Chinese Restaurants?

Does anybody notice a lack of these in their neck of the woods? When I was growing up in South Florida there were a number of nice sit-down establishments, but now I only seem to find either take-out spots or buffet-style places in most areas.

We used to have a wonderful one a few towns over, in Barre, VT. It was called Dragon Phoenix, and was owned and operated by the Wong Family. They were the most gracious and congenial Owners of any Business I've ever been in.
It was always the most enjoyable Dining Experience, and the Food was amazing. They did'nt use any MSG in thier Cooking, and were rightly Proud of it.
The Business was'nt as good as they would have liked and they moved back to Florida after about 10 Years here.
I became friends with them, and miss them greatly now that they are gone.

Jackball74 said:

Does anybody notice a lack of these in their neck of the woods? When I was growing up in South Florida there were a number of nice sit-down establishments, but now I only seem to find either take-out spots or buffet-style places in most areas.

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You are correct! Most all now days are buffet and take out. The only ones here that offer sit down family style meals are on the high end of the price scale, $75-$100 for a couple. Even some of them have a buffet as well as sit-down meals. Most all of the buffet style do offer a menu to order from, but I never see anyone use the menu. Thing I like about most of the buffet restaurants is the Korean BBQ, where you take the food you want and have it cooked fresh while you watch.

We have a PF Chang's, but seriously, I know what you are talking about. There is a really good one in Ft. Lauderdale that is still in business. Best Dim Sum anywhere!!! I couldn't tell you the name but I know how to get there. There used to be several in my area, including one that River Phoenix visited rather regularly, but now it is all take out only or cheap ass buffet type places. I blame it all on China Panda. The other issue with these type places is you can not get really good authentic Chinese food. It is all some fried/tempura in some kind of syrupy sauce. Every dish has the same flavor profile.

There may be fewer, but we still have several good Chinese restaurants here.

There's three in my town, unfortunately they all suck. One was very good, until mom n' pop sold out to a chain due to my employer cutting over half of the employees at our facility. Corporate greed kills.

We have a fantastic Chinese restaurant in Sandusky, Michigan.

Unfortunately it is a bit over 20 miles away.

Since it's so rural in my area I can drive there in 20 minutes or less with no traffic lights (yes, there may be some "driving over the limit" involved).

But the food is sooooo good it's worth the trip. Usually my wife and I will make a trip to a rural Mennonite super market up that way and end the shopping trip with a stop for Chinese.

Southern California is filled with every manner of Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese, Korean, restaurant.

You know it is real if they serve you the head of the chicken or duck. And then there are the fried chicken feet.

Old-style Cantonese (American Chinese) restaurants are mostly gone as the parents of that generation retire or die - the children (who may be surgeons) are not going to run the old family restaurant.

chadrog said:

There's three in my town, unfortunately they all suck. One was very good, until mom n' pop sold out to a chain due to my employer cutting over half of the employees at our facility. Corporate greed kills.

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Those jobs went to China, taking your good Chinese restaurant with it.

shreadvector said:

Southern California is filled with every manner of Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese, Korean, restaurant.

You know it is real if they serve you the head of the chicken or duck. And then there are the fried chicken feet.

Old-style Cantonese (American Chinese) restaurants are mostly gone as the parents of that generation retire or die - the children (who may be surgeons) are not going to run the old family restaurant.

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Whenever I've had duck served with the head on, I've been surprised at the bill.

ThirstyBarbarian said:

Whenever I've had duck served with the head on, I've been surprised at the bill.

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Ba-dump bump, hissssssss.

".... he only took tips"

-Senator Al Franken

ThirstyBarbarian said:

Whenever I've had duck served with the head on, I've been surprised at the bill.

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We have many fast food Chinese take out places that have two or three tables as well as an abundance of buffet style places that have a menu (but as noted by someone else, I don't remember if I have ever seen anyone order off the menu). There is one place that we like in the few blocks of what constitutes Chinatown in Cleveland (Ohio) that is awesome. It is authentic Chinese (you can tell when most of the staff speaks little or no English) and you can order straight off the menu or get Dim Sum. It's over an hour away and we try to find an excuse to go at least once or twice each year. Our kids often request that as their "birthday meal."

Jackball74 said:

Does anybody notice a lack of these in their neck of the woods? When I was growing up in South Florida there were a number of nice sit-down establishments, but now I only seem to find either take-out spots or buffet-style places in most areas.

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Part of it has to do with restaurants in general. They are turning into national franchises. I don't see as many family-owned Italian restaurants either.

It may also have to do with the changing characteristics of American Chinese. Time was, they would come here from Taiwan and open restaurants. They retired. Their kids all went to universities, and are doing other things. We get Chinese students from the main land now. Not interested in cooking either. (Like... Are you?)

FWIW, I know some decent Chinese places in Pittsburgh, but my wife is Chinese and I'm plugged into the network.

-LarryC

ThirstyBarbarian said:

Whenever I've had duck served with the head on, I've been surprised at the bill.

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Ohh, Magoo-you've done it again!

I live in Chicago, and the only difference I see is there are fewer "Chinese" restaurants and more "Asian" restaurants. I tend to stay away from these as they tend to serve a range of Asian cuisines of mediocre quality.

fyrwrxz said:

Ohh, Magoo-you've done it again!

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Ha ha! I actually had a Magoo kind of morning today. I could not find my glasses anywhere and was searching the entire house like a blind man. I eventually found them folded up down inside the couch cushions. It was so weird to find my glasses there, because that's where I keep my keys.

No more stray cats and dogs no more restuarants. Couldnt help it no here in Tucson seems like more are opening

My thoughts are that it has more to do with kids not carrying on the family business and busy lifestyles so no time to sit down and eat and visit for a couple of hours.
Fast food is more preferable nowdays.

My favorite was Italian restaurants in Chicago and it's suburbs that used to have 6-8 course meals, You had to allot about 3 hours to fully enjoy the experience.

Another part of this equation is that "american" tastes are evolving and expanding. Twenty five years ago you would have been hard pressed to find any kind of non-Chinese, non-Hibachi/Sushi asian restaurants outside of mega-urban areas. But, as Michael Symon and Mario Batali have pointed out, the average american has become much more adventurous in recent years and, as a result, the popularity of Chinese places has declined while Korean, Vietnamese, Indian, Malaysian cuisines are popping up all over the place. We here on the northeast side of the Metro Atlanta area are seeing this more and more. One close-in suburb named Chamblee is nick-named Chambodia because of it's very high asian population so you can find pretty much every flavor cuisine from that part of the world there to the exclusion of everything save for fast food and the occasional Waffle House.

A bit farther out where I live in Duluth, GA, the 2010 census showed we have an asian population of over 22% and as a result there are TONS of locally owned asian businesses/restaurants. You can find authentic *anything* in this area as well. But to the OP's point, authentic chinese dishes, while available, is much scarcer than sushi, pho, bulgogi, hibachi, etc...

One other thing to ponder: I know of 4-5 Chinese-American owned restaurants in this area and none of them serve Chinese food. All but one of them are soul food / southern buffet type places.

I enjoyed a take out place when I was in Staten Island entirely staffed and run by Chinese folks. Everything from a ultra-typical take out joint:they had the counter, the picture board menu, the 5 tables where people mostly sat to wait for the food...

The funny part was, it was a MEXICAN takeout restaurant.

10fttall said:

I enjoyed a take out place when I was in Staten Island entirely staffed and run by Chinese folks. Everything from a ultra-typical take out joint:they had the counter, the picture board menu, the 5 tables where people mostly sat to wait for the food...

The funny part was, it was a MEXICAN takeout restaurant.

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Chinese people as well as other Asians live throughout Mexico and South America as well.

Here is one such "Asian" born in Lima Peru https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alberto_Fujimori

I did a quick Urban Spoon search for Chinese restaurant nearby Salem, MA, and got 36 within about 5 miles of my home. I'm sure there are over 100 within 10 miles, and there is a really good one within 1/4 miles of my house where we usually do takeout only because it is that close. We have at least one very good buffet style Chinese restaurant within a 5 minute drive. We also have several dozen Japanese, Thai, Cambodian, Vietnamese and Indian restaurants within 10 miles.

It's really great to have this many to choose from but with competition and new startup, several good ones have gone out of business. My favorite Japanese restaurant went out several years ago because it simply did not have a high visibility location. My favorite Indian restaurant is only 2.5 miles from my house. N

We have so many good restaurants north of Boston it's really hard to make a choice. Needless to say I eat out often.

Bob

Our area saw a good deal of Thai restaurants emerge during the '80s. We had three in my neighborhood alone. And when I lived in Jacksonville there was practically a Japanese steakhouse on every block (plus a Mexican restaurant exactly like 10fttall described).

Lord Willing w/in a year, I'll have a problem finding restaurants that aren't Chinese.

謝謝
Jim

bobkrech said:

I did a quick Urban Spoon search for Chinese restaurant nearby Salem, MA, and got 36 within about 5 miles of my home. I'm sure there are over 100 within 10 miles, and there is a really good one within 1/4 miles of my house where we usually do takeout only because it is that close. We have at least one very good buffet style Chinese restaurant within a 5 minute drive. We also have several dozen Japanese, Thai, Cambodian, Vietnamese and Indian restaurants within 10 miles.

It's really great to have this many to choose from but with competition and new startup, several good ones have gone out of business. My favorite Japanese restaurant went out several years ago because it simply did not have a high visibility location. My favorite Indian restaurant is only 2.5 miles from my house. N

We have so many good restaurants north of Boston it's really hard to make a choice. Needless to say I eat out often.

Bob

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We had an _excellent_ Sichuan restaurant. It was so good, my wife's parents, who were visiting from that provence, congratulated the chef.
It went out of business because of protracted and extensive road work in the area.

-Larry (Rats!) C.

Please consider not eating at Chinese restaurants. Many are linked to money laundering and human trafficking. Those that are and appear to be family run are not families at all.

Several tell tale signs they may not be on the up and up. Is the register drawer left ajar? Does the manager hover the waitresses? Does your waitress keep the tip or does it get turned into the till.

We have several restaurants in my town, I refuse to eat at any. For the reason above and in my profession I have had the opportunity to see behind the scenes after hours. I almost lost my stomach. Gross!

Food for thought.


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We have only one here in town. Its pretty good, generals chicken is my favor dish.

Stop it! You guys are making me hungry!!! I have driven 50 miles for a good Chinese dinner, but not anymore, they went out of business. Sigh.