Is Good Chinese Food Dead?

[Palanan]

Another Saturday night, another brave and foolish attempt to find the best in local Chinese. My growing fear is that I just did. I like supporting local businesses, but not enough to try that place again.

The sad thing is, I've been there many times before--they've been in the same strip mall for time out of mind--but they were never spectacular, and for the past several years they've been on a shallow but steady decline. Every seven or eight months I break down and give them another chance...but not this time.

Trouble is, that seems to be the way of it wherever I go. A couple of weeks ago I tried a newly renovated Chinese restaurant a little further away--and I'll give them this, their decorator did a great job. Beautifully appointed, fine atmosphere, cozy but not too dim. Unfortunately, the egg roll was the best part of the meal--and that was with plenty of hot mustard. The rest of it was meat-like blobs in gooey soy sauce with slurpy mushrooms and extra bell peppers, on a bed of the finest gummy rice.

And that's how it's been for years. I can't seem to find a place that actually makes a decent Chinese meal anymore. The nominal exception is P.F. Chang's, but they're always crowded and I'm allergic to trendy. They're also far outside the limits of my driving range for casual takeout.

Not that I'm missing Chinese with profound pangs of the heart; I love Indian food a dozen times more, and I have good Indian places plus my own small repertoire to draw upon. There's also a good Thai option I've grown to really like. But sometimes, you just want Chinese. And for years now, I've been sadly disappointed at almost every turn. Is that how it's been for other folks?

[thubby]

are we talking american chinese or actual food-from-china?

[DJ Yung Crunk]

Of all the things I thought would be put in the BLANK in "Is _____ dead?" I never expected "good chinese food".

No, I have no complaints about local Chinese food. This stuff tends to be regional, I've noticed. I don't travel much but I hear tell from people who do that Chinese food is a crapshoot and it really depends on where you live.

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by thubby
are we talking american chinese or actual food-from-china?

Now that you mention it, yes, this would be the Chinese food one finds in America.

I've traveled to Beijing and Taipei, and have some sense of both mainland restaurant food and Taiwanese home cooking. However, I don't get out that way too often, so I'm stuck with the options in American strip malls and the like.



You've reminded me, though, that some of the best Chinese food I've ever had was at a little restaurant in London, I think in South Kensington or somewhere nearby. The place was almost empty when I walked in, which isn't always a good sign, but the food was fantastic. Standard Kung Pao, just really good.

.

[TaiLiu]

Is that how it's been for other folks?
Not even close. :smallsmile:

Now that you mention it, yes, this would be the Chinese food one finds in America.

I've traveled to Beijing and Taipei, and have some sense of both mainland restaurant food and Taiwanese home cooking. However, I don't get out that way too often, so I'm stuck with the options in American strip malls and the like.
See, you should move to some place where people sell Chinese food not in strip malls.

[valadil]

Yes.

The wife and I live in a college town. Around here all the Chinese food is really crappy, but still delivering at 3am to cater to the college kids. We shopped around since 2008 and only last year found a good place.

Then this (http://www.masslive.com/news/boston/index.ssf/2013/09/no_injuries_in_somerville_buil.html) happened. Front of the building just fell off. As far as I'm concerned, good Chinese is in fact dead.

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by TaiLiu
Not even close.

Something tells me you don't have to travel all that far to get good mainland cuisine.

:smallamused:


Originally Posted by valadil
Then this happened. Front of the building just fell off.

From the article, it sounds as if building collapses are part of the scene where you live.

:smalleek:

[TaiLiu]

Something tells me you don't have to travel all that far to get good mainland cuisine.

:smallamused:
Well, I could be quite far or quite near, depending on one's definition of 'mainland' and 'far.' :smalltongue:

[Brother Oni]

A tip - in any city with a large enough Chinese community, look for where all the 'locals' (people who speak Chinese natively) eat.

While the food is still westernised due to local ingredients, it's usually less westernised than what you'd find in a mainstream restaurant. It also helps if you speak enough Chinese to ask for stuff that's not on the English menu (another sign of a less westernised cuisine is the Chinese language menu is larger than than the English one or the fact that they have a dual language menu at all).

Depending on the size of the city you live in, there may not be a large enough Chinese community to support a less westernised restaurant though. For 'proper' food, I'd have to drive to a city about 40 minutes away, although there is a local takeaway that does decent enough food.

[Ravens_cry]

I have a love of bad Chinese food.
There is place in town that serves the a big Styrofoam container with a massive portion of fried noodles or rice and two big scoops of your choice of bad Chinese-style buffet. So much salt, so much carbs, yet, yet I love it. I am sorry, I do. My only sad is they are only open until 7:30PM and not on Sundays, which is really too bad as my bad Chinese and Oriental cuisine cravings tend to come late at night and no place in town (there is a fair few places) are open that late, and those that come close are more of a sit down experience.
That's nice, that's really nice, but it's not always what I want.

[Manga Shoggoth]

It has always varied dramatically.

In the 50-odd years I have lived in this area we have had the following:


One really good resturant that declined to average 20 years ago. It was my parent's go-to resturant
One really good resturant that that does crap take-away. It is our go-to resturant.
One excelent Resturant (the best you could get outside Chinatown) that shone for three years then nosedived.
One Takeaway only that has consistently produced good food. It is our go-to takeaway.
One takeaway that I ignored for 15 years after it failed the Sweet and Sour Pork test. I retried it and it has dramatically improved.

[Xondoure]

There's an excellent chinese place just up the street from where I live. And a whole bunch of excellent places down in the international district. Seattle does pretty well on the restaurant scene. Probably the top thing I'm looking forward to when I get back in november.

[Spiryt]

Well, some of most refined and expensive Chinese meats are eaten still alive, so I believe the answer is:

no, not necessarily.

[Traab]

There is a buffet about 2 miles from my house with excellent food. Good prices too. I can get a takeout container for lunch. 3 pounds of food for 15 bucks. Thats enough chinese food for like 4 full meals. Not too shabby really. Interesting thing is, they have about 3 dozen options for food every day, and almost half of them are distinctly NOT chinese. (Do chinese people eat kielbasa?)

[Morgarion]

What is 'good Chinese food'? I have a friend from out West who's been looking for it since he moved here, to no avail. I sent him to what is generally a well regarded Chinese restaurant, but still no. I just don't understand what I'm missing out on. Is it even possible to explain?

[Arkhosia]

Of all the things I thought would be put in the BLANK in "Is _____ dead?" I never expected "good chinese food".

No, I have no complaints about local Chinese food. This stuff tends to be regional, I've noticed. I don't travel much but I hear tell from people who do that Chinese food is a crapshoot and it really depends on where you live.

Agreed. The Chinese place I usually go to is excellent.
Also, 3 words: P. F. Changs.

[ArlEammon]

Hot Wok is a messenger from God, that delivers his love to me as long as I pay over 12 dollars.

[Pokonic]

Well, some of most refined and expensive Chinese meats are eaten still alive, so I believe the answer is:

no, not necessarily.

Donkey is sort of regulated to the backwoodsy areas that barely like to think that there's anything beyond there hovels , and duck claws are kind of gooey when not done right. Cat isn't really popular, in all honesty, because it doesn't really taste good. Same with dog. Drunken shrimp are fair game, though.


Agreed. The Chinese place I usually go to is excellent.
Also, 3 words: P. F. Changs.

Yes.

[nedz]

Most Chinese food is very easy to cook, the prep is quite a chore though.

You should have an internet near you with plenty of recipes.

[Bhu]

OP: If you're in southern Ohio try this place:

http://www.flyingtigerchinese.com/

They manage to do quite well.

Chinese isnt dead but it is harder to find.

[AtlanteanTroll]

My taste in Chinese food is limited, but there's something in Columbus, and other parts of Ohio, called Mark Pi's. I think that's pretty good. We alsohometown ( have a similar, but slightly pricier and probably a bit better restaurant in my college town.


OP: If you're in southern Ohio try this place:

http://www.flyingtigerchinese.com/

They manage to do quite well.

Chinese isnt dead but it is harder to find.

Since when is Dayton southern Ohio?

[Studoku]

Usually. If it's alive it's typically not good food.

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by Brother Oni
Depending on the size of the city you live in, there may not be a large enough Chinese community to support a less westernised restaurant though.

Bingo. With rare exceptions, it's chain restaurants and strip-mall joints where I live. And places too swanky for me to make an appointment to see the menu.


Originally Posted by Arkhosia
Also, 3 words: P. F. Changs.

Technically two letters and a surname, but we'll let that slide. :smalltongue:

I've already mentioned my local P.F. Changs, which unfortunately isn't all that close to me and a little pricey to boot. Also, I really dislike the urban-hipster/cooler-than-thou vibe that they always seem to have. They're always crowded, extremely noisy, and the staff barely refrain from sneering at me.

Takeout is especially frustrating, because they don't seem to have any system for it; you have to fight for a space at a bar, almost shout to make yourself noticed, and they act like you're a dead slug in their salad when you ask for your food.

Now that I think about it, I really dislike them. I went there last year, to get my mom some nice Chinese after she came home from the hospital, and haven't been there since.


Originally Posted by Morgarion
I just don't understand what I'm missing out on. Is it even possible to explain?

Probably not completely...but something that tastes excellent without relying on salt and soy sauce is a good start, and more than I've been able to find here lately.


Originally Posted by Xondoure
There's an excellent chinese place just up the street from where I live. And a whole bunch of excellent places down in the international district. Seattle does pretty well on the restaurant scene.

Sounds great. Never been to Seattle, gotta keep that in mind.

I used to live in the D.C. area, and there are some excellent restaurants scattered all around, and a lot of good lunch spots in downtown D.C. I used to go to a place called Penang, which served Malaysian food, and it was outstanding. (I used to eat the garnish carrots just to have an excuse to eat more of the sauce.)

--And yet, the swanky Chinese restaurant a couple of blocks down M Street was mediocre at best. The same went for my neighborhood Chinese joint: edible, but nothing to impress.


Originally Posted by Bhu
If you're in southern Ohio try this place:

http://www.flyingtigerchinese.com/

Cool, thanks for the recommendation. I have family in Ohio, so if the opportunity comes up I'll give it a try.


Originally Posted by Bhu
Chinese isnt dead but it is harder to find.

From where I am, that's the most optimistic thing I can think of.

What I'd like to know is why it's become harder to find. Like Manga Shoggoth, I can think of several places that used to be excellent (this is many years and miles ago) but which declined markedly over just a couple of years, in the middle of my steady customership. Can't really fathom why.

[cucchulainnn]

in my area there are hundreds of chinese restaurants, seems like the first few months they are open the food it good. then after a while they settle into the same basic taste as the rest. as thoe they are using sauces made by the same company from the same supplier. the veggies go from tasting fresh to being a little old and wilty. for instance there was a place that opened a few months ago, in the garlic sauce there was little bits of minced garlic now the sauce tastes like garlic powered.

Ooo well, now i only order from new places other wise it doesn't really matter.

[Taffimai]

The nearest chinese restaurant I've found so far is 45mins away by car, and it's rather crap. Chinese is a holiday food for me.

[GolemsVoice]

Here in Germany I'm really satisfied with the average Chinese food I get. Granted, I don't actually know what real Chinese food from China (or Asian food in general) tastes like, so I can't compare. But I'm generally very happy. We had a really good Chinese/Japanese place where you could eat from a buffet for 8€, but it got hid by the flood we had, and now I don't know when, or if they'll ever reopen.

[AdmiralCheez]

Takeout is especially frustrating, because they don't seem to have any system for it; you have to fight for a space at a bar, almost shout to make yourself noticed, and they act like you're a dead slug in their salad when you ask for your food.

The P.F. Changs by me lets you order online, and has dedicated pickup parking spaces out front. They bring the food out to your car and confirm each dish before bagging it and handing it to you. I do that sometimes when I don't feel like waiting in their ridiculously long line. Not too often, though, because as you said, they are pretty pricey.

Other than that, the only other decent Chinese place around me is a family-owned Japanese/Chinese restaurant with excellent hibachi. I haven't tried their Chinese menu, but based on the Japanese, I assume it's good.

Then, of course, there's a couple of the strip-mall variety that are really greasy and make you feel slimy on the inside. I try not to go to those places very often.

[noparlpf]

American "Chinese" fast food is generally pretty mediocre. At worst it can be just a puddle of grease filled with MSG, but usually it's more edible than that. If you don't like what the local fast food joints sell, learn to make your own stuff better. I make some decent fried rice these days.

[Anarion]

It's alive and well, go to dim sum in San Francisco Chinatown.

[TheThan]

I had run into a similar conumdrum.
Over here at GI Joe headquarters, there’s a huge Asian community. However, finding a Chinese food place that is meets the following three criteria has proven to be a challenge.
1: the food is fresh
2: the food tastes good
3: The food is not loaded down with MSGs (which kick my ass like you wouldn’t believe)

Now part of the problem is that this area of the state is a bit notorious for our abysmal dining scene. The average life span of a new restaurant in this area is like 6 months or some such. Yeah it’s that bad. I did find one that meets the above requirements, so I’m a happy camper.

Though I like to make my own.

[TaiLiu]

Over here at GI Joe headquarters...
Isn't... Isn't that a toy set?

[Winthur]

I can't talk for others but in general I prefer my food to be killed before being served, so yeah, in my biased opinion, good Chinese food is dead.

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by AdmiralCheez
The P.F. Changs by me lets you order online, and has dedicated pickup parking spaces out front. They bring the food out to your car and confirm each dish before bagging it and handing it to you.

You've got a primo location there. The one I've been to doesn't have parking anywhere near it; I have to park in the mall lot across the street and dash across a six-lane thoroughfare.

Where I live, urban planning is considered a dark art, you see.

:smallfrown:

[TheThan]

Isn't... Isn't that a toy set?

It’s a secret government instillation, the whereabouts of which are classified.
But if you want to believe that it’s a toy set from a classic series of boy’s action figures, which spawned numerous cartoons (including an animated movie) and two feature length films. Then by all means do so.

[TaiLiu]

It’s a secret government instillation, the whereabouts of which are classified.
But if you want to believe that it’s a toy set from a classic series of boy’s action figures, which spawned numerous cartoons (including an animated movie) and two feature length films. Then by all means do so.
Oh, I see. Interesting.

[Hiro Protagonest]

Yes, all good Chinese food is dead. Don't want to be eating the live stuff. :smalltongue:

[Felyndiira]

Most Americanized Chinese food tastes the same to me, so I can't really speak on that subject. P.F. Changs (and the local Mei-Wah) is a notch above most substandard Ameri-Chinese fare, though I would not even dare call them "good" by any means.

Usually, I tend to look for Szechuan (四川) specialty restaurants since they tend to have food that uses peppercorn, and tend to be a notch above average in quality. Szechuan is the most populous type of Chinese cuisine in the US aside from Ameri-Chinese, so it's much easier to find than anything else.

But yeah, the best way is to find a Chinese person (that is not a college student) and ask them which good Chinese restaurants they've been to, and go wherever they go.

[Psyren]

When I went to college, we had Wok 'N' Roll and Jade Garden to choose from, and I honestly couldn't tell you which was better.

After moving, I almost despaired finding chinese as good, until I came across the excellent China Saute and a Dragon House Buffet for lunchtimes.

Google can generally find all kinds of great places near you though - try a different one each week until you find the right one!

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by Felyndiira
But yeah, the best way is to find a Chinese person (that is not a college student) and ask them which good Chinese restaurants they've been to....

In my area, the only Chinese people I see are the ones working at the restaurants. :smallfrown:

That might sound awful, but it's a demographic fact. There's just not much of an Asian presence here.



--I'm really supporting the regional-crapshoot theory, aren't I?

[AttilaTheGeek]

Yes.

The wife and I live in a college town. Around here all the Chinese food is really crappy, but still delivering at 3am to cater to the college kids. We shopped around since 2008 and only last year found a good place.

Then this (http://www.masslive.com/news/boston/index.ssf/2013/09/no_injuries_in_somerville_buil.html) happened. Front of the building just fell off. As far as I'm concerned, good Chinese is in fact dead.

I live less than two miles from there! There are certainly plenty of bad chinese restaurants, but like Ravens_cry said, "bad Chinese" has its own appeal. I don't eat Chinese that often (I prefer Thai myself), but I haven't discovered a good local Chinese restaurant. Valadil, what was the one you found? Since I apparently live right near you, I'd like to give it a try.

Edit: Derp, the one that collapsed was the good one. Well, I claim excessive tiredness as my excuse for misreading. Damn. Do you know any other good ones around?

[Tebryn]

The thought that P.F Chang's is being touted as being good Chinese Food makes me think my original skepticism over this thread a little less. I've found, in at least four states, that the menu P.F Chang rolls out is overly sweet and salty sauces with stringy beef, mushy chicken and sea food that would make Phoenix's general assembly of three day old frozen imports look fresh. I've given it's fair shake at that. The local Chinese Buffet is better. We've also got, in Flagstaff AZ, a pretty awesome Thai place and Phoenix has some quality Chinese resturants. If you're ever in Mesa, AZ I'd suggest Tasty Joes.

[Psyren]

Say what you want about PF Changs, but their lettuce wraps are amazing!

[The Glyphstone]

It's possible I have never eaten 'good' Chinese food. Here in the city - at least the parts I inhabit, there's like three takeout-only Chinese restaurants within 2 blocks in different directions, and a few more within a few more blocks. They're everywhere, and every single one of them has the exact same menu, and the exact same miscellaneous extras sold in their side role as a candy/smokes shop. Literally the only difference between all 6 of these places is the faces behind the glass divider, and the name printed on the identical menus.

[Serpentine]

Four times. Four times in 1.5 pages the "you want to eat your food dead" joke was made. My God.

There's heaps of Chinese food around Australia, ranging from dodgy little take-aways to massive fancy places with live fish in tanks on the windows and abalone at $100/100g.
I don't know whether it's all good Chinese food, but a lot of them are good food. Most of them are staffed by Asian people (couldn't tell you whether they're Chinese or not, so I won't assume), and most have bilingual menus, especially around Chinatowns.

Once I went to one of the better-regarded Chinese restaurants where I went to uni, and ordered something called something like the "Temple Door Special". It was an amazing dish made with a whole lot of different mushrooms in a delicious sauce. It was so good. But the next time I went back there and asked about it, they had not idea what I was talking about :smallfrown:

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by Serpentine
Four times. Four times in 1.5 pages the "you want to eat your food dead" joke was made. My God.

I was doing my best not to comment on that. But yes, this...joke, for want of a better word, has been made quite enough already.


Originally Posted by The Glyphstone
It's possible I have never eaten 'good' Chinese food.

It's beginning to sound like a lot of folks haven't. Alas for that.


Originally Posted by Serpentine
Once I went to one of the better-regarded Chinese restaurants where I went to uni, and ordered something called something like the "Temple Door Special". It was an amazing dish made with a whole lot of different mushrooms in a delicious sauce. It was so good. But the next time I went back there and asked about it, they had not idea what I was talking about....

Staff turnover is a huge issue in a lot of small businesses; I know that problem all too well. Just when the staff are used to you, and you've reached an understanding on what they're willing to do, new people come in who've never seen you before and insist--positively insist, mind you--that they've never heard of what you're asking, they can't possibly do it and their store has absolutely never done it before. Clearly, a repeat customer over many years is obviously making it up.

That's the only conceivable benefit to some of these hole-in-the-wall Chinese places--they're usually family-run, so you keep seeing the same people for years on end. If only their food made it worthwhile.

[Brother Oni]

That's the only conceivable benefit to some of these hole-in-the-wall Chinese places--they're usually family-run, so you keep seeing the same people for years on end. If only their food made it worthwhile.

As someone whose parents owned a small takeaway for many years, I take umbrage at your insinuation that all family run 'hole in the wall' Chinese shops have sub-standard food.

Anglicised I'll freely admit, but poor quality? :smallmad:

[factotum]

I don't know whether it's all good Chinese food, but a lot of them are good food.

Out of curiosity, how does it compare to Chinese food as served in the UK? Or didn't you partake of such things when you were over here?

[Ravens_cry]

I was doing my best not to comment on that. But yes, this...joke, for want of a better word, has been made quite enough already.

You might even say it's dead.:smalltongue:

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by Brother Oni
Anglicised I'll freely admit, but poor quality?

Well, poor quality is pretty much the lament of this thread.

Also, note my word choice in the quote you selected: "some" is what I wrote, definitely not "all."


Originally Posted by Ravens_cry
You might even say it's dead.

Thou varlet! Thou...knave!!

*smites Ravens_cry*

:smalltongue:

[Ravens_cry]

Thou varlet! Thou...knave!!

*smites Ravens_cry*

:smalltongue:
*is smote*
I think the word you are looking for is troll.

[noparlpf]

You might even say it's dead.:smalltongue:

It's kind of like they're beating a dead horse?
Or is that reaching a little bit?

[ItWasFutile]

I live around the corner from a place operated by a chinese family. They don't even HAVE an english menu. They have one in chinese, and one in korean. I think. Thankfully, everything has pictures next to it. The food is amazing, and the prices can't be beat. Although, I do think that I get a discount on the basis that the owner's son wants to see my lady parts.

[Anarion]

Regarding the MSG issue, consider requesting it be excluded and ordering dishes that have to be made freshly. For example, dumplings generally have the MSG cooked into them, so you'd be out of luck there. But chicken with some sort of sauce is made freshly and can be ordered without MSG. Many restaurants are ver accommodating about it and I have requested no MSG often.


It's possible I have never eaten 'good' Chinese food. Here in the city - at least the parts I inhabit, there's like three takeout-only Chinese restaurants within 2 blocks in different directions, and a few more within a few more blocks. They're everywhere, and every single one of them has the exact same menu, and the exact same miscellaneous extras sold in their side role as a candy/smokes shop. Literally the only difference between all 6 of these places is the faces behind the glass divider, and the name printed on the identical menus.

The fact that they're other shops is probably a bad sign, but having similar menus is usually more likely to indicate regional similarity than quality.

That said, what city are you in? Maybe you just need to range a but further. If it's one I know, I'll give you a recommendation.


Four times. Four times in 1.5 pages the "you want to eat your food dead" joke was made. My God.


All the people that haven't pointed at a living chicken and said "I want that one" are missing out on an experience.

[Brother Oni]

Well, poor quality is pretty much the lament of this thread.

Also, note my word choice in the quote you selected: "some" is what I wrote, definitely not "all."

If you believe that anglicised Chinese food is not worthwhile, then that's a personal opinion and not one I can refute.

I apologise for the mis-understanding - I took 'some' to indicate the customer service and understood the latter comment separately.



All the people that haven't pointed at a living chicken and said "I want that one" are missing out on an experience.

I agree, although having it from breathing to eating its drumstick in less than 15 minutes may be a bit much for some people.

There's nothing like the livestock tanks outside a good seafood restaurant though - it's essentially a mini aquarium and has to be seen to be believed.

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by Brother Oni
I apologise for the mis-understanding - I took 'some' to indicate the customer service and understood the latter comment separately.

Thanks, and no worries.


Originally Posted by Brother Oni
If you believe that anglicised Chinese food is not worthwhile....

Not at all, since almost all the "Chinese" food I've had has been in the U.S. As I mentioned, my one foray into Chinese food in London (Britishized?) was excellent. It's just that most of the American Chinese food I've tried lately hasn't been great.

The food I had in Beijing and Taiwan was...often strong, let's say that. And the chicken feet in the stew tended to put off some of my colleagues.

:smalleek:


Originally Posted by Anarion
Many restaurants are ver accommodating about it and I have requested no MSG often.

Interestingly enough, I remember seeing notices about this in the restaurants up in D.C., but I don't think I've seen them where I am now.

[shadow_archmagi]

You've fallen into the third-most famous blunder! (The most famous of course is never get into a land war in Asia). You never expect food at a mall! Temporary sustenance, perhaps. A wad of grease and deep-friedness to make your stomach shut up until you get home, of course, but FOOD? Never.

[The Glyphstone]

The fact that they're other shops is probably a bad sign, but having similar menus is usually more likely to indicate regional similarity than quality.

That said, what city are you in? Maybe you just need to range a but further. If it's one I know, I'll give you a recommendation.

.

Philadelphia. I'm sure there are good restaurants somewhere, in Chinatown itself if nowhere else, but they're all well outside my usual stomping grounds, so I'd have to make a special trip.

[Bhu]

My taste in Chinese food is limited, but there's something in Columbus, and other parts of Ohio, called Mark Pi's. I think that's pretty good. We alsohometown ( have a similar, but slightly pricier and probably a bit better restaurant in my college town.



Since when is Dayton southern Ohio?

It's in Fairborn not Dayton :smalltongue:

It's southwest ohio at the least...


Palanan: You may also have them try this:

http://www.yelp.com/biz/j-y-bamboo-fairborn

It's a mix of japanese/faux chinese/vietnamese/thai. I mostly go there for pad thai. I can't really recommend much else other than the vietnamese dishes because they're all I've had.

Now if I can just find a nice place that makes Banh Mi.

[TheThan]

You've fallen into the third-most famous blunder! (The most famous of course is never get into a land war in Asia). You never expect food at a mall! Temporary sustenance, perhaps. A wad of grease and deep-friedness to make your stomach shut up until you get home, of course, but FOOD? Never.
Nope. The third classic blunder is never volunteer at church.
The fourth is never eat at a mall.

Regarding the MSG issue, consider requesting it be excluded and ordering dishes that have to be made freshly. For example, dumplings generally have the MSG cooked into them, so you'd be out of luck there. But chicken with some sort of sauce is made freshly and can be ordered without MSG. Many restaurants are ver accommodating about it and I have requested no MSG often.



Yeah, but many cooks take offense to the notion that their customers actually know what they want to eat, and how it is to be prepared. I don’t want spit or worse in my food, so it’s easier to just avoid places that use MSG.

That being said I follow a simple two strike system when eating out (any food, not just Chinese food). If their food makes me sick, they earn a strike. two strikes and I won’t eat there anymore. I realize that it could simply be me, which is why its a two strike system.

[Knaight]

The food I had in Beijing and Taiwan was...often strong, let's say that. And the chicken feet in the stew tended to put off some of my colleagues.

Chicken feet is good stuff - though I've only had the Thai style. Still, I lived far enough in northern Thailand for the food to have a decent amount of Chinese influence, so I suspect there were enough similarities for the chicken feet to consistently be delicious.

[sktarq]

It very much depends on where you live.
Personally I've had good luck in Cali and bad luck in most of the rest of the US (NYC being a notable exception)
Being in California we have a large group of recent immigrants and lots of fresh Asian vegetables grown locally so those both help. Personally I'd link these two things to the overall likelihood of finding good Chinese food in an area.
Also look for where Chinese speakers eat. Even better look for someone who is using it as a immigration network. Visa set and family things.

[Brother Oni]

Not at all, since almost all the "Chinese" food I've had has been in the U.S. As I mentioned, my one foray into Chinese food in London (Britishized?) was excellent. It's just that most of the American Chinese food I've tried lately hasn't been great.

The UK has always had fairly strong ties to the Chinese community via Hong Kong, so there's a number of places where you can get authentic (adjusted for local ingredients) food.

Down in the south of England, aside from London, Bristol and Plymouth have fairly major Chinese communities which do good food.

From the sounds of where you are, you may be just out of luck geographically.



The food I had in Beijing and Taiwan was...often strong, let's say that. And the chicken feet in the stew tended to put off some of my colleagues.

Sichuan cooking is generally very spicy, so it may be that you've had. I'm not very familiar with Taiwanese cooking though.

Chicken feet are fine once you get past the initial revulsion stage, after that you wonder what all the fuss was about. There's not much meat on them, so you eat the skin, although I find them a pain since you have to keep on spitting out the bones.

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by Brother Oni
From the sounds of where you are, you may be just out of luck geographically.

Yeah, it's really starting to seem that way. Odd, since we do have good Indian and Thai restaurants, despite those groups not being especially visible around here either.

And we have a ton of Mexican restaurants, which are universally awful. I'll save that rant for another thread. :smallmad:


Originally Posted by Brother Oni
Sichuan cooking is generally very spicy, so it may be that you've had. I'm not very familiar with Taiwanese cooking though.

Sounds like I experienced Sichuan in Beijing, then. Very strong, quite spicy. I ended up not eating too much.

The Taiwanese cooking was...um. The home-cooking was extremely salty, and while some of the restaurants were good, so much of the food was unfamiliar that even with my friends' advice, I barely knew what to get. The mini-octopus and blood rice were not good choices.

In most of the places I went in Taiwan, especially in Taipei and Kaohsiung, there was literally a 7-11 on every corner, and while traveling I subsisted on their giant pork-dumpling-things. My arteries screamed and wept with every bite, but at least the dumpling-things kept me going.

[nedz]

If you believe that anglicised Chinese food is not worthwhile, then that's a personal opinion and not one I can refute.
Crispy Aromatic Duck = Anglicised Peking Duck

Probably my favourite Chinese dish.


Chicken feet is good stuff - though I've only had the Thai style. Still, I lived far enough in northern Thailand for the food to have a decent amount of Chinese influence, so I suspect there were enough similarities for the chicken feet to consistently be delicious.

I've had Ducks Webs in Oyster Sauce in London. It was mainly skin and bone.

[Brother Oni]

I've had Ducks Webs in Oyster Sauce in London. It was mainly skin and bone.

Here's a fun party trick with chicken feet - if you eat around the cut at the top, you can sometimes get to the tendons and if they're not overdone, you can pull them to make the claws contract.

It only works until the tendon snaps, although by then you've probably made all the squeamish people flee the table. :smallbiggrin:

[Palanan]

See, I never actually had the chicken feet. They were in the same tray with a busy mass of other ingredients, so I just spooned out stuff that wasn't chicken feet.

There might have been a few chicken heads in there too. Between the feet and the heads, most of the people I was with just skipped that dish entirely.



Jumping oceans and cultures, the Brazilians sometimes like chicken hearts in a churrasco, which is a grilled meat extravaganza that involves all sorts of good things. Grilled chicken hearts are surprisingly good.

...now I want churrasco.

[Bhu]

While we're discussing chinese food, can anyone teach me to make Yu-SHiang Shredded Pork??

[Brother Oni]

While we're discussing chinese food, can anyone teach me to make Yu-SHiang Shredded Pork??

A quick google search gives me this fairly straight forward recipe (http://www.travelchinaguide.com/tour/food/chinese-cooking/fish-flavored-pork.htm).

As typical, most of the hard work is in preparing the ingredients - once that's done, it cooks in a matter of minutes.

If there's any particular point you're stuck on, let me know and I'll try and help out - bear in mind that my help is going to be anglicised, so Palanan is going to disapprove. :smalltongue:

[Dihan]

A tip - in any city with a large enough Chinese community, look for where all the 'locals' (people who speak Chinese natively) eat.

While the food is still westernised due to local ingredients, it's usually less westernised than what you'd find in a mainstream restaurant. It also helps if you speak enough Chinese to ask for stuff that's not on the English menu (another sign of a less westernised cuisine is the Chinese language menu is larger than than the English one or the fact that they have a dual language menu at all).

Depending on the size of the city you live in, there may not be a large enough Chinese community to support a less westernised restaurant though. For 'proper' food, I'd have to drive to a city about 40 minutes away, although there is a local takeaway that does decent enough food.

This. I live in a university city with a considerable Chinese student population. Out of the many, many Chinese restaurants/takeaways I have only ever seen a large number at one particular place - that place had the best Chinese food out of them all. It's a shame it's a bit out of my way now.

[mistformsquirrl]

Where I live we have one phenomenal Chinese restaurant; food's always fantastic and usually ready for carry out in 15 minutes. < ._.> I live about 2 blocks away too which is kinda awesomesauce. Also pretty darn inexpensive overall; cheaper than going to most restaurants anyway in my experience.

Now I want Empress Chicken... < . .> But it's 5am so that's not going to happen.

[blueblade]

You've reminded me, though, that some of the best Chinese food I've ever had was at a little restaurant in London, I think in South Kensington or somewhere nearby. The place was almost empty when I walked in, which isn't always a good sign, but the food was fantastic. Standard Kung Pao, just really good.

.

The Good Earth? One of the best in London..

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by Brother Oni
...bear in mind that my help is going to be anglicised, so Palanan is going to disapprove. :smalltongue:

--Wait, what? My one experience with Anglo-Chinese, strictly speaking, was great, and most of what I'm calling "Chinese" is the Americanized version anyway.

You wound me, sir, you cut me to the quick. :smallbiggrin:


Originally Posted by blueblade
The Good Earth? One of the best in London.

I'd love to go there, definitely didn't see it when I was there. The place I visited was a small, tidy joint, decidedly unpretentious without being a hole in the wall. Can't recall the name, although I have a copy of the receipt somewhere.

[Bhu]

A quick google search gives me this fairly straight forward recipe (http://www.travelchinaguide.com/tour/food/chinese-cooking/fish-flavored-pork.htm).

As typical, most of the hard work is in preparing the ingredients - once that's done, it cooks in a matter of minutes.

If there's any particular point you're stuck on, let me know and I'll try and help out - bear in mind that my help is going to be anglicised, so Palanan is going to disapprove. :smalltongue:

What might the black fungus and broad bean paste they mention be called here?

Also what cuisine can you recommend for someone whose primary exposure to chinese food is szechuan, hunan, and cantonese?

Spiciness or heat is not an issue for me.

[Tebryn]

What might the black fungus and broad bean paste they mention be called here?

Broad bean paste is what it'd be called here. Doubanjiang is what you're looking for. You can find it in any Chinese market and even a well stocked "Ethnic" section in super markets. You could probably use any kind of mushroom in place for Black Fungus...hard to tell what kind it is in the picture they give.

[Brother Oni]

What might the black fungus and broad bean paste they mention be called here?

Also what cuisine can you recommend for someone whose primary exposure to chinese food is szechuan, hunan, and cantonese?

Spiciness or heat is not an issue for me.

Further to Tebryn's reply, Chinese Black Fungus is a type of shiitake mushroom, so you can use that with minimal fuss.

White mushrooms you typically find in a mainstream supermarket tend not to have the right sort of taste and texture when cooked like this in my experience.

Unfortunately while I can cook, I'm not really a chef. I can prepare a narrow range of recipes in large amounts quickly, but don't ask me to do anything even remotely fancy.
My palate isn't much better - if you like spicy food, then have you tried Thai or Korean food? Kimchi is very popular, although I find it takes some getting used to.

[ArlEammon]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05z38kji8s4

I like Chinese Food.

[Bhu]

Further to Tebryn's reply, Chinese Black Fungus is a type of shiitake mushroom, so you can use that with minimal fuss.

White mushrooms you typically find in a mainstream supermarket tend not to have the right sort of taste and texture when cooked like this in my experience.

Unfortunately while I can cook, I'm not really a chef. I can prepare a narrow range of recipes in large amounts quickly, but don't ask me to do anything even remotely fancy.
My palate isn't much better - if you like spicy food, then have you tried Thai or Korean food? Kimchi is very popular, although I find it takes some getting used to.

My Thai food experience has been sadly limited to Basil CHicken, and Pad Thai. I'd like to try more, but I haven't found a purely Thai restaurant. It's always "Thai and_"

Theres only one Korean place here that served Korean bbq, but I only tried it once before it went out of business. Portions were incredibly small for the prices they charged. The Bulgogi was awesome though.

[Palanan]

Korean food is the one common Asian food I just can't get into. Tried it a couple times at a well-thought-of Korean restaurant, and no. For me, just no.

[Bhu]

Have you tried Bulgogi or Yangnyeom Tongdak? Sadly those two dishes and Galbi are the limits of my experience to Korean Cuisine. I haven't had much Japanese either. Sadly My Thai/Vietnamese/Cambodian is often limited as most places here serve a mix of the three. I thought Pho was Thai for a while because of this.

[sktarq]

My palate isn't much better - if you like spicy food, then have you tried Thai or Korean food? Kimchi is very popular, although I find it takes some getting used to.

One note with Kimchi. Make sure that everyone in the house/apartment gives consent first. I've lived with enough Korean students (both Korea Americans and Native Koreans) to be overexposed to the smell. Which many find awful. Painfully bad.

[TheThan]

Why is it Chinese fortune cookies never give you your fortune anymore? Nowadays it’s all BS like “you are a good person” and the like. Come on people, give my fortune.

I mean seriously, are people taking them so seriously that if they don’t come true they sue or something?

I used to keep them, and then at the end of the year I’d go though them and see which ones came true. It was fun!


obviously i just had some Chinese, and yeah lousy fortune cookie

[ArlEammon]

Why is it Chinese fortune cookies never give you your fortune anymore? Nowadays it’s all BS like “you are a good person” and the like. Come on people, give my fortune.

I mean seriously, are people taking them so seriously that if they don’t come true they sue or something?

I used to keep them, and then at the end of the year I’d go though them and see which ones came true. It was fun!

My fortune cookie said:
"Ah nal nathrack, uthe be bethutte, doth el envay!"

[noparlpf]

Why is it Chinese fortune cookies never give you your fortune anymore? Nowadays it’s all BS like “you are a good person” and the like. Come on people, give my fortune.

I mean seriously, are people taking them so seriously that if they don’t come true they sue or something?

I used to keep them, and then at the end of the year I’d go though them and see which ones came true. It was fun!


obviously i just had some Chinese, and yeah lousy fortune cookie


"Some fortune cookies contain no fortunes." — a fortune cookie fortune my friend got.

[Bhu]

Why is it Chinese fortune cookies never give you your fortune anymore? Nowadays it’s all BS like “you are a good person” and the like. Come on people, give my fortune.

I mean seriously, are people taking them so seriously that if they don’t come true they sue or something?

I used to keep them, and then at the end of the year I’d go though them and see which ones came true. It was fun!


obviously i just had some Chinese, and yeah lousy fortune cookie


t probably depends on their supplier. The local one has had some pretty odd stuff. One said "Do not trust the person witting across from you."

[Kelb_Panthera]

This will be oddly specific, but does anyone know a particularly good place in the wiregrass area of southern Alabama?

I went to a Chinese place with my grandma near where she lives. She ordered tea to go with her meal, expecting a green or maybe an oolong. Ya know what she got? A cup of hot water with a bag of Lipton floating in it. The food wasn't bad, but I wouldn't really call most of it even anglicized Chinese.

[asthesunfails]

Answering the thread question, no.

I would go along with a few people have said, most native chinese speakers and those 1st to 2nd generations speakers do generally know where the good Chinese is. I remember this one place in Oakland, CA thats a total hole in the wall, on a small alley with barely any space, but the first is amazing and the place is almost always filled. Me and my family go there whenever we're in town to get the Peking Duck.

A good bet would be to go into the Chinatown areas, San Fran Chinatown, Roland Heights, and so on.

Or a slightly underhanded method of getting good Chinese, Japanese, etc cultural food is to make friends with those from those areas. Then meet their parents, or the elders. Old people are usually pretty good at making cultural food. That "just how grandma used to make it" thing? Every culture pretty much has that in some form.

[DJ Yung Crunk]

Talk about a thread that just won't stay down, wow.

How difficult is it to come to a consensus on Chinese food? Even if that consensus is a cop out like "No accounting for taste"

[Brother Oni]

How difficult is it to come to a consensus on Chinese food? Even if that consensus is a cop out like "No accounting for taste"

It's very difficult to come to a concensus since we have a fairly broad spectrum of people here for whom Chinese food ranges from "MSG stuffed junk food crap I tried once" to "home cooking eaten every day".

In my particular case, the "MSG stuffed crap" is home cooking. :smalltongue:

[Bhu]

There's actually more msg in american products than faux chinese. Peek at sausage. Virtually all sausage has msg.

[Karoht]

There is a place in Chinatown here in Calgary.
It's called You and Me, and unless you ask the Shwarma guy, you'll never find the place. It's also open until 4am, and the best time to go is between 9pm and 4am. The better chefs are there then, but ask for your food made in a dirty wok, trust me.

Their Dim Sum is apparently lackluster. This from several people I know from China (Hong Kong and some other parts I can't pronounce). They do have traditional chinese on their menu as well. It's good between 4pm and 9pm, but it's MUCH better 9pm to 4am.

It's also a bit of a shady place. For one thing, they serve alcohol past 2am, which is illegal. Also, we've personally witnessed some pretty odd stuff going on in there. One night around 1am, we saw 5 asian fellows walk in with white suits, vests, jackets, ties, the works. They each had a briefcase with them. They walked right into the kitchen. About 15 minutes later, they walked out without the briefcases. Apparantly, this has been witnessed by several groups of people.
After a prominent gang shooting took place, the restaurant was closed for a week (with no explanation why), yet witnesses reported seeing people coming and going at all hours of the day and night, and it was pretty busy.

As far as the food, it is the best chinese food I've ever had. They do huge platters for not a lot of money. 5 people each ordering 1 dish each tends to feed everyone at the table quite well. The rice has always been fresh, never mushy or gooey. The shanghai noodles? Somehow when they fry it, they get that 'kissed by fire' flavor and I'm really not sure how. Well seasoned cast iron wok I guess. their lemon chicken used to be amazing, it is a bit overly sweet now, and they sauce the chicken before serving it, when before they used to slice the chicken and leave the sauce in the middle for dipping. Sweet and Sour pork? Oh man, I think it's the only Sweet and Sour pork that doesn't use ketchup. Big chunks of fresh pineapple, lots of green and red pepper, the pork is still slightly crunchy on the outside and soaks up the sauce really well. They had a mango SnS pork + chicken once, it was mind blowing. Sliced mango (which they may have even grilled, not sure), the sauce had a hint of mango to it rather than too much mango. The black pepper beef and bean sauce hot plate? Okay, some days they give you a fatty poorly seasoned piece of junk, drowining in sauce and way too much pepper. Some days you get this amazingly well cooked 'kissed by fire' beefy hotplate dish with the right amount of pepper and sauce. Hooboy is it good when they get it right.

They do hotpot as well, I've never had it, I've been told theirs is lackluster. Got to the korean places for BBQ and hotpot.

But yeah, that's You and Me. A hole-in-the wall chinese place with a shady past and amazing food later on at night. If you are ever in Calgary, give it a go. Especially late at night.

[Kelb_Panthera]

There is a place in Chinatown here in Calgary.
It's called You and Me, and unless you ask the Shwarma guy, you'll never find the place. It's also open until 4am, and the best time to go is between 9pm and 4am. The better chefs are there then, but ask for your food made in a dirty wok, trust me.

Their Dim Sum is apparently lackluster. This from several people I know from China (Hong Kong and some other parts I can't pronounce). They do have traditional chinese on their menu as well. It's good between 4pm and 9pm, but it's MUCH better 9pm to 4am.

It's also a bit of a shady place. For one thing, they serve alcohol past 2am, which is illegal. Also, we've personally witnessed some pretty odd stuff going on in there. One night around 1am, we saw 5 asian fellows walk in with white suits, vests, jackets, ties, the works. They each had a briefcase with them. They walked right into the kitchen. About 15 minutes later, they walked out without the briefcases. Apparantly, this has been witnessed by several groups of people.
After a prominent gang shooting took place, the restaurant was closed for a week (with no explanation why), yet witnesses reported seeing people coming and going at all hours of the day and night, and it was pretty busy.

As far as the food, it is the best chinese food I've ever had. They do huge platters for not a lot of money. 5 people each ordering 1 dish each tends to feed everyone at the table quite well. The rice has always been fresh, never mushy or gooey. The shanghai noodles? Somehow when they fry it, they get that 'kissed by fire' flavor and I'm really not sure how. Well seasoned cast iron wok I guess. their lemon chicken used to be amazing, it is a bit overly sweet now, and they sauce the chicken before serving it, when before they used to slice the chicken and leave the sauce in the middle for dipping. Sweet and Sour pork? Oh man, I think it's the only Sweet and Sour pork that doesn't use ketchup. Big chunks of fresh pineapple, lots of green and red pepper, the pork is still slightly crunchy on the outside and soaks up the sauce really well. They had a mango SnS pork + chicken once, it was mind blowing. Sliced mango (which they may have even grilled, not sure), the sauce had a hint of mango to it rather than too much mango. The black pepper beef and bean sauce hot plate? Okay, some days they give you a fatty poorly seasoned piece of junk, drowining in sauce and way too much pepper. Some days you get this amazingly well cooked 'kissed by fire' beefy hotplate dish with the right amount of pepper and sauce. Hooboy is it good when they get it right.

They do hotpot as well, I've never had it, I've been told theirs is lackluster. Got to the korean places for BBQ and hotpot.

But yeah, that's You and Me. A hole-in-the wall chinese place with a shady past and amazing food later on at night. If you are ever in Calgary, give it a go. Especially late at night.

Seriously? Organized crime -is- a real thing. Is the food good enough to risk being in the wrong place at the wrong time?

I mean, dude, you just described a setting out of every film that involves organized crime families, just change the food to whichever nationality is most appropriate. Italian for the mafia, Chinese for the tongs or the triad, Japanese for yakuza, Latin food for central American drug cartels, etc.

[Karoht]

Seriously? Organized crime -is- a real thing. Is the food good enough to risk being in the wrong place at the wrong time?

I mean, dude, you just described a setting out of every film that involves organized crime families, just change the food to whichever nationality is most appropriate. Italian for the mafia, Chinese for the tongs or the triad, Japanese for yakuza, Latin food for central American drug cartels, etc.
That's how you know it's good!

Also, 8-12 person tables full of asian families sitting down to dinner is a good sign as well.

[razark]

...you just described a setting out of every film...
So, it's dinner and a show!

[Karoht]

So, it's dinner and a show!
Excactly.

And yes, I would say the food is worth the risk.
Slightly off topic, but the table of an italian mob boss? MAN that food would be spectacular.

[sktarq]

If you want dinner and a show in a Chinese food restaurant then go to a place where they bring in the protein still breathing.

[Karoht]

As far as dinner and a show goes, Teppanyaki (Japanese Steak House) restaurants usually serve amazing food with personable staff.
Yes, it's not Chinese, but it deserves a mention, at minimum.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teppanyaki

[Joran]

I went through 4 pages and nobody mentioned "soupy dumplings"?! (Xiao Long Bao for those who know the Chinese and the direct translation is Small Dragon Buns). Those are delicious!

It used to be hard to get those, but 2 new Shanghainese restaurants opened up and have good dumplings. My wife and I can order 3 steamer pans full of those and just gorge on those.


I used to live in the D.C. area, and there are some excellent restaurants scattered all around, and a lot of good lunch spots in downtown D.C. I used to go to a place called Penang, which served Malaysian food, and it was outstanding. (I used to eat the garnish carrots just to have an excuse to eat more of the sauce.)

--And yet, the swanky Chinese restaurant a couple of blocks down M Street was mediocre at best. The same went for my neighborhood Chinese joint: edible, but nothing to impress.

Yeah, all the good Chinese restaurants are out in the suburbs, where all the Chinese people live. Penang is in Bethesda, a suburb in Maryland; it's very good and the owners speak Chinese ;). If I'm willing to drive 15-20 minutes in any direction, I can get good Thai, Japanese, Vietnamese, Chinese, and Korean food. It's a huge perk of living in this area.

There should be good Latin American cuisine here (we have a large Hispanic community), but I'm not adventurous enough to try it outside of Peruvian chicken.

I'd recommend Jennifer 8 Lee's book "The Fortune Cookie Chronicles" if anyone wants to explore the history of Chinese food and the culture surrounding it in America.

[Karoht]

www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6MhV5Rn63M
Jennifer 8 Lee answers the question "Who is General Tso?" and explores other Chinese Food oddities.

[Bhu]

Sadly the local chinese takeout has General Tso's chicken, sweet and sour chicken and fried rice as 90% of their orders.


Theres a place 40 minutes from me in Fairborn thats awesome though. They have wonton soup that's homemade soup as opposed to chicken broth heated up with some wontons and green onion thrown in. It actually has mushrooms and veggies and chicken in it.

[Karoht]

Sadly the local chinese takeout has General Tso's chicken, sweet and sour chicken and fried rice as 90% of their orders.


Theres a place 40 minutes from me in Fairborn thats awesome though. They have wonton soup that's homemade soup as opposed to chicken broth heated up with some wontons and green onion thrown in. It actually has mushrooms and veggies and chicken in it.
This is why I'm quite partial towards vietnamese as opposed to chinese as of late. Vietnamese also tends to be less expensive and has larger portions on average.
Also, korean hot pot? Lemongrass + Chili broth? Frikken awesome.

[Jayngfet]

I feel that good Chinese food can only really exist in a city that can support it.

I mean a city like Vancouver with a huge central chinatown and lots of other major Chinese communities, and lots of affluent chinese immigrants who can afford to eat out, is basically heaven for Chinese food.

But then you have random podunk towns in like, Wisconsin or Georgia or somewhere else on the other side of the continent with no competition or history, or else some kind of college town that gets most of it's business late.

Speaking from experience, I'd rather eat the best Chinese food in a dangerous neighborhood with probable criminals than suffer through something dry and stale and be guaranteed to make it home in peace. The difference is so vast it's almost beyond comprehension. You're either good or you aren't.

[Karoht]

Speaking from experience, I'd rather eat the best Chinese food in a dangerous neighborhood with probable criminals than suffer through something dry and stale and be guaranteed to make it home in peace. The difference is so vast it's almost beyond comprehension. You're either good or you aren't.
Huzzah! Spoken as someone who understands a proper culinary adventure!

[Jayngfet]

Huzzah! Spoken as someone who understands a proper culinary adventure!

Indeed! To get to my favorite restaurants and bakeries I'd usually have to pass through Hastings and Main. Which is the poorest, most strung out area of the entire country. There's certainly no shortage of crime or homeless or criminal homeless.

But hey, it's got the best places to eat. When I was playing card games the best place to get cards was in that area. Some of the best groceries there were imported directly from Asia to service people who would often also come directly from there. You can get either westernized or authentic foods from a number of places and the competition keeps everything slick and nice nine times out of ten. There's plenty of places to get cool ingredients or variations, so even just buying cheap instant ramen from there can get you something amazing if you know what you're doing.

Pretty much all bad reviews about there are from people who expected a place to gawk and bring the family, or else seem shocked that a lower class inner city residential area has some shady people in it.

[Karoht]

Indeed! To get to my favorite restaurants and bakeries I'd usually have to pass through Hastings and Main. Which is the poorest, most strung out area of the entire country. There's certainly no shortage of crime or homeless or criminal homeless.
Pretty much all bad reviews about there are from people who expected a place to gawk and bring the family, or else seem shocked that a lower class inner city residential area has some shady people in it.Inorite?
Shady end of town is shady? Who knew?
I remember about 8 years ago when I could hop the train after school, take a stroll through Chinatown here in calgary, look at the book and magazine and curio shops, then stop at the bakery. And get 40 BBQ Pork Buns for 10 bucks or less. Good times that.
But the shady end often has some interesting and even unique places. The road less travelled and all that jazz.


But hey, it's got the best places to eat. When I was playing card games the best place to get cards was in that area. Some of the best groceries there were imported directly from Asia to service people who would often also come directly from there. You can get either westernized or authentic foods from a number of places and the competition keeps everything slick and nice nine times out of ten. There's plenty of places to get cool ingredients or variations, so even just buying cheap instant ramen from there can get you something amazing if you know what you're doing.We're lucky to have T&T market here in Calgary. It's an asian chain supermarket. They aren't the best for produce quality, but they have an amazing seafood section (seriously, whole turtles the size of dinner plates if that's your thing), the import candy/drinks isles are excellent (passionfruit green tea, in a 2L jug for a 1.50, soy beverages are pretty cheap too), and of course the bakery for BBQ pork buns, mochi, breads, and other awesomeness. They have their own sushi/dim sum place attached to it, not bad if you're on the run, super fresh, and severely discounted after 5pm.

Bad news? It's in a low income/high crime end of town. Oh noez.
And not to be racist or anything, but the parking lot is always a mess. No joke, this is a fact, make of that what you will.

Seriously though, I think we shop at T&T about as often as we shop any of the other grocery stores, if not more so.

[Bhu]

This is why I'm quite partial towards vietnamese as opposed to chinese as of late. Vietnamese also tends to be less expensive and has larger portions on average.
Also, korean hot pot? Lemongrass + Chili broth? Frikken awesome.

I'll be getting some sort of Vietnamese soup and egrolls for dinner this Thanksgiving. My sisters friend is insisting on cooking for her (and since i miss vietnamese since one of the few places i know shut down im not missing it). I wish I could find some good Banh Mi here still. There's places that make them but they're like an hour away.

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by Joran
Penang is in Bethesda, a suburb in Maryland; it's very good and the owners speak Chinese ;).

We may be thinking about different Penangs, since the one I knew was on M Street and served a very different fare.



As for crime and Chinese food...sorry, I just haven't had any that was ever that good. My notion of a culinary adventure is eating pineapple on the banks of an Amazonian tributary that my hosts grew in their front garden. Keep your thug cuisine, I'll take the occasional two-meter caiman any day.

:smallbiggrin:

[Jayngfet]

Inorite?
Shady end of town is shady? Who knew?
I remember about 8 years ago when I could hop the train after school, take a stroll through Chinatown here in calgary, look at the book and magazine and curio shops, then stop at the bakery. And get 40 BBQ Pork Buns for 10 bucks or less. Good times that.
But the shady end often has some interesting and even unique places. The road less travelled and all that jazz.

Checking the review sites is actually kind of hilarious:

"Why is everything written in Chinese? They should cater to tourists like me!"

"Why are there so many poor people? It's depressing to look at them!"

"This doesn't feel 'ethnic' enough! It's nothing but a bunch of Asian people walking around!"

A lot of people don't seem to understand the difference between a Chinatown designed as a tourist trap for families, and a Chinatown inhabited by middle and lower class Chinese immigrants that's fallen on hard times.

[T-O-E]

In my experience, most good food is dead.

[Karoht]

In my experience, most good food is dead.Ugh, I'm not doing good this morning with the brain... things.
This one took me a minute.

In your experience, what have you encountered that would qualify as good chinese food?
Any particularly absurdly BAD chinese food in your area? Care to warn people?

[Helluin]

It's alive and well, go to dim sum in San Francisco Chinatown.

THIS.

Well to be fair I've never been to San Fran. But the local Chinese Dim Sum restaurants I go to never fail me. Other than that they also have other kinds of Chinese cuisines and all taste delightfully good.




Usually, I tend to look for Szechuan (四川) specialty restaurants since they tend to have food that uses peppercorn, and tend to be a notch above average in quality. Szechuan is the most populous type of Chinese cuisine in the US aside from Ameri-Chinese, so it's much easier to find than anything else.


Also this. No comments regarding P.F Changs (never tried it:smalltongue:) or the college students (myself being one:smallbiggrin:). But Szechuan food is definitely a solid idea. The only downside about it is that I have sensitive mucous membrane, so often times those stimulating foods give my throat a hard time.:smallfrown: