For diners looking for a taste of the North Shore’s legendary Kowloon, a visit to Seabrook, New Hampshire’s The Brook Casino is the answer. How the 75-acre state-of-the-art entertainment complex on the site of the former Seabrook Greyhound Park became the home of Kowloon’s sister restaurant, 9 Dragons, is a story of collaboration and vision.
As I walked the casino property with Andre Carrier, president and CEO of Eureka Casinos (parent company of The Brook), he fondly recalled how he met Kowloon owner Bobby Wong through mutual friends while developing The Brook. The two became fast friends and were soon partnering on 9 Dragons, a Kowloon spin-off, which opened in September 2024. The name 9 Dragons is the literal English translation of the Cantonese word “Kowloon.” Carrier explains that 9 Dragons tells the story of the Kowloon prequel from 1970s Hong Kong, creating an immersive experience for the diner—think murals of Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan, neon signs, blooming silk cherry trees, plush red banquettes, and even a mahjong tile tunnel leading into the main dining room. While there is no Kowloon fountain or tiki bar, there is a tarot and fortune-telling room and an old-fashioned red telephone booth to round out the 1970s vibe. The Forbidden City, an elaborately decorated cocktail lounge, serves as an alternative to the dining room.
Once comfortably settled in our cozy curved red banquette framed by plush velvet draping, my husband and I take in the backlit bamboo parasols hanging from the ceiling and elaborate murals painted on the brick walls. The four-page folded menu is printed newspaper-style. The “Variety Hong Kong Hollywood Edition—September 1, 1970” contains the food and beverage menu alongside articles about Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris. The menu includes both new culinary creations and many of Kowloon’s famed dishes, including crab Rangoon, Saugus chicken wings, sweet and sour chicken, and beef and broccoli. Our server, Caitlin, a former Kowloon employee, tells us that there are several other former Kowloon employees working in the 9 Dragons kitchen, including the chef who cooks the basil fried rice.
There is no flaming pu pu platter, but all the usual starters are on the menu. The crispy, light scallion pancakes are the perfect first bite, followed by tender salt-and-pepper calamari. A 9 Dragons bao filled with a crunchy, tangy daikon carrot salad and teriyaki tofu (chicken and BBQ pork are other options) is a wonderful mix of textures. The 9 Dragons version of hot-and-sour soup—a light broth studded with crisp vegetables—is a delight. The menu has a selection of 12 entrées with rotating seasonal dishes. The showstopper dish, “Enter the Lobster,” is served with fanfare on an oversized black platter—a lightly battered whole Maine lobster is partially pre-cracked and beautifully arranged on a pile of buttery, luscious noodles with slices of crispy garlic and topped with a ginger scallion sauce. We use lobster crackers and picks to finish digging out every unctuous, sweet bite of lobster meat—a job well worth our time. We sample the basil fried rice, prepared with plenty of fresh basil, shrimp lo mein stir-fried with crunchy pea pods and water chest – nuts, and fried Brussels sprouts in a Kung Pao sauce—even a Brussels sprout hater would love these tender bites.
The beverage program includes signature cocktails, beers, a wine list including sake, and zero-proof cocktails. Caitlin suggests an “off-the-menu” White Mai Tai that is perfectly sour and fruity, and of course we sample the potent Scorpion Bowl served in sizes for one or two. A delightfully balanced Ichiban mocktail is the bar’s take on a Moscow Mule served with yuzu and lime. The Brook’s chefs, working with landscaping contractor North Point Outdoors, run an extensive outdoor vegetable garden that supplies the property’s “Track to Table” farming program. The chefs harvest produce used in all their restaurants, including 9 Dragons, The Secret Garden, and Lucky’s. How often do you eat at a Chinese restaurant that serves freshly harvested produce from its own property? Maybe it is the fresh produce, the lack of heavy, greasy sauces, or even some Kowloon magic, but 9 Dragons serves elevated Chinese cuisine well worth the short drive from the North Shore.