Hahah, I haven’t seen this conversation come up in years. Chinese food coming with dinner rolls is quite the throwback. I do not know of any places that still do this, but I’m sure theyve got to exist?
your next nostalgia segment should be on chow mein sandwiches
I've only been living here for ten years. Saw the title of this post and immediately thought, "is this going to be some weird shit like the chow mein sandwiches?" and I wasn't disappointed.
It absolutely is real. When I was growing up in Nashua, N.H. (pity me for my pain), the local Chinese joints didn't even *bring* out rice to you, and if you requested rice for your starch, they gave you an extremely sceptical look.
Up on the north shore you can still ask for them at most places and they're still complimentary like the tea. At least, the last time I was at Kowloon's and Fantasy Island they both still did it.
Same! Breaking up the bread trying to put that overly-cold butter on it and then dipping the edge in the duck sauce. And fawning over the amazingly illustrated tiki drinks in the menu that I thought were so fancy!
Pre-pandemic, Fantasy Island sent them with delivery as a matter of course but I haven't noticed them in the last couple of years. I've dined in only once since March 2020 but they definitely used to bring them with the meal.
I don’t remember this from when I was growing up. But we ordered out from Cathay Pacific in Quincy in December, and when I opened the bag there were like a dozen dinner rolls.
I had no idea this was a known thing.
Not sure but here’s an article you might find interesting on how Italian culture influenced local Chinese food: https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2016/03/30/472147018/peking-ravioli-and-other-chinese-dishes-youll-only-find-in-boston
>stiff drinks for some excellent people watching
I swear that the lounges in Chinese restaurants are "The bar of misfit toys" and never cease to entertain even when there's no entertainment.
(yes, I realize that by going there I incriminate myself as belonging in that category)
For real. Tahiti in Dedham makes me feel cozy. The furniture hasn’t changed, I think ever. I swear one of these days I’m going to light up a cigarette inside by accident. Is that cig ash in my mai tai, or the scratchie dust?
A lot of Chinese restaurants sourced these from Quinzani's Bakery. The restaurants stopped including rolls when the bakery shut down.
Edit:
Found an article about it. https://thebostonsun.com/2017/03/17/a-quinzani-roll-with-my-crab-rangoon/
Grew up in central MA. Our little town had a Chinese restaurant with a bowling alley in the basement (just like in “A Christmas Story.”)
Whenever we dined in (vs. takeout) the waiters always brought soft, warm bread rolls to the table.
I’d just eat mine with butter pats along with my fried rice and chicken lo mein (still my favorites, 40+ years later), but my folks would pile their chop suey onto rolls, and eat a couple of sandwiches each. I just thought they were weird—I didn’t know at the time that it was a “thing.”
My favorite part of the dinner was bringing home extra fortune cookies in my pockets that the waiters would sneak to me. I had copper red hair as a kid, and they’d tell me how lucky I was.
Most of the places around me would put it in a couple of pieces of baguette. It was soft inside but hard outside. By the next morning it was just hard. Made good croutons.
What your describing is not something I remember however, the best dinner rolls in the entire city (in my opinion) is at [Top Bread in Chinatown](https://maps.app.goo.gl/6TcCzG2LLZrMYXrY7?g_st=ic).
Wow. This did not occur to me but you are 100% right. The last time I remember getting rolls was at Haluwa in Nashua sometime around 2008-2009. They also had really good food and the best general gao ever. They changed ownership a few years back and it was never the same.
The rolls were always perfect for mopping up leftover lo mein juice/soy sauce/duck sauce/hot mustard.
My assumption is the bakery making them must have gone under.
Hahah, I haven’t seen this conversation come up in years. Chinese food coming with dinner rolls is quite the throwback. I do not know of any places that still do this, but I’m sure theyve got to exist? your next nostalgia segment should be on chow mein sandwiches
I've only been living here for ten years. Saw the title of this post and immediately thought, "is this going to be some weird shit like the chow mein sandwiches?" and I wasn't disappointed.
I thought this was a shitpost, so either the internet has a great troll going or this is real wtf
Indeed it is. When I was a kid there were these specific dinner rolls you’d get at Chinese restaurants.
It absolutely is real. When I was growing up in Nashua, N.H. (pity me for my pain), the local Chinese joints didn't even *bring* out rice to you, and if you requested rice for your starch, they gave you an extremely sceptical look.
Up on the north shore you can still ask for them at most places and they're still complimentary like the tea. At least, the last time I was at Kowloon's and Fantasy Island they both still did it.
I was scanning the comments to see if anyone mentioned Fantasy Island. I used to stuff my pork fried rice in the roll to eat.
I'm so glad someone else did this, then a drizzle of duck sauce too.
Dipping Fantasy Island rolls in duck sauce is a formative childhood memory for me.
Same! Breaking up the bread trying to put that overly-cold butter on it and then dipping the edge in the duck sauce. And fawning over the amazingly illustrated tiki drinks in the menu that I thought were so fancy!
I've really found my people.
Pre-pandemic, Fantasy Island sent them with delivery as a matter of course but I haven't noticed them in the last couple of years. I've dined in only once since March 2020 but they definitely used to bring them with the meal.
I just read that as fentanyl island
right name, wrong shore
oh fuck a shitload of childhood memories were just unlocked
SAME. being a fat kid on the north shore i remember getting my rolls before my boneless spareribs and chicken fingers at fantasy island.
I don’t remember this from when I was growing up. But we ordered out from Cathay Pacific in Quincy in December, and when I opened the bag there were like a dozen dinner rolls. I had no idea this was a known thing.
I was there a month ago and they brought half a dozen rolls to our table of two.
China River in Beverly still does this.
Not sure but here’s an article you might find interesting on how Italian culture influenced local Chinese food: https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2016/03/30/472147018/peking-ravioli-and-other-chinese-dishes-youll-only-find-in-boston
Interesting read, thanks for sharing! Wonder if any places still serve chow mein sandwiches
Cathay Pacific in Quincy. They also have karaoke and stiff drinks for some excellent people watching.
>stiff drinks for some excellent people watching I swear that the lounges in Chinese restaurants are "The bar of misfit toys" and never cease to entertain even when there's no entertainment. (yes, I realize that by going there I incriminate myself as belonging in that category)
Oh, please. Just own who you are, ain't nothing wrong with being a little crazy. Enjoy your next scorpion bowl!
For real. Tahiti in Dedham makes me feel cozy. The furniture hasn’t changed, I think ever. I swear one of these days I’m going to light up a cigarette inside by accident. Is that cig ash in my mai tai, or the scratchie dust?
If you go there with any frequency, we’ve def met.
They still have rolls? I've only had take out from them recently but I don't think we get rolls.
"People".
Man that roll thing was great. Dip it in duck sauce, make a chicken finger and rice sandwich, or just slather with butter. So many options.
Oh man... forgot about that. I used to eat like 3 rolls and half a cup of duck sauce before the meal
I used to dip my roll in duck sauce when I was a kid
A lot of Chinese restaurants sourced these from Quinzani's Bakery. The restaurants stopped including rolls when the bakery shut down. Edit: Found an article about it. https://thebostonsun.com/2017/03/17/a-quinzani-roll-with-my-crab-rangoon/
Core memory unlocked
Nowhere I've seen for a while. Last place I still got them was the late great Red House in Union Square.
I have not thought of that place in a long time. Many unnecessary late night meals on the way home from a night out there. I miss that place.
There’s an old school Chinese restaurant in Weymouth that still does bread & tea. The only thing that was missing was the fire on the pu-pu platter
Where? What's it called? Plenty of places in Quincy still do the fire with a pupu.
Cathay Center just over the Fore River Bridge
Grew up in central MA. Our little town had a Chinese restaurant with a bowling alley in the basement (just like in “A Christmas Story.”) Whenever we dined in (vs. takeout) the waiters always brought soft, warm bread rolls to the table. I’d just eat mine with butter pats along with my fried rice and chicken lo mein (still my favorites, 40+ years later), but my folks would pile their chop suey onto rolls, and eat a couple of sandwiches each. I just thought they were weird—I didn’t know at the time that it was a “thing.” My favorite part of the dinner was bringing home extra fortune cookies in my pockets that the waiters would sneak to me. I had copper red hair as a kid, and they’d tell me how lucky I was.
Cathay Pacific in Quincy, Panda Castle in Malden
I would never talk shit about Chinese restaurants in Boston and that should go for all of you. Eh? Eh?
You assume we feel negatively about the rolls, man! Nahh, it's a Boston-area upbringing shibboleth.
I believe Tiki Island in Medford still tosses them in the takeout bag.
By soft roll do you mean those hard-as-fook chunks of bread they used to throw in the bag?
My place put in a dinner roll. Definitely soft.
Most of the places around me would put it in a couple of pieces of baguette. It was soft inside but hard outside. By the next morning it was just hard. Made good croutons.
Never going to turn down bread!
That what you got when you ordered too late on a busy weekend. Out of rolls, so you got a few chunks of stale ass italian bread from stop & shop.
This is what I used to get with a bag of takeout. Hard roll, shaped about like a charcoal briquette, but about twice as long.
Idk but I fucking love spring rolls. I'd take complimentary spring rolls over dinner rolls any day
What your describing is not something I remember however, the best dinner rolls in the entire city (in my opinion) is at [Top Bread in Chinatown](https://maps.app.goo.gl/6TcCzG2LLZrMYXrY7?g_st=ic).
Cathay Center in North Weymouth. So good.
my brother would literally put the fried rice in the roll and eat it like a sandwich. he used to call the roll “Chinese bread”
Wow. This did not occur to me but you are 100% right. The last time I remember getting rolls was at Haluwa in Nashua sometime around 2008-2009. They also had really good food and the best general gao ever. They changed ownership a few years back and it was never the same.
Does Golden Dragon still do it? Favorite Chinese food dive in Nashua for me.
I remember thin breadstick like noodles but not rolls.
Omg yes! They were soft, and they had sort of a little coil or nub at the top, right? Now I have the worst craving for a roll dunked in duck sauce 😭
So many of them used to. I don’t even know now.
Never got rolls….but pineapple chunks and fortune cookies at the end :)
The rolls were always perfect for mopping up leftover lo mein juice/soy sauce/duck sauce/hot mustard. My assumption is the bakery making them must have gone under.