Kingston Station   

25 Kingston St
Boston, MA 2111
617-482-6282
www.pekingtom.com

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Going out for Chinese food often means ordering a pu pu platter, splitting a scorpion bowl or crunching on fortune cookies while surrounded by tacky water fountains. Peking Tom's, located in bustling Downtown Crossing just outside of Chinatown, has revamped the Chinese dining experience. Enveloped in a dimly lit dining room, seated in dark-brown suede banquettes adorned with purple throw pillows, it's as if you're dining in a swank paradise. All of the decor, from a nine-foot Buddha to elegant teak bars adorned with snacks like wasabi peas, scream ultra-hip. While Peking Tom's does offer traditional Cantonese fare, such as plates of pork egg rolls, beef teriyaki and crab rangoon (made with real crab instead of cream cheese), it does it with an eclectic style. Its delectable and affordable entrees include pleasers like pork and pineapple fried rice, crispy duck with plum sauce and mu shu pancakes. Tasty vegetable sides include steamed pea-pod leaves, Szechuan green beans with toasted almonds and Chinese broccoli. While twirling your chopsticks around orange- and tamarind-glazed spare ribs, don't forget to leave room for banana rolls with green tea or fresh sorbet. For seafood lovers, there's a raw bar with tuna martini and oysters on the half-shell. Peking's executive chef Rob Johnson teamed with consulting chef Marc Orfaly, owner/chef of Pigalle, and based the menu on communal dining. Seating in the dining room ends at 11PM, but the kitchen stays open until 1AM to serve both bars and the lounge. Try Peking's colorful exotic Chinese cocktails: vibrant thirst-quenchers include mai tais, sake ritas, zombies, kumquat mojitos and more. -- Gail Dorr