By: Phyllis M. Cahaly, CMD, Director of Partnership Marketing, Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism
“You’ll never get bored at the Kowloon,” says General Manager John Chang and he is speaking from experience! John has been the General Manager at the Kowloon Restaurant, an iconic landmark at 948 Broadway, Rt. 1 in Saugus, MA, for more than 40 years. He knows that every day is a different experience for him and his staff as they prepare to welcome Kowloon customers for a very special dining experience.
The third generation of The Wong Family owns the Pan-Asian Kowloon Restaurant. It holds the honorable distinction of having the largest seating capacity among Chinese food restaurants in America! Their interior seating capacity is 1,200, and their outdoor venue, available during the warmer months, offers another 600 seats. This year, the Kowloon Restaurant is celebrating its 75th anniversary by serving its extensive menus and offering a variety of flavor profiles, such as Chinese, Cantonese, Sichuan, Japanese, Thai, and Polynesian. These delectable dishes are served throughout several vibrant themed dining rooms and lounges, each with its own unique décor and ambiance.
Owner Bobby Wong boasts, “It’s really a sensory experience when you come to the Kowloon. We have several rooms for our patrons, each offering a different atmosphere, personality, and dining experience. There’s the Volcano Bay Room, the Mandarin Room, the Thai Grille with our succulent fresh Sushi, the Hong Kong Lounge, the Tiki Lagoon, and, of course, our famous Komedy Klub on Fridays and Saturdays. Many of our regulars have their favorite dining room and our guests also like to try different rooms too, depending on the size of their party.”
The great news is that no matter which dining room you choose, the colossal menu, organized by food type, is available so you can order from one or more food profiles. “With the flexibility of our menu, Kowloon really has something for everyone,” says Bobby Wong. “While parents may wish to order Sushi from our Thai menu or one of our many enticing Chef’s Specialties, the kids can still order their favorite chicken fingers, too!”
This innovative restaurant was originally established in 1950 as The Mandarin House, located in a converted ice cream parlor along Rt. 1. It offered a few dozen Chinese and American dishes and had around 40-50 seats. In 1958, Madeline and William Wong bought out the first-generation owners and changed the name to Kowloon Restaurant. Over the years, five additions were made to the original building, thereby offering an amazing variety of dining rooms. Their dream dining concept also included an addition of the now famous A-frame Tiki Pagoda entrance, which calls to you like a beacon from Rt. 1.
Unlike most restaurants that have one head chef, Kowloon’s head chef, Bing Yang, oversees multiple chefs, one for each individual menu: Chinese, Cantonese, Sichuan, Japanese, Thai, and Polynesian. Bing Yang has been with the Kowloon for more than 25 years and is adept at supervising the many chefs in the kitchen, like Thai Chef Amorn Vutcharangkul, a 37-year veteran at Kowloon, and Sushi Chef Eric Zhu, now in his 17th year. These seasoned chefs who preside over the many Kowloon kitchens take pride in ensuring that the orders are fired out quickly and served steaming hot.
“We usually have anywhere from 50 to 55 chefs and food preps in our kitchens,” says Bobby Wong. “Add to that another crew of nearly 70 to 80 full- and part-time staff and servers. We are lucky to have the longevity of staff members who started at the take-out counter while they were in high school and then stayed on. It’s really a family affair; many of our chefs are related, work closely on recipes, and learn from one another. Then, the chef with the highest level of cooking skills becomes the next head chef, allowing our employees to expand and grow.”
This kind of generational model of teaching the younger chefs how to cook the Kowloon way is what has sustained this famous restaurant over the last 75 years. The consistency in the food prep and flavors is the renowned tradition of this North Shore destination, which is truly a dynasty.
“We have so many regulars that come to the Kowloon, and I’d have to say that the number one, most popular item on our menu is still the PU PU Platter, which is a great appetizer. It comes flaming with spareribs, chicken wings, chicken fingers, egg roll, butterfly shrimp, and crispy wontons, you can even order it with beef teriyaki, too,” says Bobby Wong. “Our Chef’s Specialties, like the Seafood Fantasy, our Thai pan-fried dishes, our sushi bar, our pad Thai, and our lo mein, with your choice of pork, chicken, beef, or vegetable, are always a favorite, too. Our commitment to quality and service is truly legendary.”
Not only is the menu at Kowloon colossal, so are the portions and that’s punctuated by the many to-go bags customers are happily carrying home.
Kowloon has an incredible selection of tofu, vegetables and gluten-free dishes as a regular part of their featured menu items. They offer dine-in, take-out, third-party delivery, catering, private functions, and the exciting Kowloon Food Truck, available for private parties. The popular food truck is ready to roll up to any private party for 5 to 500 people and includes three hours of on-site cooking services. You can choose from four different menus, each with an amazing array of appetizers, rice or lo mein, and entrees.
In keeping with the creativity of The Wong Family, during the pandemic, Bobby Wong used the massive parking lot that surrounds the restaurant to create an outdoor Kowloon experience, which included food orders brought to your car, and he even installed an outdoor movie theater for his patrons. The Wong Family will once again use the outdoor venue this summer to create some fun and exciting events as they celebrate their 75th Anniversary throughout the year. They are planning outdoor concerts with live bands on Friday and Saturday nights, block parties, corn hole, and more, all accompanied by scrumptious menus.
“It’s a big year for us,” says Bobby Wong. “We are delighted to celebrate this milestone 75th Anniversary with our patrons all year long, so check out our Kowloon Kalendar! We’ll have commemorative T-shirts, ball caps, special Kowloon Karaoke nights, and bingo parties, and DJ Spinelli will be spinning those favorite 80s and 90s music on Thursday nights. We have something happening just about every night of the week. We’re also creating a 75th Anniversary limited edition of Kowloon sneakers, which will hit the market in the next couple of weeks, so keep an eye on social media. This is a collaboration between the Kowloon and The Joey Fund, which works in partnership with the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, and 100% of the profits from the sale of the sneakers will go directly to this cause. Founder Joe O’Donell was a good friend of our family, and this foundation is dear to the hearts of The Wong Family.”
Also dear to the hearts of The Wong Family are the precious memories made over the years at their restaurant–first dates, weddings, birthday celebrations, anniversaries, graduations, etc. Kowloon guests know where to go to celebrate the special events of their lives; they have a history with the Kowloon; it’s more than a restaurant; it’s woven into the fabric of their families. They ask for their favorite room, favorite menu, and those favorite and infamous Polynesian Cocktails. Like the Coconut Mist, served in a coconut cup, the Fog Cutter brimming out of a tall Tiki glass, or the ever beautiful, ubiquitous Pina Colada topped with pineapples and cherries.
More than 20 years ago, the Kowloon wanted to add a new dimension to their multi-Asian cuisine and decided to create an entertainment and performance complex they call the Komedy Klub located on the second level of their building. Over the years, they have hosted comedians like Jerry Seinfeld and performers like The Village People; you’ll see the walls lined with framed pictures of artists, musicians, and entertainers. The Komedy Klub continues to provide another dimension to this restaurant where you can order amazing food and beverages, be entertained, and have a few laughs.
While reservations are always a good idea, the Kowloon can accommodate large groups of 20 or 30 people on a walk-in basis. While waiting for your table, enjoy roaming around The Hong Kong Lounge and catching part of a game on TV, or stop by the Kowloon Gift Shop and pick up a T-shirt, a Tiki glass, or a souvenir mug. Thanks to The Wong Family, any day and every visit becomes a celebration at the Kowloon.
“See you soon at the Kowloon!”
All photos courtesy of Mikaela Oblenida Photography
Recipe of the Month: Chicken Pad Thai, Courtesy of The Wong Family, Kowloon Restaurant
Chicken Pad Thai
A delicious dish featuring rice stick noodles with chicken, bean sprouts, tofu, eggs, and crushed peanuts.
Ingredients:
– 2 eggs
– 1 tablespoon minced garlic
– Chicken (quantity as desired), thinly sliced
– Rice stick noodles, soaked in warm water until softened
– 1 tablespoon of sweet sauce (made from white vinegar, fish sauce, and sugar)
– 1/4 tablespoon of ground peanuts
– 1/4 tablespoon of sweetened radish, finely chopped
– Bean sprouts (as desired)
– 5 scallions, chopped (separate white and green parts if preferred)
Procedure:
1. Prepare the noodles:
Soak the rice stick noodles in warm water for about 30 minutes or until they are soft but still slightly firm. Drain and set aside.
2. Cook the aromatics and eggs:
Heat a bit of oil in a large pan or wok over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Crack in the 2 eggs and scramble until just cooked through.
3. Add the chicken:
Add the sliced chicken breast to the pan. Stir-fry until the chicken is fully cooked and lightly browned.
4. Add the noodles and sauce:
Add the softened rice stick noodles to the pan. Pour in the 1 tablespoon of sweet sauce (vinegar, fish sauce, and sugar mixture). Toss everything together, ensuring the noodles are evenly coated with the sauce.
5. Add the remaining ingredients:
Stir in the ground peanuts, sweetened radish, bean sprouts, a pinch of pepper (optional), and the chopped scallions. Cook for another 1–2 minutes, mixing well until everything is heated through and well combined.
6. Serve:
Plate the Pad Thai and garnish with extra peanuts or lime wedges if desired. Enjoy hot!
All photos courtesy of Mikaela Oblenida Photography
