i live in boston and have since the 80s. that long ch thread about chinese food is really strange because they LOVE LOVE places that just serve sad versions of 1960s chinese-american food. i suspect none of them ever went to chinatown for anything remotely resembling actual chinese food.
get yourself some good chinese cookbooks, like from eileen yin-fei lo, and order on-line whatever “exotic” ingredients you can’t get locally.
