New Restaurant Brings Asian Fare to East Main Road

If you love pad tai or shrimp fried rice, there is good news! You no longer have to travel out of town for authentic Asian cuisine.

The town's only Chinese restaurant (and Japanese, Vietnamese and tai) officially opened its doors to customers on Tuesday at 3288 East Main Road.

New China, owned by Zi Qian Zhang of Swansea, MA, will be open seven days a week at the new location, directly next to the Irving gas station.

Zhang, who says he once owned another restaurant in town 15 years ago, always planned to return to offer this type of cuisine.

"I am very ambitious," said Zhang, who immigrated to the United States from China 20 years ago.

Zhang also owns and operates a New China restaurant in Fall River, MA.

The new location in Portsmouth features impressive architectural designs inside. The bright red designs on the ceiling and walls grab your eye.

Even more impressive is the design above the counter. Hundreds of dominos are pasted together to cover the upper wall.

The interior colors and design work are a contrast to the unadorned, gray brick exterior.

Food may be ordered for take out or to eat in. The menu features the traditional Chinese restaurant-type items, such as chop suey, lo mein and egg foo young.

The menu also features a vegetarian section, special combo plates and a "Revolution Diet," which is described as "without salt, sugar, corn starch, oil."

The "Revolution Diet" also offers "Choice one: white, brown, garlic or hot spicy sauce. Sauce served on the side with white rice."

"It was really good," said patron Susan Piacenti, who recently moved to Portsmouth from Virginia. "I liked the fried rice."

Piacenti visited New China Tuesday with her sons, Anthony, age 9, and Michael, 6.

"They (sons) said the fortune cookies were delicious," she said.

New China will be open Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11 to 11; and on Sunday from 11:30 to 10.

Parking for the new restaurant is available in the Irving gas station lot.

For more information about New China, visit www.newchina3288.com or call (401) 683-6789, (401) 683-6868 or (401) 683-6969.