Discussion
Who loves Chinese food? Me, that's who. Can't beat a good Chinese takeaway or a nice sit down meal now and again.
Now and again being the operative words.
I've been in China for a week now. I'm working in a small city pretty much slap bang in the middle of the country.
The hotel breakfast, strange as it may seem has Chinese food for breakfast at the buffet.
No toast (or bread come to that) no bacon etc. You can have a fried egg but its fried in Sesame oil so a bit weird so just the standard rice, noodles, stir fried veggies and weird looking stuff.
Lunch? More of the same.
Dinner? I think you're seeing the problem here.
Now, don't get me wrong. The food is very good. But it's all getting a bit samey now.
I can't find any western restaurants. No steaks, no mashed spuds, no sausages no nothing.
I would kill for a McDonalds or rubbish Burger King.
It's turning into a food hell.
Yep, worst rant ever, no swearing or anything.
Now and again being the operative words.
I've been in China for a week now. I'm working in a small city pretty much slap bang in the middle of the country.
The hotel breakfast, strange as it may seem has Chinese food for breakfast at the buffet.
No toast (or bread come to that) no bacon etc. You can have a fried egg but its fried in Sesame oil so a bit weird so just the standard rice, noodles, stir fried veggies and weird looking stuff.
Lunch? More of the same.
Dinner? I think you're seeing the problem here.
Now, don't get me wrong. The food is very good. But it's all getting a bit samey now.
I can't find any western restaurants. No steaks, no mashed spuds, no sausages no nothing.
I would kill for a McDonalds or rubbish Burger King.
It's turning into a food hell.
Yep, worst rant ever, no swearing or anything.
Chinese food outside of China/HK/Taiwan etc is made for that particular place of taste, and I very much doubt a typical westerner will like proper Chinese food.
Also, different part of china have different food style, some northern part of china eat steam buns for breakfast, some eat soup noodles, some southern part eat dim sums and drink Chinese tea for breakfast, HK eat half Western half Chinese typical breakfast.
If you can't find any Western food around your place, I'm guessing you are out in those factory areas or just too far from town.
Also, different part of china have different food style, some northern part of china eat steam buns for breakfast, some eat soup noodles, some southern part eat dim sums and drink Chinese tea for breakfast, HK eat half Western half Chinese typical breakfast.
If you can't find any Western food around your place, I'm guessing you are out in those factory areas or just too far from town.
I think it is true that the idea of "breakfast" as a very distinct meal is quite a western thing. In china breakfast often just looks like a smaller version of lunch.
I do like the big Jian Bing pancakes for breakfast though, they are superb. Fishy congee at 8am...I can usually pass on.
I would also remember that many Chinese restaurants are more flexible that western ones, e.g. if you want pork fried rice for lunch, or fried noodles, it might not be on the menu but since its made from leftovers anyway they can do it.
I found I got sick of Indian food quicker than I did Chinese.
I do like the big Jian Bing pancakes for breakfast though, they are superb. Fishy congee at 8am...I can usually pass on.
I would also remember that many Chinese restaurants are more flexible that western ones, e.g. if you want pork fried rice for lunch, or fried noodles, it might not be on the menu but since its made from leftovers anyway they can do it.
I found I got sick of Indian food quicker than I did Chinese.
I went to a Chinese place in Chinatown, Birmingham, once (well more than once).
Was meant to be pretty authentic, loads of Chinese people eating and those tables with a hole in the middle for the broth bowl.
i ordered thinly sliced pork in some sauce or another, expectations were high....
... I ate bacon.
Was meant to be pretty authentic, loads of Chinese people eating and those tables with a hole in the middle for the broth bowl.
i ordered thinly sliced pork in some sauce or another, expectations were high....
... I ate bacon.
Sharted said:
Do they?
I've nothing against bacon, quite the opposite. However, it wasn't billed as cured and sliced pork.
Never been served it since.
Still ate it all, was not unpleasant, just unexpected.
Not with fried eggs and beans, but yes you get thinly sliced pork belly strips i.e. bacon in a lot of dishes. Hui Guo Rou is a very popular stir fry - basically bacon with leeks.I've nothing against bacon, quite the opposite. However, it wasn't billed as cured and sliced pork.
Never been served it since.
Still ate it all, was not unpleasant, just unexpected.
I'm in Puyang City in Henan Province. This is not on the tourist route and it's pretty industrial.
Like I said, I like Chinese food. Proper Chinese food. The chicken feet and scorpions don't bother me. I'll pretty much eat anything.
It's just the sameiness. For me, brekkie would normally be toast or yoghourt & fruit, sarnie for lunch and then whatever for dinner.
This, as excellent as it is has no variety. Try eating fillet steak for 3 meals a day for a week and see how much you enjoy it at the end.
Still, I'm done as of today and on my way to Hong Kong then back to Houston so it's over now.
No takeaways next week though
Like I said, I like Chinese food. Proper Chinese food. The chicken feet and scorpions don't bother me. I'll pretty much eat anything.
It's just the sameiness. For me, brekkie would normally be toast or yoghourt & fruit, sarnie for lunch and then whatever for dinner.
This, as excellent as it is has no variety. Try eating fillet steak for 3 meals a day for a week and see how much you enjoy it at the end.
Still, I'm done as of today and on my way to Hong Kong then back to Houston so it's over now.
No takeaways next week though
chrismcg1 said:
Had these in Hong Kong many moons ago - thought I was getting ribs!! Apparently my face was a picture seeing them on the plate....!
had these back in 84.... my best mates dad owned a Chinese restaurant in Hatfield, we were treated like royalty when we went to china town with him at the age of 14Henan...no wonder you are having a hard time eating there, it's not really a place that has much western influence.
The problem of having the same food three times a day, is down to the person don't know where to find different food, it's highly unlikely a person will know exactly where to go out for dinner when they first visit a new place.
Anyway, food is a very personal thing, every person has their own preference in taste, but I always love experimenting on people with different food, back when my family were still in UK, we ran a restaurant and pub, I'll regularly give 'exotic' food and drinks to regular customers to try out, blind folded.
Nine times out of ten, they will like what they ate, but will be shocked of what they had ate.
If I tell them before hand what's on that plate or in that drink, nine out of ten will refuse to take it, saying it's disgusting or weird or it's wrong etc etc.
Obviously, the so-called exotic food is just very normal food for a typical chinese, since getting the real deal is nearly impossible.
When a person cannot see what they are about to eat, most will give their honest answer in what it 'taste' and 'feels', every person is born and raised in a environment that is 'coded' into their mind that such and such kind of food is not acceptable, just like most of the people in china will not eat a steak what is still pink in the middle let alone ordering a medium rare/blue steak. That is because they were not used to it and never knew steaks can be eaten 'under-cooked'.
I too have certain things I just can't get past myself to eat if I know what it is, I've had a few interesting things gobbed down, and at the time of eating it I do like what I had, but I won't order it again if the chance appears in front of me again, just can't get my head round it.
I loved my time running the family restaurant when a few customer will simply go all out and try whatever we had to offer, it's really refreshing seeing a westerner with a open mind and just say 'f
k it, give me what ever you have to offer and I'll try it', but these customers are really hard to come by...
The problem of having the same food three times a day, is down to the person don't know where to find different food, it's highly unlikely a person will know exactly where to go out for dinner when they first visit a new place.
Anyway, food is a very personal thing, every person has their own preference in taste, but I always love experimenting on people with different food, back when my family were still in UK, we ran a restaurant and pub, I'll regularly give 'exotic' food and drinks to regular customers to try out, blind folded.
Nine times out of ten, they will like what they ate, but will be shocked of what they had ate.
If I tell them before hand what's on that plate or in that drink, nine out of ten will refuse to take it, saying it's disgusting or weird or it's wrong etc etc.
Obviously, the so-called exotic food is just very normal food for a typical chinese, since getting the real deal is nearly impossible.
When a person cannot see what they are about to eat, most will give their honest answer in what it 'taste' and 'feels', every person is born and raised in a environment that is 'coded' into their mind that such and such kind of food is not acceptable, just like most of the people in china will not eat a steak what is still pink in the middle let alone ordering a medium rare/blue steak. That is because they were not used to it and never knew steaks can be eaten 'under-cooked'.
I too have certain things I just can't get past myself to eat if I know what it is, I've had a few interesting things gobbed down, and at the time of eating it I do like what I had, but I won't order it again if the chance appears in front of me again, just can't get my head round it.
I loved my time running the family restaurant when a few customer will simply go all out and try whatever we had to offer, it's really refreshing seeing a westerner with a open mind and just say 'f
k it, give me what ever you have to offer and I'll try it', but these customers are really hard to come by...Gassing Station | Food, Drink & Restaurants | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff