The Obligatory Food Thread, Redux
Remote Observer
31-08-2007, 18:26
Love those Chinese menus. I've always loved those translations on the sides of the paper wrapper for chopsticks, not to mention the fact that most Chinese restaurants in the West aren't really serving traditional Chinese food (when I go to The Far East Restaurant in Rockville, I always order without the menu, because they will fix real Chinese food if you ask).
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/world/article/0,1299,DRMN_32_5687032,00.html
BEIJING — Hungry visitors to next summer's Beijing Olympics won't have to choose between "steamed crap" and "virgin chicken" if Chinese authorities succeed in ridding restaurant menus of mangled English translations.
The Beijing Tourism Bureau has released a list with 2,753 proposed names for dishes and drinks, designed to replace bizarre and sometimes ridiculous translations on menus, the official Xinhua News Agency reported today.
Foreigners are often stumped by dish names such as "virgin chicken" (a young chicken dish) or "burnt lion's head" (Chinese-style pork meatballs). Other garbled names include "The temple explodes the chicken cube" (kung pao chicken) or "steamed crap" (steamed carp).
Ah, so they're finally going to ask someone if the translation is something bound to freak out the customers...
Love those Chinese menus. I've always loved those translations on the sides of the paper wrapper for chopsticks, not to mention the fact that most Chinese restaurants in the West aren't really serving traditional Chinese food (when I go to The Far East Restaurant in Rockville, I always order without the menu, because they will fix real Chinese food if you ask).
err... you do realise that Chinese Cuisine is varied right? so what is 'real' chinese food.
Cantonese?
Mandarin?
Shanghai?
Sichuan (Szechuan)
Hunan?
All are unique in flavor as well as cooking styles, and all are different yet all are 'real chinese'.
Greater Valia
31-08-2007, 18:35
err... you do realise that Chinese Cuisine is varied right? so what is 'real' chinese food.
Cantonese?
Mandarin?
Shanghai?
Sichuan (Szechuan)
Hunan?
All are unique in flavor as well as cooking styles, and all are different yet all are 'real chinese'.
I would assume this (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Chinese_cuisine) is what he was referring to.
Remote Observer
31-08-2007, 18:36
err... you do realise that Chinese Cuisine is varied right? so what is 'real' chinese food.
Cantonese?
Mandarin?
Shanghai?
Sichuan (Szechuan)
Hunan?
All are unique in flavor as well as cooking styles, and all are different yet all are 'real chinese'.
Most of the stuff served in Chinese restaurants in the US isn't eaten anywhere in China.
The menu has been altered, so to speak.
One sign of an excellent Chinese restaurant is that the majority of the clientele are recent native Chinese.
Aggicificicerous
31-08-2007, 18:36
err... you do realise that Chinese Cuisine is varied right? so what is 'real' chinese food.
Cantonese?
Mandarin?
Shanghai?
Sichuan (Szechuan)
Hunan?
All are unique in flavor as well as cooking styles, and all are different yet all are 'real chinese'.
I'm pretty sure that by "fake" he means all North American Chinese restaraunts who's food tends to be far from the real thing.
Pure Metal
31-08-2007, 18:37
i like my sweet & sour chicken
but i also love the idea of eating a dish of "The temple explodes the chicken cube" :p :p
The Tribes Of Longton
31-08-2007, 18:39
Ah, damnit. The dodgy translations are one of the funnier things about eating abroad! :(
I'm pretty sure that by "fake" he means all North American Chinese restaraunts who's food tends to be far from the real thing.
I'd love to try "real" Chinese fare, I'll bet it's damn good. The faux-chinese is pretty damn good.
Most of the stuff served in Chinese restaurants in the US isn't eaten anywhere in China.
The menu has been altered, so to speak.
One sign of an excellent Chinese restaurant is that the majority of the clientele are recent native Chinese.
I know that, but the question still remains. which style do you consider real Chinese food? I for one Like Cantonese and Mandarin, but I hate Sichuan, mainly because I don't like spicy hot food.
Hadn't had enough Hunan to decide and only noodles for Shanghai Cuisine.
oh, and I like the fusion style that they cook here in Hawaii. :p
Greater Valia
31-08-2007, 18:47
Best Chinese I've ever had was at a place called "Tasty China" in Marietta. If you're ever in Atlanta you owe it to yourself to give it a visit. I think the chef might have left, but it should still be good.
Remote Observer
31-08-2007, 18:51
I know that, but the question still remains. which style do you consider real Chinese food? I for one Like Cantonese and Mandarin, but I hate Sichuan, mainly because I don't like spicy hot food.
Hadn't had enough Hunan to decide and only noodles for Shanghai Cuisine.
oh, and I like the fusion style that they cook here in Hawaii. :p
As long as it's considered the equivalent of "Mom's Home Cooking" by recently arrived Chinese, it's all good to me".
The kind of dim sum you get in Hong Kong, though, is hard to beat.
I'd love to try "real" Chinese fare, I'll bet it's damn good. The faux-chinese is pretty damn good.
It's different. some dishes (to me) are better than the altered stuff we have in Hawaii... but some of the altered stuff I like better than the "authentic" tastes.
Kbrookistan
31-08-2007, 19:20
I'd love to try "real" Chinese fare, I'll bet it's damn good. The faux-chinese is pretty damn good.
If you like things like chicken and duck feet! (My parents had adventures in food when they went to China) There was also snake. And an 'apple pie' that neither involved apples nor actual pie.
Ashmoria
31-08-2007, 19:45
Most of the stuff served in Chinese restaurants in the US isn't eaten anywhere in China.
The menu has been altered, so to speak.
One sign of an excellent Chinese restaurant is that the majority of the clientele are recent native Chinese.
i love the thrill of stepping into a chinese restaurant and seeing the place full of chinese people.
im fond of american chinese food but to see the promise of chinese chinese food....i immediately raise my expectations.
Agolthia
31-08-2007, 21:03
i love the thrill of stepping into a chinese restaurant and seeing the place full of chinese people.
im fond of american chinese food but to see the promise of chinese chinese food....i immediately raise my expectations.
I was arounds at a friend's house and his mum cooked a proper chineese meal. It was fantastic although I couldnt eat the treacalised potatoes. They would cool to quickly and they would either: a.) stick to the plate or b.) stick my teeth together.
I was arounds at a friend's house and his mum cooked a proper chineese meal. It was fantastic although I couldnt eat the treacalised potatoes. They would cool to quickly and they would either: a.) stick to the plate or b.) stick my teeth together.
had that happen to me with Lo mai gai.
I bit into it and I couldn't open my mouth...
Deus Malum
31-08-2007, 21:48
Can't stand Chinese food.
More of a Sushi fan, myself.
I just had an order of calamari tempura roll with spicy mayo amongst my order of sushi rolls last night. Twas actually good, though a bit chewy.
Though my personal favorite is still the Philly Roll (spicy salmon, avocado, cream cheese :D)