Rando Chinese Food Spot
4Do you guys have that one local rando Chinese food spot you go to? It’s really good so you don’t go anywhere else, or your parents went there so you did, it’s the town take out spot, they know you by face etc?
Just curious if you guys have that same sort of place.
This is mine.
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Used to have a place like that. Loved going there as a family. Then one day we drove by and they were closed. No warning, nothing.
Been chasing one ever since. None of them are perfect. They might have good dishes but their rice sucks or vice versa.
Hoping one day that one will open that changes my mind.
^^ This is the only acceptable approach and will lead to only correct answers. When you find a good Chinese food spot, you either stick with it until it closes/changes ownership/fails inspection or risk your life in a game of gastro-roulette.
There used to be a great one on the corner of a main intersection in one of the worst neighborhoods in town. The food was delicious and cheap. But they changed hands or something then closed a few years back. That was a good lunch spot.
The one near my house now is good enough, but weird. All the waitresses are strangely awkward white blonde high school girls. The owner is nice but also a little strange. She finally convinced my wife to stop getting takeout and start going there because of her rants on Facebook that everyone that gets general tso to go is getting steamed hot garbage compared to what you get fresh, so everyone should come eat at the restaurant instead. She is totally right, by the way.
I bet they have their Christmas tree up by now. I hope it’s the same as last year. It’s like they got the 15 foot tree but it was too tall so they left out a section or two in the middle. It’s fabulous.
Ours are all pretty much the same food wise but the one closest to my house knows my order when I walk in. And if I’m eating there I go to the one with the fish tank. I like pretty fish.
@sammydog01 I like pretty fish, too.
Many years ago on a business trip in Asia, my friends and I happened upon a Chinese restaurant with a ginormous aquarium stretched along the height and width of the storefront window. Among the beautiful sea denizens was a foot-long prawn that fascinated me. I played with it for a while (as much as you can play with a crustacean, anyway) before we walked into the restaurant. Among the dishes I ordered was a delectable sounding prawn dish. Three minutes later, the chef came from the kitchen carrying a step stool, very long tongs and a plate. He put the step stool next to the aquarium, climbed up, grabbed the prawn with the tongs, put it on the plate and vanished back into the kitchen. Life lesson learned.
When the dish came out a few minutes later (beautifully prepared, to be honest) one of my colleagues decided to cheer me up by saying “Well, at least you know it’s fresh!”
I’m still looking for a Chinese joint in the MSP area. so if any mehtizens know of any, I’m open to suggestions.
Years ago we had one. They made a spicy crispy that was not overly hot at base, but much less sweet and more savory and sweet and sour and they would give you extra crushed peppers if you liked it pipping, like my daughter did.
They changed owners
Recipe still on the menu
now is mediocre and not worth the 20 mile drive it would have been (was 2 back in those days)
Mine is pretty much the better of the two places that UberEats will deliver to work for $0.49. The inferior of the two is within walking distance but it mainly serves the hotels near PDX where they probably don’t expect a whole lot of repeat business anyway, so why bother?
Nothing truly exceptional that I’ve found in Portland, but most of it is edible and reasonably palatable.
My favorite place has an incredible wok hei that gives the fried rice with a black bean sauce this magical smoky taste that isn’t burned.
Unfortunately I don’t live there anymore and I’ve switched to “double veg lo mein, spicy” as my go to dish.
Our local go-to is called Hop Bo. They have amazing sweet & sour chicken, which I always order with soup…some days I’m in the mood for wonton, others the egg drop. Always really tasty, and the staff are friendly and quick. Plus it’s under the approach/departure lanes for MCO, so I get to watch the planes while I wait for the food to cook!