Wednesday, September 12, 2007

An insider's Chinatown

There are plenty of organized trips to neighborhoods such as Beacon Hill and the North End, but Chinatown has yet to be explored by many Boston residents, who only think of the neighborhood as a place to stop for dinner.

By Meredith Goldstein
Globe Staff

Of the many packages being offered by the new InterContinental Hotel, one caught our eye: a culinary weekend with a personalized tour of Boston's Chinatown led by someone "in the know."

Presumably, the weekend hotel package, which costs about $1,000 is meant for out-of-towners, but we wondered, who was this insider? What secrets did he/she know about the neighborhood behind the big gate? Are there hidden treasures or little-known attractions that await?

So, we (myself and my own person "in the know," a Boston Globe intern raised in Chinatown) called to see if we could tag along. During a three-hour tour of the neighborhood, guide Jim Becker fascinated us with tales of immigration and culinary history and fed us well along the way.

Former owner of the Somerville restaurant Rauxa, Becker now gives culinary tours of the North End with guide Michele Topor (northendmarkettours.com), who has been leading people through the maze of Italian restaurants and markets for more than a decade. This month, the duo is adding a Chinatown tour to its roster so that Becker can put his years living in Taiwan and Hong Kong and teaching English as a second language to use.

By the end of the month and for now by appointment, the Chinatown culinary walk will not only be offered to InterContinental guests and out-of-town visitors, it will also be available for locals who want to know more about their city. For $63, you get a 2 1/2 hour tour and a dim sum lunch.

"What we try to do on the North End tour is to take people away from Hanover Street," Becker said. "On this tour, I'm trying to get people away from ... Kneeland Street, the better-known restaurants."

We won't give away all of the secrets of Becker's tour, but our trip included a stop to an old-fashioned Chinese bakery, where we filled up on nut-packed mooncakes; a visit to a more modern bakery, where we learned why bubble tea has become so popular; a stop at a candy store, where we munched on dried rose petals; a grocery store walk, which had us checking out tofu, foreign produce, and cow's ears, which we were told are chewy (and tasty when marinated); and a trip to a pharmacy where we saw mixtures of herbs that are prescribed to cure everything from back pain to the common cold.

The afternoon ended with a dim sum trip where we sucked on chicken's feet.

Of course, you don't have to be so daring. During the afternoon, we also snacked on your basic Chinese pork and dumplings.

Jeremy Liu, executive director of the Asian Community Development Corp., says Becker's culinary tour will join just a few Chinatown walks. There are plenty of organized trips to neighborhoods such as Beacon Hill and the North End, but Chinatown has yet to be explored by many Boston residents, who only think of the neighborhood as a place to stop in for dinner.

"The trolleys, they all come through Chinatown," he said. "They just very rarely get off."�

Liu is counting on neighborhood initiatives such as last week's outdoor film series by the Chinatown gate to bring in outsiders, but he says the tours are a great help, especially when they explore the residential areas of the community and lesser-known businesses.

"Most people don't even think Chinatown goes past Kneeland Street,"� he said.

Becker said his goal is to inspire people who take his tour to return to the neighborhood on their own without fear -- and to check out more than the dim sum.

"I'm sure that most people on their own would not wander into a herbal pharmacy," Becker said. "It's so foreign and intimidating. [People are] very intimidated to go into Chinatown on their own. There is a definite language barrier that doesn't exist in the North End."

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Jim Becker's new tour of Chinatown isn't the only "in the know" look at the neighborhood. Here are some other ways to get to know what lies beyond the gate:

The Chinese Historical Society of New England runs tours by appointment and charges about $15 per person. Walks run about an hour and a half. For more information, call 617-338-4339.

Boston University's Lifelong Learning program's October gastronomic walking tour of Chinatown sold out so fast that the school just added a second date -- Oct. 21; at 10 a.m. that morning, local chef Bik Ng will lead students on a tour that ends with dim sum. The program is $75. For more information, call 617-353-9852.

The Chinese Progressive Association runs tours by appointment that detail the neighborhood's development and migration history. Programs run about an hour. Tickets are usually $10. 617-357-4499.

The Asian Community Development Corporation not only serves as a liaison between you and organizations such as the Chinese Historical Society, it also has its own tour. Participants in its Youth Leadership Program will lead you on a one to three-hour tour for about $5 to $15. For more information, call 617-482-2380.

Meredith Goldstein's column on going out runs every Wednesday. E-mail her at mgoldstein@globe.com.

Posted by Thomasine Berg at 03:06 AM

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