Paris "Chinatown"
Apr 30th 2004, 3:21 pm
#16
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Paris "Chinatown"
Jenn wrote:
> my experience with Chinese food in Paris has been fairly grim -
Hi,
mine also... there seems to be a great attempt to make chinese or thai
or whatever fit the french menu model.
on the other hand I've had very good vietnamese/indochinese food in
paris... and you can get 33 beer everywhere.
ttyl
akia
> my experience with Chinese food in Paris has been fairly grim -
Hi,
mine also... there seems to be a great attempt to make chinese or thai
or whatever fit the french menu model.
on the other hand I've had very good vietnamese/indochinese food in
paris... and you can get 33 beer everywhere.
ttyl
akia
Apr 30th 2004, 3:30 pm
#17
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Paris "Chinatown"
>>OTOH, in North America, you'll be hard pressed to find a Chinese
>>restaurant in which the kitchen staff is not entirely Mexican-American.
>>It's not Chinese food either, but it's what you are used to, and the
>>formula is well-defined.
Hi,
here the staff is largely asian... but not necessarily chinese...
the largest chinese restaurant group here is owned by an ethnic chinese
vietnamese family... mixed servers.
the largest japanese grouping is owned by a japanese guy... and a FEW
(3.5 one is japanese/american) of his better itamae (sushi chefs) are
japanese... the rest of the itamae and other staff are vietnamese,
khmer, lao, etc.
> the only other ethnic group I've ever seen running an ostensibly Chinese
> restaurant was Koreans.
in the netherlands you see various other southeast asian groups running
XYZ/chinese restaurants... typically indonesian/chinese....
>>restaurant in which the kitchen staff is not entirely Mexican-American.
>>It's not Chinese food either, but it's what you are used to, and the
>>formula is well-defined.
Hi,
here the staff is largely asian... but not necessarily chinese...
the largest chinese restaurant group here is owned by an ethnic chinese
vietnamese family... mixed servers.
the largest japanese grouping is owned by a japanese guy... and a FEW
(3.5 one is japanese/american) of his better itamae (sushi chefs) are
japanese... the rest of the itamae and other staff are vietnamese,
khmer, lao, etc.
> the only other ethnic group I've ever seen running an ostensibly Chinese
> restaurant was Koreans.
in the netherlands you see various other southeast asian groups running
XYZ/chinese restaurants... typically indonesian/chinese....
Apr 30th 2004, 10:45 pm
#18
Guest
Posts: n/a
Paris "Chinatown"
Dans l'article <[email protected]>, Anonymouse
<[email protected]> a écrit :
> Jenn wrote:
>> my experience with Chinese food in Paris has been fairly grim -
> Hi,
> mine also... there seems to be a great attempt to make chinese or thai
> or whatever fit the french menu model.
> on the other hand I've had very good vietnamese/indochinese food in
> paris... and you can get 33 beer everywhere.
> ttyl
> akia
The worst Chinese restaurant meal we have ever had in our lives was last
June, in San Mateo, California. It was grim. The Chinese broccoli was so
tough it was almost inedible. The beef with oyster sauce was tasteless.
Because of the huge size of the portions, these two plates were all we could
order. Yet the place was run by Chinese, and a great number of the patrons
were also Chinese. Go figure.
Donna Evleth
>
<[email protected]> a écrit :
> Jenn wrote:
>> my experience with Chinese food in Paris has been fairly grim -
> Hi,
> mine also... there seems to be a great attempt to make chinese or thai
> or whatever fit the french menu model.
> on the other hand I've had very good vietnamese/indochinese food in
> paris... and you can get 33 beer everywhere.
> ttyl
> akia
The worst Chinese restaurant meal we have ever had in our lives was last
June, in San Mateo, California. It was grim. The Chinese broccoli was so
tough it was almost inedible. The beef with oyster sauce was tasteless.
Because of the huge size of the portions, these two plates were all we could
order. Yet the place was run by Chinese, and a great number of the patrons
were also Chinese. Go figure.
Donna Evleth
>
May 1st 2004, 1:51 am
#19
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Paris "Chinatown"
On Sat, 01 May 2004 12:33:15 +0000, "Donna Evleth" <[email protected]> wrote:
>The worst Chinese restaurant meal we have ever had in our lives was last
>June, in San Mateo, California. It was grim. The Chinese broccoli was so
>tough it was almost inedible. The beef with oyster sauce was tasteless.
>Because of the huge size of the portions, these two plates were all we could
>order. Yet the place was run by Chinese, and a great number of the patrons
>were also Chinese. Go figure.
In New York City there is excellent Chinese food to be had, and terrible
Chinese food, and all in places run by Chinese. My own neighbohood
has several "greasy spoon" Chinese take-out places I would never
order from.
I ate in a Chinese place in Paris years ago and it was very good.
Also in Germany and even in Bergen, Norway, where reindeer meat
was one of the ingredients in some dishes. The Chinese tend to
adapt somewhat to local tastes. Apparently many New Yorkers are
satisfied with the "greasy spoon" variety of Chinese food, which, as
you say is served in large portions and is quite cheap. Half a dozen
Chinese take-out places routinely distribute flyers to my apartment
building. You can order and have the food delivered in less than half
an hour.
>The worst Chinese restaurant meal we have ever had in our lives was last
>June, in San Mateo, California. It was grim. The Chinese broccoli was so
>tough it was almost inedible. The beef with oyster sauce was tasteless.
>Because of the huge size of the portions, these two plates were all we could
>order. Yet the place was run by Chinese, and a great number of the patrons
>were also Chinese. Go figure.
In New York City there is excellent Chinese food to be had, and terrible
Chinese food, and all in places run by Chinese. My own neighbohood
has several "greasy spoon" Chinese take-out places I would never
order from.
I ate in a Chinese place in Paris years ago and it was very good.
Also in Germany and even in Bergen, Norway, where reindeer meat
was one of the ingredients in some dishes. The Chinese tend to
adapt somewhat to local tastes. Apparently many New Yorkers are
satisfied with the "greasy spoon" variety of Chinese food, which, as
you say is served in large portions and is quite cheap. Half a dozen
Chinese take-out places routinely distribute flyers to my apartment
building. You can order and have the food delivered in less than half
an hour.
May 1st 2004, 3:06 am
#20
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Paris "Chinatown"
On Sat, 01 May 2004 13:51:35 +0000, Rita wrote:
> On Sat, 01 May 2004 12:33:15 +0000, "Donna Evleth" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>
>>The worst Chinese restaurant meal we have ever had in our lives was last
>>June, in San Mateo, California. It was grim. The Chinese broccoli was so
>>tough it was almost inedible. The beef with oyster sauce was tasteless.
>>Because of the huge size of the portions, these two plates were all we could
>>order. Yet the place was run by Chinese, and a great number of the patrons
>>were also Chinese. Go figure.
>
> In New York City there is excellent Chinese food to be had, and terrible
> Chinese food, and all in places run by Chinese. My own neighbohood
> has several "greasy spoon" Chinese take-out places I would never
> order from.
That a place is "run by Chinese" does not mean that the kitchen staff is
not Mexican though.
> I ate in a Chinese place in Paris years ago and it was very good. Also
> in Germany and even in Bergen, Norway, where reindeer meat was one of
> the ingredients in some dishes. The Chinese tend to adapt somewhat to
> local tastes. Apparently many New Yorkers are satisfied with the
> "greasy spoon" variety of Chinese food, which, as you say is served in
> large portions and is quite cheap. Half a dozen Chinese take-out places
> routinely distribute flyers to my apartment building. You can order and
> have the food delivered in less than half an hour.
I used to have quite decent Chinese food in many places in Europe thirty
years ago. Nowadays I find it much harder.
> On Sat, 01 May 2004 12:33:15 +0000, "Donna Evleth" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>
>>The worst Chinese restaurant meal we have ever had in our lives was last
>>June, in San Mateo, California. It was grim. The Chinese broccoli was so
>>tough it was almost inedible. The beef with oyster sauce was tasteless.
>>Because of the huge size of the portions, these two plates were all we could
>>order. Yet the place was run by Chinese, and a great number of the patrons
>>were also Chinese. Go figure.
>
> In New York City there is excellent Chinese food to be had, and terrible
> Chinese food, and all in places run by Chinese. My own neighbohood
> has several "greasy spoon" Chinese take-out places I would never
> order from.
That a place is "run by Chinese" does not mean that the kitchen staff is
not Mexican though.
> I ate in a Chinese place in Paris years ago and it was very good. Also
> in Germany and even in Bergen, Norway, where reindeer meat was one of
> the ingredients in some dishes. The Chinese tend to adapt somewhat to
> local tastes. Apparently many New Yorkers are satisfied with the
> "greasy spoon" variety of Chinese food, which, as you say is served in
> large portions and is quite cheap. Half a dozen Chinese take-out places
> routinely distribute flyers to my apartment building. You can order and
> have the food delivered in less than half an hour.
I used to have quite decent Chinese food in many places in Europe thirty
years ago. Nowadays I find it much harder.
May 1st 2004, 3:08 am
#21
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Paris "Chinatown"
On 1/05/04 15:51, in article
[email protected], "Rita"
<[email protected]> wrote:
> On Sat, 01 May 2004 12:33:15 +0000, "Donna Evleth" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>
>> The worst Chinese restaurant meal we have ever had in our lives was
last
>> June, in San Mateo, California. It was grim. The Chinese broccoli
was so
>> tough it was almost inedible. The beef with oyster sauce was
tasteless.
>> Because of the huge size of the portions, these two plates were all
we could
>> order. Yet the place was run by Chinese, and a great number of the
patrons
>> were also Chinese. Go figure.
>>
>
> In New York City there is excellent Chinese food to be had, and terrible
> Chinese food, and all in places run by Chinese. My own neighbohood
> has several "greasy spoon" Chinese take-out places I would never
> order from.
>
> I ate in a Chinese place in Paris years ago and it was very good.
> Also in Germany and even in Bergen, Norway, where reindeer meat
> was one of the ingredients in some dishes. The Chinese tend to
> adapt somewhat to local tastes. Apparently many New Yorkers are
> satisfied with the "greasy spoon" variety of Chinese food, which, as
> you say is served in large portions and is quite cheap. Half a dozen
> Chinese take-out places routinely distribute flyers to my apartment
> building. You can order and have the food delivered in less than half
> an hour.
Our daughter knows an excellent Dim Sung place near Fort Lauderdale
where we ate in January.
Prior to that the best one we had gone to was in Belleville here in
Paris.
We once spent three weeks touring Taiwan and had very good
food there but not better than the best one finds in the US or Europe.
The Michelin Red guide lists 15 Chinese, Thailand or Vietnamese
restaurants in Paris, one Korean and one Tibetain. If it is in
the Guide it probably is good to very good, but relatively
expensive to the cheap places which are all over Paris.
As my wife wrote one of the advantages here is that the portions
per order are small so two people can order roughly 2 plates each plus
rice and one has a good selection of 4 items altogether. We never
order a "menu" but go a la carte, more choice.
The French have not yet discovered the "doggy bag"
(we bring our dog!) and so people are not getting over
served and then carrying half the stuff
away in polystyrene containers. These uncivilized items have not
yet darkened the door of a respectable restaurant in France.
The terrible invasion in Paris is the "traiteur chinois", who are
gradually replacing the charcuteries. We have three of them
in our upbeat Paris neighborhood, one replaced a great charcuterie.
Bad drives out good.
Anyway the spectrum of food is wide in oriental food from terrible
to marvelous. Oriental cooking has long had an effect on French
chefs.
The other night we ate a Garniers across from the Gare St. Lazare
where
my wife always has a Plateau de fruits de Mers. I had as a first
course
a tempura style preparation of langoustine tails. I have ran into
similar preparations well outside of Paris. French chefs like the
delicate manner in which Oriental cuisine can be prepared and will
plagiarize items shamelessly (and fortunately).
Earl
[email protected], "Rita"
<[email protected]> wrote:
> On Sat, 01 May 2004 12:33:15 +0000, "Donna Evleth" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>
>> The worst Chinese restaurant meal we have ever had in our lives was
last
>> June, in San Mateo, California. It was grim. The Chinese broccoli
was so
>> tough it was almost inedible. The beef with oyster sauce was
tasteless.
>> Because of the huge size of the portions, these two plates were all
we could
>> order. Yet the place was run by Chinese, and a great number of the
patrons
>> were also Chinese. Go figure.
>>
>
> In New York City there is excellent Chinese food to be had, and terrible
> Chinese food, and all in places run by Chinese. My own neighbohood
> has several "greasy spoon" Chinese take-out places I would never
> order from.
>
> I ate in a Chinese place in Paris years ago and it was very good.
> Also in Germany and even in Bergen, Norway, where reindeer meat
> was one of the ingredients in some dishes. The Chinese tend to
> adapt somewhat to local tastes. Apparently many New Yorkers are
> satisfied with the "greasy spoon" variety of Chinese food, which, as
> you say is served in large portions and is quite cheap. Half a dozen
> Chinese take-out places routinely distribute flyers to my apartment
> building. You can order and have the food delivered in less than half
> an hour.
Our daughter knows an excellent Dim Sung place near Fort Lauderdale
where we ate in January.
Prior to that the best one we had gone to was in Belleville here in
Paris.
We once spent three weeks touring Taiwan and had very good
food there but not better than the best one finds in the US or Europe.
The Michelin Red guide lists 15 Chinese, Thailand or Vietnamese
restaurants in Paris, one Korean and one Tibetain. If it is in
the Guide it probably is good to very good, but relatively
expensive to the cheap places which are all over Paris.
As my wife wrote one of the advantages here is that the portions
per order are small so two people can order roughly 2 plates each plus
rice and one has a good selection of 4 items altogether. We never
order a "menu" but go a la carte, more choice.
The French have not yet discovered the "doggy bag"
(we bring our dog!) and so people are not getting over
served and then carrying half the stuff
away in polystyrene containers. These uncivilized items have not
yet darkened the door of a respectable restaurant in France.
The terrible invasion in Paris is the "traiteur chinois", who are
gradually replacing the charcuteries. We have three of them
in our upbeat Paris neighborhood, one replaced a great charcuterie.
Bad drives out good.
Anyway the spectrum of food is wide in oriental food from terrible
to marvelous. Oriental cooking has long had an effect on French
chefs.
The other night we ate a Garniers across from the Gare St. Lazare
where
my wife always has a Plateau de fruits de Mers. I had as a first
course
a tempura style preparation of langoustine tails. I have ran into
similar preparations well outside of Paris. French chefs like the
delicate manner in which Oriental cuisine can be prepared and will
plagiarize items shamelessly (and fortunately).
Earl
May 1st 2004, 3:43 am
#22
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Paris "Chinatown"
On Sat, 01 May 2004 15:06:46 GMT, devil <[email protected]> wrote:
>On Sat, 01 May 2004 13:51:35 +0000, Rita wrote:
>> On Sat, 01 May 2004 12:33:15 +0000, "Donna Evleth" <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>>
>>>The worst Chinese restaurant meal we have ever had in our lives was last
>>>June, in San Mateo, California. It was grim. The Chinese broccoli was so
>>>tough it was almost inedible. The beef with oyster sauce was tasteless.
>>>Because of the huge size of the portions, these two plates were all we could
>>>order. Yet the place was run by Chinese, and a great number of the patrons
>>>were also Chinese. Go figure.
>>
>> In New York City there is excellent Chinese food to be had, and terrible
>> Chinese food, and all in places run by Chinese. My own neighbohood
>> has several "greasy spoon" Chinese take-out places I would never
>> order from.
>That a place is "run by Chinese" does not mean that the kitchen staff is
>not Mexican though.
The places I mention are small and you can see the kitchen staff -- the
Chinese in NYC give work to their own. New immigrants start out in
Chinese restaurants. They don't hire Mexicans. There are far more
Chinese than Mexicans in New York. Elsewhere the situation may be
different.
>
>On Sat, 01 May 2004 13:51:35 +0000, Rita wrote:
>> On Sat, 01 May 2004 12:33:15 +0000, "Donna Evleth" <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>>
>>>The worst Chinese restaurant meal we have ever had in our lives was last
>>>June, in San Mateo, California. It was grim. The Chinese broccoli was so
>>>tough it was almost inedible. The beef with oyster sauce was tasteless.
>>>Because of the huge size of the portions, these two plates were all we could
>>>order. Yet the place was run by Chinese, and a great number of the patrons
>>>were also Chinese. Go figure.
>>
>> In New York City there is excellent Chinese food to be had, and terrible
>> Chinese food, and all in places run by Chinese. My own neighbohood
>> has several "greasy spoon" Chinese take-out places I would never
>> order from.
>That a place is "run by Chinese" does not mean that the kitchen staff is
>not Mexican though.
The places I mention are small and you can see the kitchen staff -- the
Chinese in NYC give work to their own. New immigrants start out in
Chinese restaurants. They don't hire Mexicans. There are far more
Chinese than Mexicans in New York. Elsewhere the situation may be
different.
>
May 1st 2004, 8:00 am
#23
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Paris "Chinatown"
I've had two Chinese meals that I'm amazed they had the gall to call
food. One was in Stratford, England and loaded with tourists (first
hint!). Tasteless, overcooked, too much cornstarch or whatever the
thickener was, too much MSG, etc.
The other was in a Chinese restaurant in Florence, Oregon (USA). I was
craving shrimp in black bean sauce which was not on the menu- but both
shrimp and black bean sauce were combined with other things. I convinced
that one could actually do such an adventurous thing as combine the two
with a little onion and make something delicious. WRONG! Tasted like
canned food, so overcooked as to be gelatinous and gooey and tasted
exactly like the other revolting food on the menu. Theother things on
the menu suffered similarly.
I sometimes wonder if the owners or cooks actually taste what they
serve! Aren't they just plain embarrassed?
Of course, I've had wonderful Chinese food in Rome- and so-so in Venice
and London. And some delicious food in San Francisco where I live. Sorry
about the lousy food in San Mateo. My son and daughter-in-law live in
San Mateo and often get food from a Chinese resaurant there that they
rave about and I think is almost inedible.
Go figure!
Susan
Donna Evleth wrote:
>
>
> Dans l'article <[email protected]>, Anonymouse
> <[email protected]> a écrit :
>
>
>
>>Jenn wrote:
>>>my experience with Chinese food in Paris has been fairly grim -
>>Hi,
>>mine also... there seems to be a great attempt to make chinese or thai
>>or whatever fit the french menu model.
>>on the other hand I've had very good vietnamese/indochinese food in
>>paris... and you can get 33 beer everywhere.
>>ttyl
>>akia
>
>
> The worst Chinese restaurant meal we have ever had in our lives was last
> June, in San Mateo, California. It was grim. The Chinese broccoli was so
> tough it was almost inedible. The beef with oyster sauce was tasteless.
> Because of the huge size of the portions, these two plates were all we could
> order. Yet the place was run by Chinese, and a great number of the patrons
> were also Chinese. Go figure.
>
> Donna Evleth
>
food. One was in Stratford, England and loaded with tourists (first
hint!). Tasteless, overcooked, too much cornstarch or whatever the
thickener was, too much MSG, etc.
The other was in a Chinese restaurant in Florence, Oregon (USA). I was
craving shrimp in black bean sauce which was not on the menu- but both
shrimp and black bean sauce were combined with other things. I convinced
that one could actually do such an adventurous thing as combine the two
with a little onion and make something delicious. WRONG! Tasted like
canned food, so overcooked as to be gelatinous and gooey and tasted
exactly like the other revolting food on the menu. Theother things on
the menu suffered similarly.
I sometimes wonder if the owners or cooks actually taste what they
serve! Aren't they just plain embarrassed?
Of course, I've had wonderful Chinese food in Rome- and so-so in Venice
and London. And some delicious food in San Francisco where I live. Sorry
about the lousy food in San Mateo. My son and daughter-in-law live in
San Mateo and often get food from a Chinese resaurant there that they
rave about and I think is almost inedible.
Go figure!
Susan
Donna Evleth wrote:
>
>
> Dans l'article <[email protected]>, Anonymouse
> <[email protected]> a écrit :
>
>
>
>>Jenn wrote:
>>>my experience with Chinese food in Paris has been fairly grim -
>>Hi,
>>mine also... there seems to be a great attempt to make chinese or thai
>>or whatever fit the french menu model.
>>on the other hand I've had very good vietnamese/indochinese food in
>>paris... and you can get 33 beer everywhere.
>>ttyl
>>akia
>
>
> The worst Chinese restaurant meal we have ever had in our lives was last
> June, in San Mateo, California. It was grim. The Chinese broccoli was so
> tough it was almost inedible. The beef with oyster sauce was tasteless.
> Because of the huge size of the portions, these two plates were all we could
> order. Yet the place was run by Chinese, and a great number of the patrons
> were also Chinese. Go figure.
>
> Donna Evleth
>
May 2nd 2004, 12:56 pm
#24
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Paris "Chinatown"
In article <[email protected]>,
"Donna Evleth" <[email protected]> wrote:
> The worst Chinese restaurant meal we have ever had in our lives was last
> June, in San Mateo, California. It was grim. The Chinese broccoli was so
> tough it was almost inedible. The beef with oyster sauce was tasteless.
> Because of the huge size of the portions, these two plates were all we could
> order. Yet the place was run by Chinese, and a great number of the patrons
> were also Chinese. Go figure.
The Chinese customers in Chinese restaurants in the Bay Area often get
Chinese menus with fare not available on the standard menus.
"Donna Evleth" <[email protected]> wrote:
> The worst Chinese restaurant meal we have ever had in our lives was last
> June, in San Mateo, California. It was grim. The Chinese broccoli was so
> tough it was almost inedible. The beef with oyster sauce was tasteless.
> Because of the huge size of the portions, these two plates were all we could
> order. Yet the place was run by Chinese, and a great number of the patrons
> were also Chinese. Go figure.
The Chinese customers in Chinese restaurants in the Bay Area often get
Chinese menus with fare not available on the standard menus.
May 2nd 2004, 12:58 pm
#25
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Paris "Chinatown"
I once had Chinese food in Cork Ireland. It wasn't the worst but what
made it notable was it was one of the most expensive Chinese restaurants
I'd seen -- in the US, Chinese food is associated with inexpensive
dining.
There was also an Indian restaurant which was also quite pricey. Nice
place, nothing really remarkable food-wise. But very pricey.
made it notable was it was one of the most expensive Chinese restaurants
I'd seen -- in the US, Chinese food is associated with inexpensive
dining.
There was also an Indian restaurant which was also quite pricey. Nice
place, nothing really remarkable food-wise. But very pricey.
May 2nd 2004, 12:59 pm
#26
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Paris "Chinatown"
In article <[email protected]>,
pltrgyst <[email protected]> wrote:
> On Fri, 30 Apr 2004 15:36:58 GMT, devil <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> >OTOH, in North America, you'll be hard pressed to find a Chinese
> >restaurant in which the kitchen staff is not entirely Mexican-American.
> >It's not Chinese food either, but it's what you are used to, and the
> >formula is well-defined.
>
> I've never seen one, particularly around Washington DC, Philly, and NYC. In
> Washington, many restaurant workers are hispanic, particularly Salvadoran, but
> the only other ethnic group I've ever seen running an ostensibly Chinese
> restaurant was Koreans.
>
> -- Larry
>
Not too many Mexicans cooking at Chinese restaurants out here in CA.
They might be the bus staff but they won't even take orders since
Chinese patrons may wish to order in Cantonese or whatever.
pltrgyst <[email protected]> wrote:
> On Fri, 30 Apr 2004 15:36:58 GMT, devil <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> >OTOH, in North America, you'll be hard pressed to find a Chinese
> >restaurant in which the kitchen staff is not entirely Mexican-American.
> >It's not Chinese food either, but it's what you are used to, and the
> >formula is well-defined.
>
> I've never seen one, particularly around Washington DC, Philly, and NYC. In
> Washington, many restaurant workers are hispanic, particularly Salvadoran, but
> the only other ethnic group I've ever seen running an ostensibly Chinese
> restaurant was Koreans.
>
> -- Larry
>
Not too many Mexicans cooking at Chinese restaurants out here in CA.
They might be the bus staff but they won't even take orders since
Chinese patrons may wish to order in Cantonese or whatever.
May 2nd 2004, 2:05 pm
#27
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Paris "Chinatown"
On Mon, 03 May 2004 00:56:09 GMT, poldy <[email protected]> wrote:
>In article <[email protected]>,
> "Donna Evleth" <[email protected]> wrote:
>> The worst Chinese restaurant meal we have ever had in our lives was last
>> June, in San Mateo, California. It was grim. The Chinese broccoli was so
>> tough it was almost inedible. The beef with oyster sauce was tasteless.
>> Because of the huge size of the portions, these two plates were all we could
>> order. Yet the place was run by Chinese, and a great number of the patrons
>> were also Chinese. Go figure.
>The Chinese customers in Chinese restaurants in the Bay Area often get
>Chinese menus with fare not available on the standard menus.
Same is true in the NYC Chinatowns in some restaurants. We look around
at what Chinese are eating and if it looks good ws ask what it is. They
are always willing to help us. Most waiters speak enough English also to
explain various dishes, if asked.
>In article <[email protected]>,
> "Donna Evleth" <[email protected]> wrote:
>> The worst Chinese restaurant meal we have ever had in our lives was last
>> June, in San Mateo, California. It was grim. The Chinese broccoli was so
>> tough it was almost inedible. The beef with oyster sauce was tasteless.
>> Because of the huge size of the portions, these two plates were all we could
>> order. Yet the place was run by Chinese, and a great number of the patrons
>> were also Chinese. Go figure.
>The Chinese customers in Chinese restaurants in the Bay Area often get
>Chinese menus with fare not available on the standard menus.
Same is true in the NYC Chinatowns in some restaurants. We look around
at what Chinese are eating and if it looks good ws ask what it is. They
are always willing to help us. Most waiters speak enough English also to
explain various dishes, if asked.
May 3rd 2004, 1:42 am
#28
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Paris "Chinatown"
On Mon, 03 May 2004 02:05:46 +0000, Rita wrote:
> On Mon, 03 May 2004 00:56:09 GMT, poldy <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>In article <[email protected]>,
>> "Donna Evleth" <[email protected]> wrote:
>>> The worst Chinese restaurant meal we have ever had in our lives was last
>>> June, in San Mateo, California. It was grim. The Chinese broccoli was so
>>> tough it was almost inedible. The beef with oyster sauce was tasteless.
>>> Because of the huge size of the portions, these two plates were all we could
>>> order. Yet the place was run by Chinese, and a great number of the patrons
>>> were also Chinese. Go figure.
>>The Chinese customers in Chinese restaurants in the Bay Area often get
>>Chinese menus with fare not available on the standard menus.
>
> Same is true in the NYC Chinatowns in some restaurants. We look around
> at what Chinese are eating and if it looks good ws ask what it is. They
> are always willing to help us. Most waiters speak enough English also to
> explain various dishes, if asked.
This is true in many real Chinese restaurants.
(I just bring my interpreter. :-))
> On Mon, 03 May 2004 00:56:09 GMT, poldy <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>In article <[email protected]>,
>> "Donna Evleth" <[email protected]> wrote:
>>> The worst Chinese restaurant meal we have ever had in our lives was last
>>> June, in San Mateo, California. It was grim. The Chinese broccoli was so
>>> tough it was almost inedible. The beef with oyster sauce was tasteless.
>>> Because of the huge size of the portions, these two plates were all we could
>>> order. Yet the place was run by Chinese, and a great number of the patrons
>>> were also Chinese. Go figure.
>>The Chinese customers in Chinese restaurants in the Bay Area often get
>>Chinese menus with fare not available on the standard menus.
>
> Same is true in the NYC Chinatowns in some restaurants. We look around
> at what Chinese are eating and if it looks good ws ask what it is. They
> are always willing to help us. Most waiters speak enough English also to
> explain various dishes, if asked.
This is true in many real Chinese restaurants.
(I just bring my interpreter. :-))
May 5th 2004, 6:26 am
#29
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Paris "Chinatown"
Jenn schrieb:
>
> zinzan wrote:
>
> > On Thu, 29 Apr 2004 16:24:32 GMT, Rita <[email protected]>
> > wrote:
> >
> >
> >>Sounds great and the price is right. Average tab = 15 Euros. And
> >>they have Thai as well as dim sum.
> >
> >
> > If you want to taste the ultimate thai experience in Paris, I would
> > recommend Blue Elephant near Bastille. It's excellent but very
> > expensive (about 40 Euros + drinks I think). Web site :
> > http://www.blueelephant.com/paris/
> >
>
> my experience with Chinese food in Paris has been fairly grim -- makes
> the Chinese food in Nashville Tennessee look good [and there isn't a
> single decent Chinese restaurant in Nashville] We have been
> consistently disappointed by the Chinese food in Paris -- often is looks
> fabulous but tastes lousy. And many 'Chinese' places are run by people
> who have immigrated from other Asian countries and apparently know no
> more about Chinese cooking than the typical fry cook in the south of the US.
Isn't Chinese food in France mostly Vietnamese?
>
> zinzan wrote:
>
> > On Thu, 29 Apr 2004 16:24:32 GMT, Rita <[email protected]>
> > wrote:
> >
> >
> >>Sounds great and the price is right. Average tab = 15 Euros. And
> >>they have Thai as well as dim sum.
> >
> >
> > If you want to taste the ultimate thai experience in Paris, I would
> > recommend Blue Elephant near Bastille. It's excellent but very
> > expensive (about 40 Euros + drinks I think). Web site :
> > http://www.blueelephant.com/paris/
> >
>
> my experience with Chinese food in Paris has been fairly grim -- makes
> the Chinese food in Nashville Tennessee look good [and there isn't a
> single decent Chinese restaurant in Nashville] We have been
> consistently disappointed by the Chinese food in Paris -- often is looks
> fabulous but tastes lousy. And many 'Chinese' places are run by people
> who have immigrated from other Asian countries and apparently know no
> more about Chinese cooking than the typical fry cook in the south of the US.
Isn't Chinese food in France mostly Vietnamese?
May 5th 2004, 10:35 am
#30
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Paris "Chinatown"
> Isn't Chinese food in France mostly Vietnamese?
At the cheap neighborhood "lunch special"-type places, most of the
restaurants are run by Vietnamese and call themselves Chinese
restaurants. The stuff they serve is closer to Chinese food than to
Vietnamese but it isn't very authentic; sometimes they include a few
Vietnamese dishes.
There are some actual Vietnamese restaurants around in Paris, and they
tend to be more upscale than those "Chinese" places.
Most Chinese restaurants in the US are run by immigrants from the
specific Chinese province of Fujian. That community has networks that
help newer immigrants open their own restaurants using a standardized
set of suppliers, recipes, etc., which is why so many Chinese
restaurants in the US seem similar. In New York or San Francisco or
other cities with larger Chinese communities that have immigrants from
many parts of China, you can find Chinese restaurants that aren't part
of the standardized Fujianese network, and reflect culinary traditions
of other provinces.
At the cheap neighborhood "lunch special"-type places, most of the
restaurants are run by Vietnamese and call themselves Chinese
restaurants. The stuff they serve is closer to Chinese food than to
Vietnamese but it isn't very authentic; sometimes they include a few
Vietnamese dishes.
There are some actual Vietnamese restaurants around in Paris, and they
tend to be more upscale than those "Chinese" places.
Most Chinese restaurants in the US are run by immigrants from the
specific Chinese province of Fujian. That community has networks that
help newer immigrants open their own restaurants using a standardized
set of suppliers, recipes, etc., which is why so many Chinese
restaurants in the US seem similar. In New York or San Francisco or
other cities with larger Chinese communities that have immigrants from
many parts of China, you can find Chinese restaurants that aren't part
of the standardized Fujianese network, and reflect culinary traditions
of other provinces.
