Chinese Food

[Tron_fdc]

Fotze my friend, I've been to Asia a dozen or so times now, and I STILL don't know WTF I'm eating. There is a huge difference between the NA Chinese food and "real" Chinese food, but one thing I found is that it varies a lot between regions. Eg: If you're on the coast, expect to eat a lot of seafood. Move further inland towards mongolia, and you should expect to eat a lot of beef and vegetables.

Seafood (and sometimes beef) gives me raging arthritis, and the combo of seafood/beer can be pretty crippling. This proves to be particularily challenging for me in China, as I don't want to be a bad guest, I like eating everything they put in front of me, but I also like having the use of my hands and ankles. Some things I found that I REALLY liked (and just about put me in the hospital ) were

- Strawberry glazed shrimp (had this on the coast). Wierd combo, but was pretty tasty.
- Beef Hot pot (you get a boiling pot of water, and a bunch of veggies and shaved beef, which you toss in the pot and boil). Pretty sure I had cat when I was eating this dish....it tasted like dirt. This is a Mongolian type dish.
- Black Rice: it tasted like a grape flavoured rice, and was served in little tin foil cups
- And my all time fav....scrambled eggs with diced tomato mixed in. I've been trying to make this one on weekends, but can't seem to get the recipe right. Bruce? Any advice? This is THE BEST way to eat scrambled eggs.

Anyways, I found that Silver Dragon DT by the river was pretty good. Or at least as close to "authentic" that I've found.

You guys should try Korean if you can't handle the grease, MSG or weight of Chinese food. Korean food is much lighter, spicier, and IMO easier to digest.

[return to the red]

Originally Posted by Tron_fdc

You guys should try Korean if you can't handle the grease, MSG or weight of Chinese food. Korean food is much lighter, spicier, and IMO easier to digest.

Here, Here. After spending some time in Korea I found the Korean BBQ's to be very tasty (especially the Duck Galbi (sp)).

Lot's of cold soups and interesting flavours with Korean food and as a person with a very sensitive stomach I thought I was going to have major problems with the food but actually felt the best eating Korean food than I have in a long time!

[FireFly]

Are you saying cat tastes like dirt? How rude. My cats are offended now.

[FireFly]

Oh, and my Vietnamese friend's family took me out for Chinese once. We went to Ho Wan in Chinatown for what it's worth. I did not touch the fish. They cooked it with it's head attached and I was so grossed out, I almost had to leave. Seriously, I don't need to look in the eyes of the thing I'm eating as I eat it. Anyways, fabulous food (what I did eat) and very authentic.

[SeeGeeWhy]

This thread is making me freakin' hungry!

[TheyCallMeBruce]

Originally Posted by FireFly

Oh, and my Vietnamese friend's family took me out for Chinese once. We went to Ho Wan in Chinatown for what it's worth. I did not touch the fish. They cooked it with it's head attached and I was so grossed out, I almost had to leave. Seriously, I don't need to look in the eyes of the thing I'm eating as I eat it. Anyways, fabulous food (what I did eat) and very authentic.

The eyes are the best part.

[FireFly]

*pukes*

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by FireFly

Oh, and my Vietnamese friend's family took me out for Chinese once. We went to Ho Wan in Chinatown for what it's worth. I did not touch the fish. They cooked it with it's head attached and I was so grossed out, I almost had to leave. Seriously, I don't need to look in the eyes of the thing I'm eating as I eat it. Anyways, fabulous food (what I did eat) and very authentic.

Chinese food always cooks things with their heads, various organs, etc.
That's authentic haha. When you see fish at the supermarket, the heads are often attatched. How is it any different?

After you eat your crab, be sure to turn the head/shell over and scrape out the brains and delicious yellow crab goo. It's just like scrambled eggs

[FireFly]

*blech*

I buy fillets. I only see the head of the things I eat if I catch the fish. And no, I don't ever cut it's head off, someone else gets to do that.

[return to the red]

Originally Posted by FireFly

*blech*

I buy fillets. I only see the head of the things I eat if I catch the fish. And no, I don't ever cut it's head off, someone else gets to do that.

So you are saying no err umm "noggin" from you

I'm sorry but someone was gonna say it

[Tron_fdc]

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

Chinese food always cooks things with their heads, various organs, etc.
That's authentic haha. When you see fish at the supermarket, the heads are often attatched. How is it any different?

After you eat your crab, be sure to turn the head/shell over and scrape out the brains and delicious yellow crab goo. It's just like scrambled eggs

That goo is SICK. I tried to smile and choke it back, only to get another one tossed on my plate.

And Firefly.....I had live fish when I was there too. In one meal it was little minnows (still alive) bundled up in lettuce, and another meal a big flat type of fish that was saran wrapped to a dish, and the skin on its back was peeled back exposing all the meat. We ate it while it was still alive.

Take that PETA!!!!!!

[RedMan12]

Its not really fake but rather North American style Chinese food. Chinese people have been in North American for hundreds of years. Of course the food is gonna change and become more North American and not remain authentic like food actually in China.

Its like Taco Time or Taco Bell. Its not real Mexican food, its Tex-Mex (nasty tex-mex that is). Same with Sushi resteraunts. Most Sushi resteraunts, at least in Vancouver, are not Japanese owned and not authentic Japanese food. I went to Japan lots and they hardly eat sushi like us Westerners do.

[goaliegirl]

Best Chinese food I have ever had is at the Big Rock Inn in Okotoks ,nothing tates greasy except the deep fried won tons

[Tron_fdc]

Originally Posted by goaliegirl

Best Chinese food I have ever had is at the Big Rock Inn in Okotoks ,nothing tates greasy except the deep fried won tons

hahaha I used to eat there when I was in high school. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone, especially after a bunch of my friends worked there.

Naaaaasty stories.

[return to the red]

Originally Posted by Tron_fdc

hahaha I used to eat there when I was in high school. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone, especially after a bunch of my friends worked there.

Naaaaasty stories.

wow I can't believe someone actually suggested that place, the only thing that place had going was the Bo Bo Platter and the cheap cheap cheap lunch buffet.

Hey Tron, Is there a good Korean BBQ place in Calgary that you would recommend?

[tvp2003]

Originally Posted by HelloHockeyFans

fotze, the best way to experience "real" chinese food is to go to a chinese restaurant where other Chinese people are eating. If you look around you and see no Chinese folks (Ginger Beef in Sunridge Mall when I used to live in Calgary, or A Touch of Szechuan in Whitehorn), that's the first sign you need to get the hell out!

LOL! So true, so true.

Chinese food can be greasy, and it can be healthy; it just depends on where you go and what you order

I'll also throw in a plug for vietnamese food... go for the charbroiled pork with spring rolls on rice vermicilli (sp?)... the blend of flavors and textures is to die for

[TheyCallMeBruce]

Originally Posted by return to the red

wow I can't believe someone actually suggested that place, the only thing that place had going was the Bo Bo Platter and the cheap cheap cheap lunch buffet.

Hey Tron, Is there a good Korean BBQ place in Calgary that you would recommend?

There's one on 17 Ave SW...can't remember the name,but it has awesome korean bbq. Then there's that one at the back of the Calgary Tower...yeah, it's a good place to eat...but...uh...the hostess is a bit "weird." She once yelled at us for not sitting down quick enough.

[Tron_fdc]

Originally Posted by return to the red

wow I can't believe someone actually suggested that place, the only thing that place had going was the Bo Bo Platter and the cheap cheap cheap lunch buffet.

Hey Tron, Is there a good Korean BBQ place in Calgary that you would recommend?

There's a couple.

There is one on 17th and about 32st SW(right beside the Mcdonalds) that I believe is called the Bulgogi house, or something like that. I tried to find it in the phone book once but couldn't. If you go there, go early (as in before 6). If you don't expect to either get turned away, or wait for 1/2 an hour.

There's another one on 10th ave and 2nd street. No idea what the name is, but it's a little bigger and easier to get into. Same food, and around the same price.

Both places are pretty authentic. If you get a chance try the Bimbimbap (sp?) it's a fried egg on top of mixed veggies and noodles. Sooooooo tasty.

[AFireInside]

Originally Posted by Reaper

I have found the same thing as well although a lot of the Vietnamese restaurants in Calgary have a great deal of Indonesian and Thai influence in their menu. Not that I'm opposed to it though. I love Sate (Satay).

I'm going to have the second the Vietnemese. Man I love that food and I can't get enough of it.. Some salad rolls with peanut sauce, followed by rice vermicelli with meat (chicken, beef, or pork) and springrolls.. I don't know what it is, with that combination of hoisin sauce, hot sauce, and fish sauce (I think its called fish sauce) but damn is it tasty.. I'm sure its not authentic vietnemese food, but whatever it is I could probably eat it everyday....

[TheyCallMeBruce]

Originally Posted by Tron_fdc

There's another one on 10th ave and 2nd street. No idea what the name is, but it's a little bigger and easier to get into. Same food, and around the same price.

That one is called "korean village" and it's located right behind the calgary tower. It comes complete with weird hostess.