OT: Chinese Take Out

[David 76]

Yeah Jai Mei is decent and not gross and that is where we get takeout because the kids like it, but I’m never wowed. They are nice people though and the place is clean; they have also doubled in size since taking over the connected space where the dry cleaner used to be.

Always thought that was an odd combination.

 

[JMick]

Can anyone explain to me why its so hard to get adequate Duck sauce from Chinese restaurants. They'll give about 15 packs of that nasty soy sauce but you have to plea bargain for duck sauce every time. There's nothing worse than ordering $40 worth of Chinese food and you get it home there's only four duck sauces in the bag. The worst.

Most places I've been just have the sauces in a bucket and you can take as many as you want. I always take a few extra of the spicy mustards. Mix it with a little mayo on a ham or turkey sandwich and it's delicicious

 

[Travelman6]

What is the best place that does authentic Chinese? I lived in China for two years and have yet to find a place that does Chinese food even close to some of the dishes I had in the different parts of China. I have found some decent/good places in the suburbs of DC in some of the smaller cities in the DMV.

Most of the places I have been to in CT are just a sugary MSG mess, but I am open to trying a legit place next time I go back to visit family there.

House of Chao. I used to love Fortune Pavilion in Derby but they closed

haha Been to China; hated the food

Well it really depends on where you were in China. I hated food from Chengdu and the general Sichuan region but food in Guilin/Yangshuo and the general Guangxi region was really good IMO. Wuhan (Hubei) kind of mixes the different sytles from multiple regions in the country, it can mix salty, sweet, spicy, etc. Guangzhou (Guangdong) is probably the region with food most similar to what Americans are used to/most similar to American Chinese. Food way up in the northeast in a place like Harbin (Heilongjang) for sure has a Russian twist in some of its dishes. If you go to Jilin you might find food somewhat related to Korean food. I found food in Hunan to be quite spicy. Some of the snacks and street food I had in Hebei province I could not find anywhere else in China, sadly, because I liked some of the street food there. You can also try Muslim Chinese food in a place like Xian but can have even more authentic versions of that in Xinjiang. There, for sure, is not a unified cuisine in a country as grand as China. I was not the biggest fan of food in Beijing or something like the Beijing duck but the city also does a decent job of including food from all around the country. Yunnan I was just in for 5 days but it reminded me of a healthier less sweet version of Cantonese with a lot of noodles and mushrooms. I found an Indian place I liked in kunming though so I ate there a lot.

Where in China did you go?

 

[Rocktheworld]

DP dough got progressively worse every year I was at school. My freshman year it was ok and it was all downhill after that. Sgt peps calzones are better anyway

‘08-‘12 here, can absolutely attest to every word of this post. Several things declined over that period.

Thanks Sussie Lax!

Won’t go any further to detail the thread but I can attribute what was by far my fattest state of my life to the pepperoni bread at Pepp’s and my heaviest drinking (sophomore) year

 

[Robertelamin]

Most places I've been just have the sauces in a bucket and you can take as many as you want. I always take a few extra of the spicy mustards. Mix it with a little mayo on a ham or turkey sandwich and it's delicicious

I thought this was how every place did it. You could dump the whole container in your bag if you wanted to.

 

[Dove]

It ain't a legit take out joint unless one table is dedicated to toys and games for the workers children to stay at all day.

 

[huskymedic]

Blessings To Go on State St. in New Haven.

One in Hamden on Whitney Avenue as well.

Fried Meat Dumplings!!!

 

[TRest]

I thought this was how every place did it. You could dump the whole container in your bag if you wanted to.

Maybe he is getting delivery? You can buy Duck sauce by the jar in grocery stores and keep it in your fridge. I use it for a glaze sometimes.

 

[Ewekon]

For straight American Chinese take out, Tai Jiang in Fairfield is excellent. For authentic regional Chinese cuisine in CT, which is rare, Lao Sze Chuan in Milford is fantastic. I do contend however, that authentic Szechuan cuisine may seem daunting to the uninitiated. Ginkgo is Fairfield looks promising as well and I believe it is also owned by the Lao Sze Chuan restaurant group (Chicago based).

Tia Jiang really is good. I get 2 meals per order so it is a bargain too. Even if you eat it all in 1 sitting.

Want to hit Ginkgo soon.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

One in Hamden on Whitney Avenue as well.

Fried Meat Dumplings!!!

I tried that one thinking it’d be the same.

It’s not.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

It ain't a legit take out joint unless one table is dedicated to toys and games for the workers children to stay at all day.

This is remarkably accurate.

 

[huskymedic]

I tried that one thinking it’d be the same.

It’s not.

Worked @ the original Blessings on Howe St back when I was 15/16.

 

[storrsroars]

Can anyone explain to me why its so hard to get adequate Duck sauce from Chinese restaurants. They'll give about 15 packs of that nasty soy sauce but you have to plea bargain for duck sauce every time. There's nothing worse than ordering $40 worth of Chinese food and you get it home there's only four duck sauces in the bag. The worst.

Not even close to the worst. Worst is when you order moo shu and they forget to give you hoisen. Or the pancakes. I've had both happen.

If you have apricot jelly at home, you've basically got duck sauce. Basically put 1/4 cup of apricot jelly in a bowl, add 1 tbsp + 1 tsp rice vinegar, then 1/8 tsp of soy sauce. Optional adds of garlic powder and/or cayenne. Mix and voila.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

Not even close to the worst. Worst is when you order moo shu and they forget to give you hoisen. Or the pancakes. I've had both happen.

If you have apricot jelly at home, you've basically got duck sauce. Basically put 1/4 cup of apricot jelly in a bowl, add 1 tbsp + 1 tsp rice vinegar, then 1/8 tsp of soy sauce. Optional adds of garlic powder and/or cayenne. Mix and voila.

Yeah never been a problem for me. I once had an entire drawer full of soy and duck sauce before the wife threw them all away. Between that and the free liter of soda I had more stuff in the house than I knew what to do with.

 

[storrsroars]

What is the best place that does authentic Chinese? I lived in China for two years and have yet to find a place that does Chinese food even close to some of the dishes I had in the different parts of China. I have found some decent/good places in the suburbs of DC in some of the smaller cities in the DMV.

Most of the places I have been to in CT are just a sugary MSG mess, but I am open to trying a legit place next time I go back to visit family there.

I know places in Pittsburgh where if you know the name of a dish you really liked in China or at least the ingredients and region, you could call the owner and ask if they can make that for you, or if they can make something similar off the menu. I suppose it works that way in other areas at many restaurants. I know the folks I used to work for were happy to make anything off menu if they had the ingredients on hand, which is why it's best to call ahead. For instance, you'll rarely see beef tendon on a menu in an American-Chinese place, but I'll bet you'll find it in the kitchen for staff lunch.

 

[uconnphil2016]

@uconnphil2016

Blessings To Go on State St. in New Haven.

After a night at Oak Haven and Christopher Martins there’s nothing better.

Yup. Blessings To Go is very solid.

 

[Horatio]

Yeah never been a problem for me. I once had an entire drawer full of soy and duck sauce before the wife threw them all away. Between that and the free liter of soda I had more stuff in the house than I knew what to do with.

Soy sauce and duck sauce packets have an eternal shelf life.

 

[Kitaman]

Wild Rice in Fairfield.

 

[RayRay34]

No, it isn't. It's the worst around.

ok

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

Soy sauce and duck sauce packets have an eternal shelf life.

I’m aware. Have I mentioned that I’m divorced?

 

[Chin Diesel]

It ain't a legit take out joint unless one table is dedicated to toys and games for the workers children to stay at all day.

Literally true at Peking House near my home in Florida. Kid was 5 years old picking up phone and taking orders. You'd show up and he'd be behind counter with tablet watching cartoons. 1o or so years later and he drives.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Yeah never been a problem for me. I once had an entire drawer full of soy and duck sauce before the wife threw them all away. Between that and the free liter of soda I had more stuff in the house than I knew what to do with.

Nice Farva. You'll love Canada with their litres of cola.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Also, true story.

A few years ago when my daughter started her teens years and was gaining responsibility, she called Mrs. Diesel about wanting Chinese take out Friday night. Mrs. Diesel say fine, call and make your order and she'll pick it up. Sure enough, Mrs. Diesel goes to local Peking House and there's no order. Mrs. Diesel re-does order, goes home and looks at daughter's phone. She called a Peking House in New Orleans about 250 miles away.

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

You can also try Muslim Chinese food in a place like Xian but can have even more authentic versions of that in Xinjiang.

Yunnan I was just in for 5 days but it reminded me of a healthier less sweet version of Cantonese with a lot of noodles and mushrooms. I found an Indian place I liked in kunming though so I ate there a lot.

Xinjian province and others in the current day far west of China neighboring the '... stan countries have some Spartacus great food, especially if you enjoy lamb, cumin, other spices, and can eat food with a spicy kick. Nothing about them resembles much of anything most Yanks associate with Chinese food. Before heading home, I'm hitting up my favorite Xinjian cai joint at least once.

Yunnan: You missed out, but then you were in Kunming. Provincial capital, but better Yunnanese regional food is typically found in smaller cities of just a million or so people, towns or smaller villages. Your comparison with Cantonese food's a head scratcher; never found that similarity.

 

[Travelman6]

Xinjian province and others in the current day far west of China neighboring the '... stan countries have some Spartacus great food, especially if you enjoy lamb, cumin, other spices, and can eat food with a spicy kick. Nothing about them resembles much of anything most Yanks associate with Chinese food. Before heading home, I'm hitting up my favorite Xinjian cai joint at least once.

Yunnan: You missed out, but then you were in Kunming. Provincial capital, but better Yunnanese regional food is typically found in smaller cities of just a million or so people, towns or smaller villages. Your comparison with Cantonese food's a head scratcher; never found that similarity.

Like I said, it has been a while. I was in China in 2009 and 2010 and only in Kunming for 5 days. Perhaps I went to a non regional restaurant the few times I had Chinese there. I want to say those few times were just less oily than much of China, more of an earthy taste. But, distant memory. Was really diggin an Indian place I found there, wonder if it is even still around.

Regardless, food from Xinjiang is just really good.

I had the chance of maybe going to one of the stan countries, Kyrgyzstan, but missed out. Hoping to someday make it to one or two of them (well, not Pakistan right now, but, like Kyrgyzstan or Kazakhstan)

 

[RayRay34]

For all you foodie geeks like me out there, if you have NetFlix, check out the documentaries, “The Search for General Tso” and “Ugly Delicious: Fried Rice”. Very interesting looks into the origins of American Chinese food and a modern look into Chinese cuisine. Good stuff.

“Toshi Loves Sushi” - another great Netflix food doc. Can’t wait to check out those two you suggested!

 

[Dove]

I have a sad feeling that the Chinese Govt has been dumbing down America by oh-so-slowly poisoning our Friday night dinners.

 

[Mano]

Random thoughts from reading through this thread:

- Chow Mei Fun is a super underrated dish. Love the thin noodle.

- Duck sauce might be as overrated a condiment as ketchup. Wife loves it, I can't stand it.

- Roberto, 'member that time at Koi, the karaoke bar behind Butterfly, you and Jeff sang "I would walk 500 miles" by The Proclaimers as a duet? So cute. Followed by Danny unironically singing "Man! I Feel Like A Woman"? @Robertelamin

- Always thought it was interesting that Black Bamboo hires cute teenage white girls to run their registers.

 

[storrsroars]

- Always thought it was interesting that Black Bamboo hires cute teenage white girls to run their registers.

They're often the same person who answers the phone for takeout orders. So the simple answer for that is English is their first language and they're less likely to screw up taking down the order.

Still, the best part of working in a Chinese kitchen is watching and listening to the Chinese cooks and Mexican prep staff communicate clearly with each other while none of them can speak a sentence of English... but they can all read the order slips, which come out of the printer in English and Mandarin.

 

[ThetaZoo]

Had some delicious General Tso at Asian Bistro in East Brook Mall on Storrs Rd, Mansfield.