Chinese Buffet Resturants

Factual Questions
21

The Chinese place I frequent has some very “traditional” American Chinese restaurant foods, every day. But, they also have “Clams in Black bean sauce”, and “Hot and Sour Cabbage” and Imperial Fish, and two types of non-Lo Mien noodle dishes, as well. Although I would personally prefer the General Tso’s Chicken to be a bit spicier, it isn’t that cloying sweet stuff you get most places. And some other things, like shrimp and corn with cauliflower, and also French fries and onion rings, which I tease the owner about. (Are these Sichuan or Hunan Onion Rings?)

All these foods are available in the daily buffet. (Very reasonable price, about eight bucks, after a medium tip) There is also an extensive menu, and the chef will give you his version of your favorite food from china, if you describe it.

In another part of town there is a very nice buffet available with a very wide variety of Chinese styles of cooking, some done to order as you wait. It’s a bit pricier than the one I just mentioned, and out of the way, for me, but the food is excellent, and not “foreign fast food” standard at all.

So, I think that what is offered is what the consumer will buy. Since we have a fairly large recent immigrant Chinese population, we get better Chinese food, and better Central American, and Vietnamese food too, for the same reason. We are also starting to develop a West African food culture, which is fine by me, although it already has moved down the “Hot” scale, to attract white folks. I have to beg for the real deal.

One generation seems to be enough to Americanize the cooking of any ethnic cuisine. You have to keep your eyes open for authentic cooks, and mom and pop shops, if you want the best in foreign foods. And if it’s Sierra Leon or Thailand, don’t ask for hot, unless you really like hot.

Tris

22

So do Chinese restaurants in non-English-speaking countries. Chinese fast-food places here in Panama tend to have dishes somewhat different than those in the US. (Real Chinese restaurants are a bit more similar.)

Panama is the only place I know where people regularly put ketchup on Chinese food. In the Don Lee chain here, if you get take out chow mein they will throw in some packets of ketchup along with the soy sauce. I’ve never seen a place with hot Chinese mustard or duck sauce, though.

23

It goes beyond the food too. I picked up a menu in a chinese buffet once, and the picture on the front was a buffet table that was clearly not the buffet table in this restaurant. I found it merely smirkworthy, until months later in a different chinese restaurant where they had a menu with the same picture on the front.

24

Mother and Child Reunion, yes, but the dish in question was eggs and chicken, right?

25

Actually it has, but the British military demoted him to “Leftenant Tso.” :wink:

26

Does Italy count?

27

Yes, I suspect those exist.
When I was in college, I ran across a Muslim-run pizza shop. They substituted turkey-based meats for pig-based meats on their menus. Wasn’t half bad.

28

A comedian, whose name escapes me, told of a square block in New York City’s Chinatown.
Starting from one of four streets, as you walked around the block, you encountered 4, then 3, then 4, and finally,5 chinese restaurants, in the square block.
Wow! Such diversity and selection…until it was found out that they all shared the same kitchen in the basement.

29

In fact, there’s one not far from me. I haven’t been there, but judging from the reviews, I’m not missing much. (There also used to be a kosher Mexican place in the same neighborhood called Casa Hadassah. I kid you not.)

Rumor has it that the Domino’s in the same neighborhood (West Rogers Park in Chicago is a wacky place; where else do the Orthodox Jews rub shoulders with the Indians, Pakistanis, Assyrians, and various former Soviets?) only uses halal meat.