Shanghai Gate

We tried this place in one of the best ways possible: a friend familiar with the food and the restaurant took us and ordered for us. Wow. Wow, wow, wow. So incredibly good.

Ginger Scallion Tilapia - supremely tender and flavorful whole fish
Seaweed Fish - strips of fish breaded in a seaweed batter and fried, with a thin, dark sauce. I'd never had anything like this before and was quite taken with it.
Four Treasure Tofu - this was black tofu (actuall dark brown) and had a chewy texture and breadlike flavor that was new to me. Served cold with some kind of black mushrooms and peanuts. Excellent.
String Beans in Garlic Sauce - with intense little beans (soy?) and salty mushrooms. Simple and perfectly done.
Fish Tofu Soup - nothing unexpected. Good but a little plain.
Sweet Corn Pancake - whole corn kernels, held together sparingly with dough, fried, and sprinkled with a little sugar. Deliciously greasy, without being drippy, not overly sweet. It reminded me of something you would get from a stand at the fair, only much improved.

Shanghai Gate, 204 Harvard Ave, Allston, MA 02134