By: Phyllis M. Cahaly, CMD, Director of Partnership Marketing, Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism
Jump to recipe for Shrimp with Peapods
“I am very dedicated to my customers and work hard so they know my food is great.” Eric Quan
At the heart of Quan’s Kitchen, located in Mansfield, North Attleboro, Weymouth, and Hanover, is a commitment to freshness and quality control. Every dish is prepared with a masterful eye, perfect cooking techniques, and crafted with care ensuring that flavors are consistent and the fresh ingredients shine through. That is how Eric Quan, owner, established his first restaurant in 1995, and that is how he still runs his establishments. “It’s important to me that all of our dishes are fresh, beautiful to look at, and delicious to taste,” says Eric Quan. “I want my returning customers and all of my new customers to have the best dining experience possible when they enter a Quan’s Kitchen.”
Eric Quan, a photographer at heart, was born in China, where his earliest experiences were shaped in restaurants. At 16, he moved to the United States without speaking English, but his curiosity and his camera pushed him to explore. He traveled across the country including Seattle, Montana, California, Arizona, and Chicago and spent time along the way working in and studying Chinese restaurants. These cross-country experiences helped him define his vision for his own, future restaurant. Though he later earned a degree in engineering and questioned whether photography could support him and his wife, he ultimately returned to his first love: the energy, artistry, and storytelling of Chinese food.
Continuing his restaurant studies, he worked at restaurants in North Andover and Hyannis. In 1995 he and his wife Julie decided it was time to open his own establishment in Mansfield, a modest 25-seat restaurant that offered a small take-out and delivery service. I just knew it was going to work, I had great confidence,” says Quan. “I had analyzed a variety of Chinese food restaurants around the country and learned a great deal about what works and what doesn’t work. What I didn’t know, I learned along the way and the most important thing I learned was that you must taste the food – cook and taste – that’s the only way to know when it’s right.”
Quan’s mission is simple: he believes in serving the freshest, high-quality Asian cuisine in a warm, personal, welcoming environment. Customers come for the experience of the food, the personal touches and the atmosphere. All of Quan’s locations are a seamless blend of East meets West decor with precious artifacts such as statues of jade and stone, fine woods, and outstanding photographs taken by Eric himself.
In 1997, Quan closed his restaurant for seven days, completely gutted the building, did a total renovation, and opened a brand-new restaurant a week later. He added 25 more seats and almost instantly, his business increased at 10 times the rate. His returning customers were delighted and the news of this renovation spread, bringing in new patrons.
Knowing he could build on his recipe for success, Quan began his expansion project and opened his second restaurant in North Attleboro in 2003. This restaurant offered a full bar, sushi, a function room, and fine dining. In 2007, Quan’s Kitchen opened a third location in Weymouth, which mirrored the Mansfield location with the exception that it offered sushi. The fourth Quan’s Kitchen opened in Hanover in 2011, offering 350 seats with the goal of offering a memorable dining experience with beautiful atmosphere and the best, affordable Asian food in the area.
Quan’s Kitchen is open for lunch and dinner, and they believe in serving those wonderful luncheon specials from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM which include all your favorite selections like pork strips, chicken wings, and fried shrimp or subgum pork chow mein and boneless ribs. There are 37 luncheon specials to choose from and they all come with pork fried rice. The restaurant offers amazing dinner combo plates like sesame chicken and crab Rangoon or beef with mushrooms, chicken fingers, and pork strips, and many more, also served with pork fried rice.
You’ll find all your favorite appetizers too on the menu starting with the ubiquitous PU PU Platter (for one or for two), served with chicken wings, boneless spareribs, beef teriyaki, chicken teriyaki, chicken fingers, fried shrimp, crab Rangoon, and egg rolls. The Kid’s Happy Box comes with crab Rangoon, chicken teriyaki and chicken fingers. Appetizers include soups galore like chicken rice or noodle, roast pork wonton, Chinese vegetable, egg drop, and hot and sour.
Moving on to the main dishes, you’ll find a variety of chow mein, chop suey, sweet and sour, moo shi and lo mein dishes. Explore the Yu Hsiang style spicy, aromatic Szechuan style dishes, originally prepared for fish. This flavorful entree is prepared with finely shredded wood ear, zucchini, yellow squash, mushrooms, green peppers, pea pods, and bamboo shoots. Quan’s Kitchen also serves Mandarin Szechuan (Kung Pao) curry dishes with your choice of protein, an abundance of seafood and beef dishes. Don’t miss the extensive selection from their healthy dietary menu.
This expansive menu is rounded out with an incredible selection of seafood, poultry, egg foo young, and fried rice temptations that will cover your every craving. Quan’s Kitchen features a Japanese appetizer, soup and salad menu and an impressive maki and temaki menu. “We want you to come and taste how we transform our fresh ingredients into delicious Asian cuisine with our decades of experience,” says Quan. “When you come to Quan’s Kitchen, rather than tell you what we serve, we first ask what you like to eat and then make our recommendations based on your preferences. And if you are having Quan’s Kitchen delivered to you, don’t forget to take advantage of our ‘no minimum’ delivery service.”
Phantom Gourmet reviewed Quan’s Kitchen and said, “You must discover Quan’s Kitchen, the best kept secret in North Attleboro.” We agree! With four locations, dine-in, takeout, delivery, and a function room in the North Attleboro location, your Asian food desires are totally covered. Plus, Quan’s Kitchen offers plenty of vegetarian and gluten-free options and if you like sushi, the sushi bar offers artful rolls that are as visually appealing as they are delicious.
One of the reasons Quan’s Kitchen is so popular and has grown over the years is its owner, Eric. He is the consistent thread in the restaurant and focuses on providing the best customer experience possible. He and his staff go consistently above and beyond to ensure that their guests are comfortable and have what they need. Whether the customer has a simple request or special need to have a dish prepared in a customized manner with dietary restrictions, Quan’s will make sure to attend to that need. It’s one of the reasons Quan’s has developed such a loyal following over the years and continues to stay relevant. Quan’s has grown through the years yet has stayed true to its core identity which combines a founder who genuinely cares about his business, his patrons, his staff. Eric Quan has crafted a menu that offers something for everyone and an atmosphere that is warm and welcoming, one you’ll wish to visit repeatedly. It’s the kind of plan that turns first-time visitors into long-time regulars.
“At Quan’s Kitchen, consistency is everything,” says Eric Quan.
All photos courtesy of Quan’s Kitchen
May Recipe of the Month, courtesy of Eric Quan, Quan’s Kitchen
Shrimp with Peapods
Ingredients:
- ½ lb. large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- ½ lb. fresh snow peas, ends trimmed
- 1 Tbsp. minced garlic
- Sauce:
- ¼ cup chicken stock
- 1.5 tsp. cornstarch
- ½ tsp. sugar
- A pinch of salt
- A touch of sesame oil
Directions:
- Cook the pea pods in boiling water for 10 seconds
- Cook the shrimp in hot oil with the temperature at about 300 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 seconds
- Mix and serve
