Island Hopper

Don't Trust this Restaurant. I was parked on Newbury Street by the Island Hopper restaurant as their delivery driver was going up the one way street in reverse on the phone to pick up an order from the manager. He smashed into my car and stated he and the manager didn't know English. Later that day, Liberty Mutual insurance called me to explain he called my insurnace company talking perfect English stating I rear ended his vehicle. (My car was parked and not even running). Tried talking and calling the restaurant to resolve and they wouldn't speak to me. They committed insurance fraud and are dishonest people!!!! Don't trust this restaurant or their Staff!!!!!!…

Golden Triangle of Flavor. We love restaurants where each bite is an adventure unto itself. At the Island Hopper, every morsel makes your taste buds dance with delight. The Hopper provides a melange of Southeast Asian dishes ranging from Malaysian to Thai to Indian, with a little bit of Chinese, sprinkled on top like MSG.

The menu is extensive and consistently delicious. If you are unsure, the servers are especially knowledgeable and more than happy to lead you along the promised path to a satisfied stomach. A good start to the journey is the Tom Yum soup?a tangy, spicy broth with juicy shrimp floating like treasurers (it is amongst the finest that the Palatiers have every tried). Accompany this with the Roti and curry sauce (vegetarian friendly). As we discovered, it is a guaranteed crowd pleaser.

The main course options will never fail you, but the specials menu really opens up a new frontier. If they should have it, go for the duck. Good Beijing duck is a hard thing for a restaurant to master, but Hopper does an excellent job, and they will even wrap the pancakes in front of you! It is the small accompaniments that gather the tastes together. Hopper gives four options for rice with every dish. Count it: jade, brown, white and our personal favorite, the coconut. The udon noodles served in an earthen bowl were also worth exploring. The Sea bass with tangy ginger sauce is a creation fit for an emperor or at very least, a local warlord.

Although you might not initially feel up to it, dessert at the Hopper is a memorable affair. We recommend either the green tea Mochi (an outer shell filled with an ice cream core) or the fried banana roti drizzled with chocolate sauce and topped with strawberries and cream (picture included). Also recommended are the smoothies at anytime. Explore with family and friends, make sure to share the entrees, and always ask for chopsticks.

For other entertaining reviews and food related rants, google "palateers"…

Yummy for my Tummy. Delicious! I LOVE just about everything they have there, especially the appetizers. The mango shrimp is incredible, but try the pineapple fried rice if you want a less expensive but good meal. They are also deliver in less than 30 minutes if you get takeout.…

South China Sea cuisines sail on a single menu.. The Scene
Soaring ceilings, deep purple upholstery and gleaming hardwood floors make Island Hopper an unusually elegant venue for cuisines often served on Formica tables under fluorescent lights.

The Food
The kitchen is best with dishes that let the subtle flavors of the ingredients and regional herbs (lemongrass, Thai basil, mint, etc.) shine through. For example, the poh piah appetizer contrasts a soft wrapper with a crunchy jicama and mixed-vegetable filling. Hainanese-style ravioli are plump, firm and savory without the usual grease of potstickers. Watch out for chili paste, though, in Nenas chicken, where the sweet and fiery sauce leaves chicken, lemongrass and pineapple all tasting the same. (Creamy Thai ice tea soothes the flame nicely). Skip western desserts (sweet scrambled eggs passing as creme brulee) in favor of ice kachang: red beans, Jell-O, tapioca and peanuts tossed with chipped ice and rose syrup.…