# Do You Like Chinese Food?



## ArtMusic (Jan 5, 2013)

I am almost sure everyone here has tastes Chinese food at some point if not regularly. There is likely to be some Chinese restaurant diner somewhere near your home, perhaps not.

Do you like Chinese food?


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese (Jan 8, 2013)

Someone had to do the first vote:angel:


----------



## Meyerbeer Smith (Mar 25, 2016)

Of course! Especially mao xue wang ("bubbling blood"), a potent mixture of chillies, Szechuan pepper, blood jelly and pork intestine.


----------



## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Yes, but it depends on what we order.


----------



## TwoFlutesOneTrumpet (Aug 31, 2011)

Yes. I love playing "guess what's the meat" game every time


----------



## ArtMusic (Jan 5, 2013)

I like gongbao chicken and fried rice. Dumplings are lovely too. I didn't used to like Chinese food as much but have grown a taste for it. I think that's good.


----------



## Sloe (May 9, 2014)

Yes I like especially the deep fried chicken fish and pork. Also sliced beef with bamboo shots despite having been told by a Chinese girl that they do not eat that in China.


----------



## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Lots of dishes, yes. Jellyfish, no no no.

I had drunken shrimp once. The shrimp are put, alive, in a alcoholic liquid. Then they're cooked in hot water. They thrash around as they die most entertainingly. This is considered something of delicacy. Tastes good but, again, no thanks.

"If its back is toward heaven, it can be eaten."


----------



## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

Well, my wife is Shanghainese, what do you think my answer is?

By the way, much of the Chinese food served in "Chinese restaurants" is not authentic Chinese cooking. Also, China is huge, with huge differences in cooking styles from one part to the other.


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese (Jan 8, 2013)

Spicy Sichuan-style prawns thanks, do you do delivery


----------



## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Art Rock said:


> By the way, much of the Chinese food served in "Chinese restaurants" is not authentic Chinese cooking. Also, China is huge, with huge differences in cooking styles from one part to the other.


Indeed. What's "authentic"? Is it the way Ms. Wang cooks it across the road, or what they serve at that restaurant out at the Village of the Three Just Magistrates?


----------



## Kivimees (Feb 16, 2013)

I had the good fortune some years ago to attend a conference in Beijing. The food was excellent - except at breakfast. The flavours simply clashed with my morning taste buds.


----------



## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Sloe said:


> Also sliced beef with bamboo shots despite having been told by a Chinese girl that they do not eat that in China.


Beef dishes are somewhat rare in China, probably because the cost of beef protein is quite high compared with pork and chicken. In Taiwan, where my wife is from, beef seems avoided for religious reasons, although people are generally Buddhist and I know of no proscription. I don't totally understand this.


----------



## MoonlightSonata (Mar 29, 2014)

In general, yes, I love it. I can't stand jellyfish or stinky tofu though.


----------



## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

MoonlightSonata said:


> In general, yes, I love it. I can't stand jellyfish or stinky tofu though.


I used to live in a village in Taiwan. Every afternoon, the guy with the stinky tofu cart would park beneath my 2nd story front window, which I kept open for the breeze. Wow! Yes, that stuff does stink! I never tasted any, though people assured me it was quite good.


----------



## MoonlightSonata (Mar 29, 2014)

KenOC said:


> I used to live in a village in Taiwan. Every afternoon, the guy with the stinky tofu cart would park beneath my 2nd story front window, which I kept open for the breeze. Wow! Yes, that stuff does stink! I never tasted any, though people assured me it was quite good.


I tried it and really didn't like it, though I could just have been put off by the awful smell. Perhaps it's an acquired taste?


----------



## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

Stinking tofu is indeed a bit of an acquired taste (like some French cheeses). I like it.


----------



## Vaneyes (May 11, 2010)

Singapore Fried Noodles--Palace, Castlereagh St., Sydney NSW Australia.


----------



## Merl (Jul 28, 2016)

I really enjoy Chinese banquet meals (at good restaurants) but must admit I prefer a good, hot Indian curry.


----------



## Sloe (May 9, 2014)

Merl said:


> I really enjoy Chinese banquet meals (at good restaurants) but must admit I prefer a good, hot Indian curry.


I always take the curry sauce at Chinese restaurants sine I don´t like sweet sour sauce.


----------



## ArtMusic (Jan 5, 2013)

Sloe said:


> I always take the curry sauce at Chinese restaurants sine I don´t like sweet sour sauce.


I'm not a fan of Sweet & Sour Sauce but I do like sweet chilli sauce (not to spicy however).


----------



## Guest (Sep 14, 2016)

Yes, as long as it's heavily breaded and smothered in sweet sauce American style! (My diabetes hates it, though.)


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese (Jan 8, 2013)

ArtMusic said:


> I'm not a fan of Sweet & Sour Sauce but I do like sweet chilli sauce (not to spicy however).


What no Ketchup (tomato sauce for the rest of the world)


----------



## QuietGuy (Mar 1, 2014)

Kung Pao Chicken and Mongolian Beef are my favorite Chinese dishes. Anything else on the menu I have to consider carefully.


----------



## Antiquarian (Apr 29, 2014)

I like the real stuff, not the kind that comes from restaurants with names like _Golden Panda_. They tend to westernise things. But I prefer Indian food.


----------



## ArtMusic (Jan 5, 2013)

EddieRUKiddingVarese said:


> What no Ketchup (tomato sauce for the rest of the world)


Not with Chinese food. Soy sauce maybe.


----------



## James Mann (Sep 6, 2016)

What is "it depends what we order" an option? Of course it depends what you order, isn't that a given?


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese (Jan 8, 2013)

ArtMusic said:


> Not with Chinese food. Soy sauce maybe.


I was just wondering


----------



## znapschatz (Feb 28, 2016)

Art Rock said:


> Well, my wife is Shanghainese, what do you think my answer is?
> 
> By the way, much of the Chinese food served in "Chinese restaurants" is not authentic Chinese cooking....


But the only Chinese food to which I have been accustomed. It may not be authentic, but I like it well enough. Maybe someday I'll get around to the real article, but honestly, I'm more a gourmand than gourmet.


----------



## Sloe (May 9, 2014)

I can say I like almost everything that is deep fried with the exception of deep fried prawns.
I also like spring rolls both the big ones you can buy in a chop and the small ones they have at the buffet at Chinese restaurants.


----------



## kartikeys (Mar 16, 2013)

ArtMusic said:


> I am almost sure everyone here has tastes Chinese food at some point if not regularly. There is likely to be some Chinese restaurant diner somewhere near your home, perhaps not.
> 
> Do you like Chinese food?


i have never eaten Chinese food. I have eaten Indian Chinese food, which is a different 
entity altogether.


----------



## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

We are embarrassed by a true multitude of fine Chinese restaurants. I live in a town next door to Irvine CA, no small place, which is about 40% Asian by demographics. Most of that is Chinese due to the many hi-tech companies and the University of California campus there. No matter what type of Chinese cuisine you prefer, you'll have a good choice of restaurants here.

We often go to Sam Woo's, which is primarily Cantonese but also has very fine Peking duck (even at lunch!) and excellent hot and sour soup.

There are also a number of restaurants where they push around those dim sum carts, but (as anybody Chinese will be happy to remind you) you really need to go up to Monterey Park for the good stuff. This is, in fact, true in my experience.


----------



## TwoFlutesOneTrumpet (Aug 31, 2011)

I love Chinese food, or as they call it in China simply "food". Plenty of Chinese restaurants where I live and my family is half Chinese but unfortunately the Chinese half is not very good at the cooking thingy. I am also a black belt master in chopsticks.


----------



## jurianbai (Nov 23, 2008)

They are actually two Chinese food region as I like to categorized. The first is the original chinese food from Mainland. Try Sichuan-ese food which is extremely lot of spices. Then go northern , try Beijing area and it will bit bland, simple but lot of meats.

The second is the South East Asian derivative of Chinese food. This is actually an eclectic blend between Chinese, Indonesian and Indian cuisine. Which is can commonly called "peranakan cuisine". I like the peranakan cuisine because I stay right in the epicenter of it. I think it is the most rich cuisine you can cook on planet Earth. 

Not sure how the peranakan food doing in USA/Europe/Australia region but I recommend : Fried rice, fish head curry, Chilly crab, Char siu roasted pork, laksa, Ngo-hiang, Lemon powder fried prawn, fermented soy bean fish, cap-chay (mixed vege), sambal terasi, sweet n sour bawal fish with pineapple and so on .....

I listed this based on my sight right now because today is Moon cake / Mid-Autumn festival and there already huge preparation for tonight feast...woohoo


----------



## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

2 people who have not taste Chinese food?


----------



## Judith (Nov 11, 2015)

Love it. I usually start with vegetable spring rolls dipped in sweet & sour sauce followed by vegetable curry and fried rice. Yum!!


----------



## Couchie (Dec 9, 2010)

In Vancouver we are blessed because China is only a 20 minute drive away. Suffice to say in Richmond most places don't carry the "white people" version of the menu, although if you are lucky the menu items have descriptions in butchered English. One on occasion I remember my friend (a Mexican) and I must have looked so ridiculous, our eyes glossed over at the all-Chinese menu, that the elderly couple next to us laughed and pulled their table up next to ours. They helped us order and we pooled our food together and they explained the dishes. It was a cool experience.


----------



## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Couchie said:


> In Vancouver we are blessed because China is only a 20 minute drive away. Suffice to say in Richmond most places don't carry the "white people" version of the menu, although if you are lucky the menu items have descriptions in butchered English. One on occasion I remember my friend (a Mexican) and I must have looked so ridiculous, our eyes glossed over at the all-Chinese menu, that the elderly couple next to us laughed and pulled their table up next to ours. They helped us order and we pooled our food together and they explained the dishes. It was a cool experience.


When we lived in Seattle, we'd often drive all the way up to Richmond for dim sum. Absolutely superb!


----------



## Ingélou (Feb 10, 2013)

My best friends at university were Hong Kong Chinese & I once shared a house with them for 4 weeks preparing for my finals. So I got to know quite a lot about Chinese food at that time and I loved it. My room mate would get food parcels from home full of incredibly ripe sausages or dried fruits or noodles or musty green tea or walnuts in icing sugar or melty biscuits. Gorgeous!

All the same, I voted 'depends what we order' because now I find I can't digest it very well, especially if it involves soy sauce. 

So now I almost never eat it. 

But I have my memories....


----------



## Sloe (May 9, 2014)

KenOC said:


> We are embarrassed by a true multitude of fine Chinese restaurants. I live in a town next door to Irvine CA, no small place, which is about 40% Asian by demographics. Most of that is Chinese due to the many hi-tech companies and the University of California campus there. No matter what type of Chinese cuisine you prefer, you'll have a good choice of restaurants here..


I live in a place that is also about 40 % Asian in demographics. 
Most of that is Iraqi.
There used to ba a Chinese restaurant in my city that served pizza that was nice. I liked to go there one day I ate Chinese food the other day I ate pizza.


----------



## TxllxT (Mar 2, 2011)

Babipangang










Bami Goreng










Nasi Goreng

In Holland Chinese food = from Indonesia


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese (Jan 8, 2013)

Australia has a longish history(in Oz terms) of Chinese restaurants due to many Chinese immigrants coming here in the 1850's, hence there is a good supply of Chinese restaurants here. My brother in laws Family (Hong Kong Chinese) ran a restaurant in a place called Deniliquin in NSW near the Murray River for many years. Most country towns here have at least one Chinese restaurant- maybe not in Coober Pedy or Birdsville but most places.
Deniliquin or Deni to the locals is also famous for have the world largest Ute muster- the Deni Ute Muster (google it for yourself)


----------



## Sloe (May 9, 2014)

jurianbai said:


> I listed this based on my sight right now because today is Moon cake / Mid-Autumn festival and there already huge preparation for tonight feast...woohoo


I have eaten moon cake and I can say it is probably the closest something can be to a stone and still being a cake.
Just too thick and heavy.


----------



## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Just to clarify, moon cakes are eaten and passed around as gifts around the Mid-Autumn Festival, which is a harvest festival celebrated on the 15th day of the 8th month of the old Chinese lunar calendar, the time of a full (or almost full) moon. This year the date is today, September 15. Next year it will be October 4.


----------



## ArtMusic (Jan 5, 2013)

I like fried dim sims too.


----------



## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

TxllxT said:


> Babipangang
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Suddenly I am very hungry.


----------



## ArtMusic (Jan 5, 2013)

That looks delicious. Damn!


----------



## jurianbai (Nov 23, 2008)

Sloe said:


> I have eaten moon cake and I can say it is probably the closest something can be to a stone and still being a cake.
> Just too thick and heavy.


There is a lot of moon cake form and type and variation too. Some of them is really thick and heavy!

Yup, those are picture of nasi goreng (fried rice), some variations of kue tiauw, and babipanggang is BBQ pork.


----------



## isorhythm (Jan 2, 2015)

Your standard American Chinese fare, no.

I like a lot of actual Chinese food, especially Sichuan.


----------



## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

isorhythm said:


> Your standard American Chinese fare, no.


I admit to a secret craving for those deep-fried prawns with hot Chinese mustard. Often found in little white cardboard boxes with wire handles.

Another non-authentic favorite: Sweet and sour pork with sauce of a color not found in nature. Bring it on! :lol:


----------



## Kivimees (Feb 16, 2013)

KenOC said:


> I admit to a secret craving for those deep-fried prawns with hot Chinese mustard. Often found in little white cardboard boxes with wire handles.
> 
> Another non-authentic favorite: Sweet and sour pork with sauce of a color not found in nature. Bring it on! :lol:


I will be travelling to the US in winter. I'll be sure to try these out.


----------



## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Kivimees said:


> I will be travelling to the US in winter. I'll be sure to try these out.


Look for a shabby café in the older part of town with a sign saying "Chinese and American food" and a prominent "Take out" sign as well. You have found Chinese food Mecca! Do try the Egg Foo Young.


----------



## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

Speaking of HEAVY mooncake...


----------



## Marinera (May 13, 2016)

It depends on the dish. I used to go to the same Chinese restaurant regularly, their food was much spicier than anything else I'd tried around, and someone from the staff explained to me that their recipes were from the region in China I forget which where they cook them spicier than elsewere. So I prefer my Chinese food to be with plenty hot red peppers, garlick and whatever else they put in it. And since I see there's another poll with Indian food, even if no one asked me I'll say that I prefer Chinese cuisine over Indian.


----------



## znapschatz (Feb 28, 2016)

It has been said, which means it must be true, that although every culture has much to offer in its traditional cuisines, the world's great ones are of France, Turkey and China. Reasonably authentic samples of these are available in most large cities these days. Mine is a little behind the curve in regard to the first two, but catching up as we become increasingly internationalized. However, according to a recent conversation with some foody friends, I was informed that great Chinese food can already be had locally. With a special occasion coming up, I might be able to talk my wife into us giving it a try.


----------



## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Here's a fact little known among foodies, even those in Asia: There was no spicy food in Asia until the 1500s. Not even kimchee. That's when Portuguese traders brought the chili pepper from its home in South America.


----------



## Sloe (May 9, 2014)

KenOC said:


> Here's a fact little known among foodies, even those in Asia: There was no spicy food in Asia until the 1500s. Not even kimchee. That's when Portuguese traders brought the chili pepper from its home in South America.


The pepper plant comes from India.


----------



## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Sloe said:


> The pepper plant comes from India.


Eh, don't think so. "Chili peppers originated in the Americas. After the Columbian Exchange, many cultivars of chili pepper spread across the world, used in both food and medicine. Chilies were brought to Asia by Portuguese navigators during the 16th century." (Wikipedia)


----------



## Sloe (May 9, 2014)

KenOC said:


> Eh, don't think so. "Chili peppers originated in the Americas. After the Columbian Exchange, many cultivars of chili pepper spread across the world, used in both food and medicine. Chilies were brought to Asia by Portuguese navigators during the 16th century." (Wikipedia)


I meant pepper.










In my opinion the only spice you need along with salt of course that is a mineral.


----------



## TwoFlutesOneTrumpet (Aug 31, 2011)

Speaking of spicy Chinese food, I'm reminded of my trip to China several years ago when I was sitting in a restaurant with my wife and I had no idea what she had ordered but it kinda tasted like chicken. It did have an odd shape for a chicken and it took me several healthy bites before realizing it was actually frog meat. Ah well, still tasted delicious.


----------



## isorhythm (Jan 2, 2015)

KenOC said:


> Here's a fact little known among foodies, even those in Asia: There was no spicy food in Asia until the 1500s. Not even kimchee. That's when Portuguese traders brought the chili pepper from its home in South America.


Tomatoes, potatoes and corn are also all from Americas. What did Europeans and Asians even eat before??


----------



## Marinera (May 13, 2016)

^
beans..cabbage?


----------



## Tristan (Jan 5, 2013)

I've only ever had Chinese American food, but I do like that. My favorite dish is ma-po tofu, I can have it any time from any restaurant and I always love it  I've even made it myself a number of times.


----------



## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Mapo tofu isn't actually an American-Chinese dish. It's widely served in Asia and is considered a Szuchuan dish. Of course it may be prepared differently from place to place, in China or elsewhere.

The mapo tofu I'm most used to from overseas includes chopped zha cai, made from the stem of a mustard plant which is salted, pressed, and dried before being rubbed with hot red chili paste and allowed to ferment in an earthenware jar. The taste is...well...noticeable. American restaurant versions seldom include this, and I don't really miss it!


----------



## georgedelorean (Aug 18, 2017)

Hell, yes. Sweet n sour chicken with an order of house special wonton soup. Gimme!


----------



## ArtMusic (Jan 5, 2013)

I tried some Wonton noodle soup dishes. It tasted fine. The name of the dish reminded me of Wotan from Wagner's Ring.


----------



## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Had lunch today at a local Cantonese joint. Hot and sour soup (yes, it's not Cantonese!) and orange peel chicken. Half of that is in my refrigerator waiting for tomorrow. There's so much batter that it's basically a delivery system for the sauce. I approve.


----------



## georgedelorean (Aug 18, 2017)

The wonton soup I get is ridiculously tasty. It has the stuffed wontons, pork slices, chicken meat, peas in the pod, cabbage slices, onion, carrot slices, and the broth. . .good Lord. . . Mmm-hmm-hmm-hmm-hmm. Here's the restaurant where I go to:
http://www.slcnewgoldendragon.com/

Look and enjoy.


----------

