Quote:
Originally Posted by RANDY P
We then boarded the bus and went to a local restaurant to eat what was one of many meals of food (chinese, of course) and what was another reoccuring theme- Kung Pao Chicken. We ate that 6 days out of 11, and one day it was served 2x.
On dining in China - IMHO the food isn't nearly as good as what you can get here in the USA. I do not say that because of what they served, but the quality is a lot different that what we're used to in the USA. Beef had a gamey taste due to different processing procedures, things didn't look as good as what you would expect.
Food was served heavily sauced, salty and cooked in heavy grease and there is something to be said about the service- things were served in different orders and was rushed out to the tables - sometimes appetizers and main courses arriving backwards. They also charge you on the spot for any drinks (Pepsi, for instance) on the spot- like you're ordering at the poker table. Truth be told after a few days of local eating I actually took a break and fasted.
If you are sensitive to heavy food, be prepared to skip lots of meals.
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Randy,
This is what really struck me the first time I was in China. People in America love Chinese food and I am one of the worst, able to eat it 5-6 times a week.
You go to China and order "sweet and sour" chicken and kids, it aint gonna be what you get in America! Chop up part of a chicken, who knows nor cares which part and start cooking it, bones, skin, everything... it all goes in the pot and onto your plate.
You then pick up the chopsticks and if what you pop in your mouth is not what you wanted you spit it on the ground, or at least thats the way the locals did where we were! Its a whole different world.
Years ago my wife (now ex) went to Hong Kong for a weeks time off. She was guided by an old friend of ours who lived there for 35 years and speaks the language fluently. My wife and friend went to the "hole in the wall" restaurant there and sat down. Asked for a menu and there was none, just tell us what you would like. My wife asked what all they had and the waitress said "come with me, I can show you" and proceeded to take her in the kitchen.
Ladies and Gentlemen... my wife walked in the door to the kitchen only to find cages full of cats, dogs and monkeys along with a chicken or 30. This was pointed out to her as "pick whichever one you want, its yours after we kill and gut it"... My wife became became ill and left the place, not eating meat the rest of the trip! She would not eat Chinese for years after this!
