For me my favorite dish is Singapore Noodles and the Hot and Sour Soup, I judge most Chinese restaurants by these dishes.
I love Roast Duckling too
I love Roast Duckling too
what dishes do you judge a good chinese restaurant by
- Thread starter bob.e
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Orange beef (or chicken) and sweet & sour chicken. Always a safe bet even at the worst chinese places.
If they can't make a good Chow Fun then I will never return
General Tso's chicken and Hot & Sour soup. They must also have great Crab Rangoon.
Funny, I was going to say Singapore noodles and hot and sour soup.
Real hot and sour soup is a great thing. Nice and thick with a bite.
I also like ginger beef. It has to be crispy, not oily and tangy.
Kung Pao Chicken and Lo Mein noodles - they seem to be different in every place.
Salt & Pepper Squid, if its not done right it's like shoe leather
Pork lo mien or mu shu pork, though if the restaurant seems to have a specialty, I'll typically judge it by that. A Chinese place near my college had Dao Xiao Mian that was absolutely to die for, but, sadly, you don't see that too often anywhere else.
Spare Ribs, Steamed Dumplings, Beef and Broccoli.
When I was an intern, there were several Chinese and Korean residents. They seemed to always eat the mu shu dishes. Also, I find if a Chinese restaurant fails to impress me with the basics like fried rice and lo mien, I am sure to dislike their other offerings.
This is a totally non-PC response. I'll apologize inadvance to anyone I've offended.
One of my really good friends in law school was a woman from Hong Kong. I'm Jewish. She wouldn't judge a Chinese restaurant by the dishes. She knew the moment she walked in if it would be good. If the patrons were primarily Chinese and/or Jewish, it would be a good restaurant. That being said, I judge a place by its noodle dishes.
One of my really good friends in law school was a woman from Hong Kong. I'm Jewish. She wouldn't judge a Chinese restaurant by the dishes. She knew the moment she walked in if it would be good. If the patrons were primarily Chinese and/or Jewish, it would be a good restaurant. That being said, I judge a place by its noodle dishes.
If a restaurant serves a specific cuisine it's always a good sign if there's a lot of people of that corresponding ethnicity in the restaurant.
I personally don't like "americanized" chinese food and don't really eat it.
Mongloian beef and fried rice.
It's my favorite dish (the Mongolian) but it's often botched. If they can't make fried rice IMO they can't make anything right. It's a very simple dish, and it should be spot on every time.
It's my favorite dish (the Mongolian) but it's often botched. If they can't make fried rice IMO they can't make anything right. It's a very simple dish, and it should be spot on every time.
I don't know...I've seen I've seen excellent restaurants serve fried rice that was obviously made from a mix, even to the point that a place that normally sourced vegetables from its own farm had fried rice with obviously frozen vegetables. (That was the same place that had the wonderful Dao Xiao Mian).
I judge a Chinese restaurant by the quality of their simplest dishes. If they can't make a great wonton soup, perfect dumplings, or exceptional char siu, they probably can't make anything else.
The same logic applies to many cuisines- if an Italian restaurant can't make a decent spaghetti and meatballs, I wouldn't trust them for veal saltimbocca.
The same logic applies to many cuisines- if an Italian restaurant can't make a decent spaghetti and meatballs, I wouldn't trust them for veal saltimbocca.
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I prefer to go to Chinese restaurants with Chinese friends and let them order. Never fails; in Boston Chinatown many restaurants have two menus one for non Asian and one for Chinese customers. They don't tell you this, but an student of mine who ran a restaurant with her husband invited my wife and I and shared the Chinese menu with us and helped in choosing the dishes, an excellent meal.
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Hot & Sour Soup.
+1 I had a couple of friends from Taiwan once upon a time, and eating with them was an education! Not only the separate menus, but the way you eat is different too. Large communal portions that everyone serves themselves from. Completely different food, and far far better!
Before trying any of the food, I would check to see if there are any Asians eating in there. So far, I have only seen Asians eating in two Chinese restaurants, one in New York's Chinatown and one near my house, both of which were excellent.
I judge Chinese restaurants on the variety of their menu, and on the quality of their hot and sour soup. The standard American Chinese restaurant menu is mostly dishes which I think you will not find in China. General Tso's Chicken, for example. Not a dish known in China. Now Dim Sum, on the other hand, is heavily advertised at restaurants in the Chinese sections of many cities. I guess I don't know of a completely Chinese restaurant that I think is authentic.
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