News Bites: Kowloon Spawns a Casino Sibling in New Hampshire

9 Dragons at the Brook. / Courtesy photo

Autumn is here, and there’s lots to eat. (Have you had your first cider doughnut of the season yet?) Read on for the latest news bites, from restaurant openings to delicious events. (You can catch up on past installments of our Monday food news roundups here, and reach out via email with news that should be on our radar.)

Jump to: Openings | Closings | In the Works | Things to Do This Week

Openings

Lakon Paris Patisserie croissants. / Courtesy photo

• Rte. 1 icon Kowloon has a brand new sibling: 9 Dragons is open at the Brook, a New Hampshire casino just over the Massachusetts border. (The Brook’s owner, Andre Carrier, grew up locally and was a Kowloon fan.) The design pays homage to 1970s Hong Kong, while the menu is a greatest-hits collection of Kowloon classics, from General Gau chicken to crab rangoon, plus new dishes like ginger scallion lobster with garlic noodles. A cocktail lounge called Forbidden City will host DJs—and there are scorpion bowls, of course. 319 New Zealand Rd. (The Brook), Seabrook, New Hampshire, 603-474-3065, livefreeandplay.com.
• Lakon Paris Patisserie, known for its over-the-top croissants (and the long lines of customers trying to get them), adds a fourth location in the Seaport this week, debuting on September 23 and subsequently operating from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. The menu will feature a few selections exclusive to this location, like a croissant stuffed with vanilla soft serve, a sea salt caramel croissant, and a matcha latte. 113 Autumn Ln., Seaport District, Boston, lakonparis.com.
• The Seaport District is apparently having a sweet week: The second of six planned Massachusetts locations of Van Leeuwen Ice Cream debuts at the Superette in the Seaport on September 26, featuring a limited-edition collab with local baker and restaurateur Joanne Chang (Flour Bakery & Cafe): lemon meringue pie ice cream, with toasted meringue ice cream with chunks of white chocolate-covered pie crust and lemon curd. Swing by between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. on September 26 for dollar scoops. 70 Pier 4 Blvd. (the Superette), Seaport District, Boston, vanleeuwenicecream.com.
• One more dessert-y opening: Japanese cheesecake Uncle Tetsu is now open in Chinatown. Early visitors note that it’s a soft opening with a limited menu, so don’t expect to find much more than the original flavor of cheesecake and some madeleines to start. But when it gets fully up and running, cheesecake flavors might include Oreo, ube, matcha, and more, with a few other treats rounding out the menu. 19 Hudson St., Chinatown, Boston, uncletetsu-us.com.
• Boston’s new obsession with listening lounges—bars designed to highlight the music—continues with the September 25 opening of Spy Bar at the Revolution Hotel, from the team behind the Beehive and Cósmica. Expect a genre-hopping playlist; cocktails like the rum-based Mango Lassi with saffron, cardamom, and coconut milk; and small bites like tempura artichokes and tuna tartare. 40 Berkeley St. (The Revolution Hotel), South End, Boston, spybar.com.
• Porter Square’s Colette Wine Bistro has transformed into Margeaux Supper Parlor, opening September 26, with a menu inspired by owner Rebekah Barr’s memories of New Hampshire, Memphis, and New Orleans. Diners are encouraged to order trios of dishes that are grouped together in themed collections: “Comfort,” for example, with Maine lobster gnocchi, fried chicken, and pumpkin ravioli, or “Fork & Knife,” with beef Wellington, steak tips, and ribeye. 1924 Massachusetts Ave., Porter Square, Cambridge, margeauxsupperparlor.com.

Closings

Scallops at Chalawan. / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal

• After five years, Chalawan Asian Eatery will close on September 29. The restaurant’s farewell announcement on social media doesn’t give a reason for the closure but thanks customers for “joining us at our tables, spending time with your loved ones, and celebrating your special moments in our restaurant.” Chalawan landed on our annual Top 50 Restaurants list last year and the year before; we loved the menu’s multi-country showcase of Southeast Asian cuisines, from a northern Thai curry with pork belly to Indonesian beef rendang. We’ll miss the steamed snapper dumplings and perfectly seared scallop in particular. 1790 Massachusetts Ave., Porter Square, Cambridge.

Mei Mei dumplings. / Photo by Mel Taing

• Not exactly a closure, but a business shift: Mei Mei has shut down dine-in and takeout services at its South Boston dumpling factory, instead focusing on retail, cooking classes, events, and product research and development. There’ll still be occasional opportunities to eat classic Mei Mei dumplings, Double Awesomes, and such hot onsite—watch social media for news of bottomless dumpling buffets and more—but on other days, you’ll have to get your fix with packaged heat-and-eat dumplings and build-your-own Double Awesome kits. 58 Old Colony Ave., South Boston, 857-250-4959, meimeidumplings.com.

In the Works

Naya. / Courtesy photo

• Naya—a fast-casual (and fast-growing) Middle Eastern chain with locations in New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey—has announced an expansion to Watertown this winter, with Back Bay and Downtown Boston locations also in the works (timeline unknown). Customers customize their bowl, wrap, or salad with proteins such as kafta lamb meatballs, chicken shawarma, or falafel, plus unlimited toppings, from hummus to jalapeños. 41 Bond St., Watertown; 95 Summer St., Downtown Crossing, Boston; 500 Boylston St., Back Bay, Boston; eatnaya.com.

Nora the golden retriever, Park-9’s “chief happiness officer.” / Photo by Reagan Byrne

• More park for your bark: Everett’s Park-9 Dog Bar is expanding into an adjacent space to add around 7,000 more square feet. This expansion will allow for increased doggie daycare and training services, longer hours, and the buildout of a full kitchen for in-house dining (for humans). 48 Waters Ave. #1 (and soon #2), Everett, 617-294-8048, park9dogbar.com.

Things to Do This Week

See also: our general Things to Do guide for music, comedy, art, and lots more

Ongoing

• Consult our freshly updated guides: Take a road trip to the vibrant Portland, Maine neighborhood of East Bayside for flavorful Eritrean stews, airy pizzas, hefty barbecue platters, and more. Or stay closer to home to explore Greater Boston’s top doughnuts.
• You’ve still got some time to visit The Big E; the annual Eastern States Exposition runs through September 29, and it is full of fair food, from Buffalo chicken poutine to bacon cheeseburgers served on doughnuts. 1305 Memorial Ave., West Springfield, 413-737-2442, thebige.com.
• Well, this looks fun: BYOB—that’s bag (as in bag of chips), not booze—to Chicho’s Street Corn, which is stationed outside of the Boston Public Library at 700 Boylston St. in Back Bay. The team will make your esquites right in the bag.

September 27-29

• Night Shift Brewing is celebrating Oktoberfest across its various taproom and beer garden locations with a half dozen festive releases, from a crisp pilsner to a Munich-style lager; live polka music; a stein-hoisting competition; and more fun. Keep an eye on social media for scheduling details and updates for each location. West End, Boston; Everett; and other locations; nightshiftbrewing.com.

September 28

• Head down to Brockton for the Brews & Bites Food Truck and Craft Beer Festival, noon to 5 p.m.—a family-friendly, dog-friendly event with food trucks (Moyzilla, the Chubby Chickpea, Work Hard Eat Good, and more), live music, games, and beer and wine. (This is a good chance to enjoy some farewell brews from Brockton Beer Company, which is winding down operations in the coming weeks.) The fest is on rain or shine, with some covered seating available. Free to attend; purchase food and drink à la carte from each vendor. 200 Westgate Dr., Brockton, shopatwestgatemall.com.
• In other autumn news, Downtown Boston food hall High Street Place is throwing its fall fest throughout the day on the 28th, with seasonal specials from the food and drink vendors, an Oktoberfest biergarten on the patio, live music, photo ops, kids’ crafts, and more. Free validated parking with $15 of food hall purchases. Details here; RSVP here. 100 High St., Downtown Boston, highstreetplace.com.
• James Beard Award-winning, Seattle-based restaurateur, chef, and author Renee Erickson is in town to celebrate the release of her latest cookbook, Sunlight & Breadcrumbs, which debuts this week. She’ll be at the Cambridge location of Row 34 with owner Jeremy Sewall for a collaborative four-course meal: Row 34 raw bar and passed hors d’oeuvres, plus highlights from the book. The dinner is at 6 p.m., and tickets are $165 per person (which includes the cookbook); grab yours here. 314 Main St., Kendall Square, Cambridge, 617-819-1120, row34.com.

September 28-29

• It’s time for “the festival that stinks”—North Quabbin Garlic & Arts Festival is back for its 26th pungently delicious year. There are three stages of music, spoken word, and other entertainment; countless booths showcasing local food, regional artists, and more; garlic-themed games, including a raw garlic-eating contest; and lots of workshops and demos about renewable energy and other topics. Tickets are $5-$10 (free for kids 12 and under, and no one is turned away for lack of funds). Forster’s Farm, 60 Chestnut Hill Rd., Orange, garlicandarts.org.