New Chinese Restaurant Spices Up Newton Highlands

Article and photos by Charlie Breitrose.

China’s Sichuan Province is famous for its pandas and its tasty and spicy cuisine.

You won’t find any black and white bears at Sichuan Gourmet House (1138 Beacon St. in Newton), but owner May Meng has brought the food of her home region to her new restaurant in Newton Highlands.

The eatery opened just about a week ago, and it is Meng’s first restaurant but she said people know her for her food.

“I cook for family, for the community, and for church,” said Meng who attends the Boston Chinese Evangelical Church in Newton. “I always cook food and all the people love the food.”

Having good and fresh ingredients is a must for Meng. She goes to Boston’s Chinatown each morning, and sometimes to Needham to pick out the fresh produce and meats for her restaurant.

The menu at Sichuan Gourmet House has a variety of dishes, both for lovers of spiciness and for those who like to avoid the heat.

Popular dishes are General Zao’s chicken and beef with broccoli, Meng said, as well as Yu-Shiang chicken – a Sichuan dish also available with pork, shrimp or eggplant.

The restaurant also offers a variety of dumplings. 

“All of them are handmade,” Meng said. “The House Special Dumplings are my specialty. I make them with my special sauce.”

Favorites among her Mandarin Chinese customers include cold noodles and spicy fish fillets, Meng said.

Meng moved to the United States in 1990 when her husband started a Ph.D. program in math and computer software at Arizona State University.

She worked part time in Chinese restaurants for about 10 years, starting as a busgirl, then working as a waitress and eventually as a bartender.

Now she lives with her husband and three daughters in Weston. Two of the girls are in college and the third is in high school, and Meng said she started the business as a way to help pay for her daughters’ college tuition.

Diners may be waited on by Meng’s daughters, who help out at the restaurant. She said that the restaurant will also give them some real world business experience.

When looking to start the restaurant, Meng looked for places in a number of communities and then she found the spot on Beacon Street, which used to be occupied by Tom Yum Koong III.

Sichuan Gourmet House is open Monday to Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sundays noon to 9 p.m.