Teochew Chinese Food

Re:Teochew Chinese Food (plb)

Mon, 04 May 2009 11:56:19 GMT

Born in OKC

plb -

Your note about "authentic" and "westernized" reminds of a situation that existed in Atlanta a few years back. One place had separate menus and the one they tried to give people who apparently lacked an appreciation of real Chinese cooking was called the "Tourist" menu.

You had to ask for the more interesting menu.

When we lived in Walnut Creek, CA there were at least three places like that. The first had three menus, one with pictures that was sort of fusion food, a regular Chinese restaurant menu, and the authentic one you had to ask for. The second place had a regular menu and a second that was just a 9.5X11" white paper with about 12 special dishes that was in Chinese on one side and English on the other. The third place had a secret second menu in Chinese only that, even if you were Chinese, you had to demand. Because the more authentic food is made by the higher paid chefs, and because it usually contains less readily available ingredients, it is less profitable.

Re:Teochew Chinese Food (plb)

Mon, 04 May 2009 11:39:15 GMT

smokestack lightning

plb

They are marketed in English as simply Cantonese or Hong Kong restaurants. For example, Fook Yuen in Millbrae, CA (by the airport), or Restaurant Peony in Oakland. They are both excellent. I thought they were Cantonese, but my wife (Chinese and a foodie) tells me different.

Thats fascinating. Does your wife or you have any oter Chines recommendations for any style in the Bay area?

In SF Chinatown:
R&G Lounge (discussed here on Roadfood many times)
Great Eastern (or something like that) Looks life a typical Chinatown place but has great, and expensive, seafood. Try the ugly fish, supposedly the uglier the fish the tastier it is.

Shanghai 1930 downtown has both some of the most authentic, and least authentic, food around.

In San Mateo, Little Sichuan (?), on the South end of downtown.

The one we miss the most is a Muslim Chinese restaurant (the only one I know of in the US). I can not recall its name. It’s on the North end of an Asian shopping center just West of 880 in Fremont or Union City.

We've lived in SF, South of SF, North of SF, and East of SF. If you have a specific area in mind let me know.

Re:Teochew Chinese Food (smokestack lightning)

Mon, 04 May 2009 03:12:15 GMT

plb

They are marketed in English as simply Cantonese or Hong Kong restaurants. For example, Fook Yuen in Millbrae, CA (by the airport), or Restaurant Peony in Oakland. They are both excellent. I thought they were Cantonese, but my wife (Chinese and a foodie) tells me different.

Thats fascinating. Does your wife or you have any oter Chines recommendations for any style in the Bay area?

Re:Teochew Chinese Food (Born in OKC)

Mon, 04 May 2009 01:00:19 GMT

plb -

Thanks to both of you for the list of current favorites.

Your note about "authentic" and "westernized" reminds of a situation that existed in Atlanta a few years back. One place had separate menus and the one they tried to give people who apparently lacked an appreciation of real Chinese cooking was called the "Tourist" menu.

You had to ask for the more interesting menu.

Twinwillow -

Thanks for the comment about 369 BBQ.

Re:Teochew Chinese Food (Twinwillow)

Sun, 03 May 2009 17:13:32 GMT

I've been to 369 BBQ. It's very good.

Re:Teochew Chinese Food (plb)

Sun, 03 May 2009 17:06:07 GMT

Born in OKC

plb -

Thank you and your wife for the information. Coming a lot closer to your present residence, what places north of Dallas, in Dallas, even in Fort Worth do you and your wife consider to be good Chinese restaurants (any style)?

Here are our current favorites. All of them serve both authentic Chinese dishes as well as more Westernized variations. So if you do not read Chinese you have to discuss with the server your desire for authentic food, or just look at what Chinese customers are ordering and order the same. Most of the bigger Chinese restaurants have more that one cook and the top one does the authentic dishes and the assistant one (sometimes Mexican) does the Westernized ones.

When Yao Fuzi Cuisine (listed below) first opened they got a very favorable review in the Dallas Morning News. The review said that their food was very authentic but you had to specifically ask for it. When we went there most of the groups eating there had copies of the newspaper review with them lying on their tables. But most were still eating every day stuff like crab and cheese puffs and Sesame Chicken.

Cantonese (with a mixture of other regions), along the same line as “First Chinese BBQ" in Richardson (and in Plano) are:
369 BBQ (Plano, Legacy at Coit)
Plano Chinese BBQ (Alma at Parker)
Joy Luck BBQ (Plano, Coit at Park)
J.C. Chang (Plano, one on Legacy at 75, and one on Legacy and Coit) – Both have Dim Sum

For Sichuan “Sichuanese Cuisine” (Plano, Coit at Park) – big portions and reasonable prices

Shanghai:
“Shanghai Restaurant” (Dallas on Preston just South of LBJ)
Yao Fuzi Cuisine (Plano between Ohio & Park) Higher end than the others

Taiwanese:
A Wok (Plano at Independence and Park) – Very good, new management
Ymeko Sushi and Grill (Plano, Legacy at 75) – Has Sushi and a Japanese name but the food is mostly Chinese and Taiwanese

There are also a number in Richardson at the older Asian strip shopping center, but I always get them confused.

Re:Teochew Chinese Food (Born in OKC)

Sun, 03 May 2009 14:57:03 GMT

GeoNit-

Thanks for the tip and the links to Teochew style food in Toronto. It is going to take me a while to read the comments, but those I've looked at are very interesting. Looks like Toronto is a good place for Chinese foodies.

Re:Teochew Chinese Food (Twinwillow)

Sat, 02 May 2009 17:32:42 GMT

Born in OKC

Twinwillow-

Thanks for the tip. If I go up North Central is there a Polk Street exit or where should I get off? If coming from DFW is there a better road to take than the LBJ?

doggydaddy-

I am in full agreement with your comment about food that is not available on our side of the Mississsippi and I tend to eat BBQ and Tex Mex when in Texas. I like all kinds of food. However, oriental food of almost any ethnicity and especially Chinese is my preferred default nourishment and there are times when nothing else will do.

But I am glad you weighed in. Austin is a place I'd really like to visit again. Maybe this year I'll be able to get to somewhere in Texas for more than one football game. I'd be glad to learn of your recommendations whatever they might be.

From DFW. Take LBJ east to 75 Central North. As you enter 75, stay in right lane and get off at Main Street exit. On the service road, watch for the Mazda store on the right. Polk Street is one block BEFORE Main Street a few blocks past the Mazda store.
Turn right on Polk Street and go about 4-5 blocks. Look for the little L shaped shopping center on the left as you cross the light at Greenville Ave. Turn left into the little shopping center. First Chinese is in the corner.

Re:Teochew Chinese Food (Twinwillow)

Sat, 02 May 2009 17:08:10 GMT

On Central, take the Main Street exit. Go East on Main Street about 3-4 blocks to the next light at Greenville Ave. Turn right on Greenville and go one block and turn left at the light. That's Polk Street. As you turn left on to Polk Street turn left again in to the little shopping center. First Chinese BBQ is in the corner of the L shaped strip.
Ellen ate there with me about a year ago and took pictures which were posted on RF. Enjoy!!!

Re:Teochew Chinese Food (Born in OKC)

Sat, 02 May 2009 17:00:12 GMT

Twinwillow-

Thanks for the tip. If I go up North Central is there a Polk Street exit or where should I get off? If coming from DFW is there a better road to take than the LBJ?

doggydaddy-

I am in full agreement with your comment about food that is not available on our side of the Mississsippi and I tend to eat BBQ and Tex Mex when in Texas. I like all kinds of food. However, oriental food of almost any ethnicity and especially Chinese is my preferred default nourishment and there are times when nothing else will do.

But I am glad you weighed in. Austin is a place I'd really like to visit again. Maybe this year I'll be able to get to somewhere in Texas for more than one football game. I'd be glad to learn of your recommendations whatever they might be.

Re:Teochew Chinese Food (Twinwillow)

Sat, 02 May 2009 10:45:33 GMT

Born in OKC

plb -

Thank you and your wife for the information. Coming a lot closer to your present residence, what places north of Dallas, in Dallas, even in Fort Worth do you and your wife consider to be good Chinese restaurants (any style)?

I'll answer that. "First Chinese BBQ" in Richardson, Texas. NE corner of Polk St. and Greenville Ave. Real ethnic Chinese with roast ducks hanging in the window and at least 90% Chinese customers dining at any time. Bring cash. No credit cards!

Re:Teochew Chinese Food (GeoNit)

Sat, 02 May 2009 10:32:14 GMT

You might want to try going over to Chowhound and do a search for "Chiu Chow" -- here's the result of my search on its Ontario/Toronto board:

http://search.chow.com/search?query=%22chiu+chow%22+&search_board_id=23&search_boardgroup_id=13&sort_mode=newest&type=Topic&from_date=1+year+ago

Here's the result of a Chowhound search for "Teochew" --

http://search.chow.com/search?query=Teochew&type=Topic&from_date=1+year+ago&sort_mode=newest

Re:Teochew Chinese Food (doggydaddy)

Sat, 02 May 2009 08:40:47 GMT

Born in OKC

plb -
... Coming a lot closer to your present residence, what places north of Dallas, in Dallas, even in Fort Worth do you and your wife consider to be good Chinese restaurants (any style)?

There is something that just sounds plain wrong with that idea. I was in Austin all last week among all this great food that cannot be found east of the Mississippi. The last thing on Earth I wanted to do was to go and eat at a Chinese style restaurant. That would have been nuts.
....So I had some Thai noodles on my last night....

mark

Re:Teochew Chinese Food (Born in OKC)

Sat, 02 May 2009 00:54:07 GMT

plb -

Thank you and your wife for the information. Coming a lot closer to your present residence, what places north of Dallas, in Dallas, even in Fort Worth do you and your wife consider to be good Chinese restaurants (any style)?

Re:Teochew Chinese Food (plb)

Fri, 01 May 2009 22:48:43 GMT

They are marketed in English as simply Cantonese or Hong Kong restaurants. For example, Fook Yuen in Millbrae, CA (by the airport), or Restaurant Peony in Oakland. They are both excellent. I thought they were Cantonese, but my wife (Chinese and a foodie) tells me different.

Teochew Chinese Food (Born in OKC)

Fri, 01 May 2009 10:39:25 GMT

The GOOGLE response includwes an article from the WIKI on Teochew food redirected from Chiuchow cuisine, Teochew cuisine or Chaozhou cuisine or Chaoshan cuisine. The internet includes articles about Teochew restaurants in China, Thailand, etc.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiuchow_cuisine

Does anyone know of a restaurant in North America - that serves Teochew style food under that name or one of the others given above?

If you have eaten in such a restaurant in the USA or Canada, please comment on the experience.