Mama Jean's serves up one of my go-to hot and sour soups

While strolling along the Cambridge Mill Race, the Mama Jean's Kitchen sign on Water Street in Cambridge caught my eye.

My first visit was last summer after my walk and I was taken by surprise how this family jewel really is one shining star eatery.

Mama Jean has been serving up some mighty fine Chinese Fare for over a decade now.

The restaurant on Water Street is their newest eatery, opened in 2018. I learned Mama Jean's took over the Kings Palace restaurant briefly on Water and Concession streets when it closed. Before that, they had a restaurant for a few years at the corner of Elgin and Dundas streets. 

The entrance has a very organic bistro design look that is very pleasing. 

The egg roll I was served told me that this restaurant kitchen takes quality and pride in even the smallest common edible. I just wish that they would serve it with a chef made sauce to make 100 per cent delicious.

I said to the number one son, my serving of hot and sour soup is one of the best I've had here in Cambridge.

My combo plate pick for one was a serving of Mama's honey garlic ribs, almond vegetable chicken and the house fried rice. Each bite was very vibrantly flavoured. The ribs were perfectly executed and the whole plate was deluxe.

On my second visit, I had to try the soo guy almond with the chicken chop suey with bean sprout chow mein. All of it was excellent.

I was totally satisfied by the food, which was obviously from a kitchen that's very well rehearsed, and the setting is clean, comfortable and user friendly.

Here is a recipe for one of my favourite dishes inspired by Mama Jean's.

Almond Vegetable Chicken Stir Fry

Ingredients

1 cup chicken bone broth

4 tablespoons cooking sherry 

2 ½ tablespoons cornstarch

4 teaspoons soy sauce

2 chicken breasts or thighs (boneless, skinless, large, cut into bite size pieces)

1 egg white

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

2 carrots (diced)

2 stalks celery (diced)

8  mushrooms (sliced)

1 red pepper (sliced thinly)

½ cup toasted whole almonds

1 teaspoon ginger (fresh, minced)

3 green onions (chopped, for garnish)

Add oil (vegetable or canola, for cooking)

Prep all the items and use a wok or sauté fry pan to first blanche in the bone broth and then stir fry.

Chef Wayne Conrad Serbu writes monthly for CambridgeToday. The former executive chef also shares recipes and memories from his more than five decades in the hospitality industry on his blog, the kitchenman.