the only thing I have to remotely tap into that same thought occured several years ago.
Snookie & I, who love going to little town fairs (like the Potato Fest up in Edmore, the Hastings Fiber Fest, the Montrose Blueberry Festival etc), were at the Vermontville Maplefest.
We went to a little local diner for lunch, ordered sandwiches & drinks. they brought our ice tea, sip…
BLAH
presweetened (you learn to expect that in the south, but we were substantially North of the Mason /Dixon) with maple syrup.
I can still make Snookie shiver with disgust by merely mentioning it.
That’s why Swan Palace in the Springs is soooooo good. They’ve got “oddball” (for Colorado) ingredients that other places won’t bother to buy and more “authentic” (from what I know) dishes. Dried Scallops and Fish-Maw Soup. REAL Peking Duck. It’s pricey (their top-of-the-line family meal will set two people back about $60.00), but there’ll be leftovers to take home and it’s GOOoooooood!
Hmm. Better than King’s Land? Better than that weird place on Federal down the way from J’s noodles that doesn’t have an English name but has incredible shark-fin soup? Wow.
Where’s King’s Land? Is that the one in the Springs on the south end of Academy?
The weird place on Federal is, I believe, The Emperess (right next to that Dairy Queen) which used to be great but has gone downhill recently, IMHO. But their Dim Sum still rocks. Either way, yeah…I’d have to say Swan Palace is better. (But the Shark Fin soup is great)
I’ve had this concoction - in NYC no less. You think they’d know better there being all cosmopolitan and all. It wasn’t a dish I ordered because, believe me, the words “Grand Marnier” don’t exactly belong in Chinese restaurants either.
No, King’s Land is down Alameda, east of Federal, on the south side of the street. Excellent dimsum. Best in Denver.
This other place isn’t the Empress. I know where the Empress is. This other place is some no-name (or, rather, it has a name, but I don’t read Chinese) place On the west side of Federal, maybe eight or ten blocks south of Alameda. It has all of seven tables or so, but it’s pretty dang good.
I’ll have to check out Swan Palace next time I’m in the Springs.
BTW, if you haven’t had a chance to try it yet – switching cuisine gears a bit – Oshima Ramen in Tamarac Square is yummy, too. Real, honest-to-goodness fresh ramen.
It’s in that shopping center and used to be like a Taco John’s or something, right? I’ve been there, but not since they’ve started doing Dim Sum! I’ll haveta try 'em.
**
!!! When did this place show up?! I’ll have to go ASAP!
Fenris
True, but a small splash of it would be interesting. I don’t object to Fusion cuisine, or even “Chef feels like screwing around” cuisine…within limits.
About…a year or so ago? It’s part of a Tokyo-based chain. I’m not sure how many other US branches they have, but all the pictures of the other chain stores show Japanese franchises. And if you go, don’t miss the gyoza. They are most excellent, too.
Never had mayo in the chinese food up here in Wisconsin, thank God. But what’s with pickles? I lived in both Madison and Milwaukee, not the most cosmopolitan places in the universe, but home to many fine restaurants. Then I moved to a little town half way between the two and they put crinkle cut, sweet dill pickles in my sweet and sour pork. Ok, so it’s Americanized food. But this is Germanized Americanized food. I could handle the pickles I found on a pizza here, but in Chinese food?
And in the Mexican restaurant, when I ordered the guacamole. Why didn’t they just admit that they didn’t own an avacado? Did they really think I wasn’t going to notice that the dip was made with sour cream, onions and green food coloring? It wouldn’t have been bad, if I’d been at a St. Patrick’s party with a bag of Ruffles, but on Mexican food? That’s just twisted.
I lived in N. Ireland for five months in 1999, and it was all I could do to keep from gaging while watching the Irish dip their chips (fries) in mayo. I sure getting warm mayo in my Chinese food would actually make me loose it.
When I read above about the Tokyo-based ramen chain, I googled it, hoping to find that a branch existed near me. No such luck! Here, however, is the review:
Homebrew, I just don’t like mayo very much. I don’t like the way it smells at all. Big glops on the fries, Ugh! Ferrous, I’m with you on the malt vinegar. N.I. had the best Fish and Chips.
If any of you ever make it to southwest Colorado, I suggest the May Palace in Durango. Marvellous food and the best soup I’ve ever had in a Chinese restaurant. The Golden Dragon here isn’t that bad either, as long as you stay away from the buffet and ask for a menu.
