on Rte. 1 in Saugus for as long as I can remember. It is hard to miss on a drive by: a three story plastic polynesian temple with a giant statue of a tiki god straddling the front door. The food is average but the decor and the kitsch make it a fun destination.
THE DECOR
The decor is the main attraction so I have to discuss it first. There are several dining rooms inside the restaurant, each with different decor. We chose the Tiki room, based on its reputation of the best/kitschiest/tackiest decor. It certainly lived up to its reputation! The centerpiece of the dining room is a "pond" surrounded by fake rocks and filled with fountains highlighted by color lights. Plastic palm trees line the sides of the dining room backed by murals depicting a south pacific landscape. Most seating consists of booths covered by plastic grass huts. The ceiling is painted blue with randomly placed spotlights to resemble stars in an evening sky. Part of the dining room has the fittings of a sailing ship complete with steering wheel. Ahhh . . . just another lazy evening in plastic polynesia.
FOOD AND DRINK
The menu is mainly chinese food of the variety you would expect to find anywhere: moo shu, chow mein, fried rice, chicken and broccoli and all the other standard dishes. There is also a considerable Thai menu with curries and pad thai. Given the theme of the restaurant, I expected more polynesian dishes but was disappointed to find only a few.
We ordered the flaming pupu platter to start: a variety of appetizers (chicken fingers, ribs, egg roll, etc.) surrounding a blue flame. The appetizers were average and perhaps a bit greasier than than you would expect. The pu pu platter cost $17.50 for a considerable amount of food that would have easily served four hungry adults.
For entrees, we got chicken and broccoli, chicken lo mein, moo shu chicken and pork fried rice. The pork fried rice was very dark and salty but I liked the taste. The chicken and broccoli was white which is unusual in New England and it completely lacked flavor. The chicken lo mein was mostly noodles with few other ingredients. The moo shu chicken was also ordinary. The portions were large and we brought a considerable amount of food home. Many entrees cost around $10 but there were a number of entrees that included lobster and cost closer to $18.
There were some limited choices for desserts, but we didn't get any. Our bill arrived with a fortune cookie for each of us.
Kowloon has the standard cocktail menu for a polynesian restaurant: scorpian bowls, suffering bastards and other tropical drinks. We got the kids what were billed as Strawberry smoothies but were, in reality, bar mixes blended with ice. At $2.95, I would have expected a little more.
SERVICE
The service was a disappointment. We were greeted and seated right away. Our waiter brought water within 5 minutes and took our order promptly. He didn't write down the order as we recited it. That was a mistake as it turned out because I ordered chicken chow mein and we chicken lo mein. After placing our order, it was about a 15-20 minute wait for the food. We had to ask for the complimentary bread basket for the table (very cold, slightly damp white bread in a plastic basket). Luckily, the kids were entranced by the decor and didn't complain. After the food was served, our waiter essentially disappeared. We tried to flag him down for 20 minutes to get the bill. Then it was another 10 minutes before he showed up to collect the credit card.
AMBIANCE
Kowloon is about as casual as you can get. There was a big variety of diners from families to dates to groups of friends. We saw many cakes being carried around and heard many choruses of "Happy Birthday." T-shirts and jeans would be appropriate here although we also some some other diners more dressed up.
CHILD FRIENDLINESS
There were lots of families in the restaurant. There was no children's menu so kids would have to be open to chinese or thai food. I didn't see any high chairs and am not sure if they exist.
VEGETARIAN
There were lots of vegetarian options on the menu.
HANDICAPPED
While there are a couple of floors to the restaurant, you could enter and eat on the ground floor. I didn't seen an elevator to the top floor.
SOME OTHER THOUGHTS
They take credit cards.
We arrived just before 5 on a Saturday night and there was no wait. We left close to 7 and the lobby was mobbed with people waiting for tables.
There is a comedy club upstairs.
There was a vendor selling Superbowl souveniers in the large lobby lending a carnival-like atmosphere to the restaurant.
FINAL RECOMMENDATION
I wouldn't rush back to Kowloon but it was fun to go once and check out the decor. The food and service were below average but so were the prices. Given all the considerations, I recommend a visit but advise that you set low expectations and just enjoy the polynesian kitchiness.
HUNGRY FOR MORE? TRY THESE BOSTON-AREA RESTAURANTS:
BOSTON: Radius; Caffe Vitoria; Excelsior; Jacob Wirth; Cottonwood Cafe; Imperial Seafood House; Sibling Rivalry; Fleming’s; 29 Newbury.
BROOKLINE: Mr. Sushi; Fugakyu; Takeshima; Tsunami; Anna's Taqueria; Zaftigs Delicatessen; Bangkok Bistro; Golden Temple.
NEWTON: Appetito; India Paradise; Blue Ribbon Barbeque; Ice Cream Works; Baker's Best; Bill’s Pizzeria; Cafe Nicolas; Union Street; O’Hara’s; Yeradi’s; Johnny’s Luchonette.
CAMBRIDGE: S&S Restaurant; The Japanese Mall; Jasper White’s Summer Shack; Dali .
WEST ROXBURY: Cafe Misono.
BRIGHTON: Tasca.
ESSEX: Woodman’s.
CHAIN RESTAURANTS: Not Your Average Joe’s; Bertucci’s; Legal Sea Foods; Cheesecake Factory; Rainforest Cafe; Fire & Ice; Bugaboo Creek Steakhouse; Friendly’s.
COFFEE, BAGELS AND DONUTS: Bruegger’s Bagels; Finagle a Bagel; Dunkin Donuts; Peet’s Coffee and Tea.
Recommended:
Yes
Kid Friendliness: Yes
Vegetarian Friendly: Yes
Notes, Tips or Menu Recommendations One of the few places to get a flaming pu pu platter. The Tiki Room has fascinating decor.
Best Suited For: Friends
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modernmarvel
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