China Star

When most outsiders think of Salem, New Hampshire, they think of Rockingham Park or the Rockingham Mall. But when mapmakers are looking for a place to put "Salem" onto their maps, they slap it directly onto the corner of Main and Broadway.

Within walking distance of there is this charming little old school Chinese joint called China Star. I had the number 12 lunch special, Crab Rangoons and Chicken Fingers with Fried Rice, and two things struck me about this place as I ate this meal (pictured below)


The first thing that struck me was that Benjamin Franklin apparently had come back to life to eat here that day (as seen above), and the second thing is that this is probably where he made the adage "A penny saved is a penny earned."

The meal was ok, but not stellar. However, the price was fantastic considering that it was filling and is about half the price of many other Chinese restaurant lunch meals you will find in Southern New Hampshire, and the average lunch special was only a dollar more than this one.

So, if you're at the mall and looking for some cheap townie food instead of the food court fare, follow me and Ben Franklin over to China Star.

Time of Day: 1:00 PM/Weekday

Speed of Service: Around 5 or 10 Minutes (Counter)

Price: $5.25 (75 cents more for dinner)

Meal: Chicken Fingers and Crab Rangoon Lunch Special