BajaNomad - CHINESE IN BAJA

CHINESE IN BAJA

DENNIS - 1-2-2011 at 11:59 AM

Came across this info and thought you might enjoy it as well:

http://chinese-mexico.blogspot.com/2007_02_01_archive.html

http://chinese-mexico.blogspot.com/2007/03/mexicalis-chinato...

Thanks Dennis!

Baja Bernie - 1-2-2011 at 01:08 PM

Bajahowodd - 1-2-2011 at 04:44 PM

I've encountered Chinese restaurants all over the world. Crazy as it may sound, one of the best was located in Halberstadt, Germany, a town that not only found it self on the wrong side of the wall after WWII, but also at one time had one of the highest percentages of Jewish residents. What was that thing about Jews and Chinese food? :lol:

BajaBlanca - 1-2-2011 at 04:51 PM

lots of info ... amazing history. I like the chinita linda from Vietnam LOL !!

Barry A. - 1-2-2011 at 04:52 PM

During my 13 years in El Centro (1973 to 1986) we were constantly going down to Mexicali in the evenings to enjoy the many fine Chinese Restaurants there-------some were great, and other's not so hot, but they were all fun, and very popular.

I always loved the variety and excitement of Mexicali. You can find most anything there if you ask around.

There were also some great Chinese Restaurants in the Imperial Valley, also.

Barry

Bajahowodd - 1-2-2011 at 04:58 PM

MSG????

DENNIS - 1-2-2011 at 05:00 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bajahowodd
What was that thing about Jews and Chinese food? :lol:

It used to be cheap. :lol:

I said, "Used to be."

Bajahowodd - 1-2-2011 at 05:11 PM

Actually, I thought it was more about finding an open restaurant on Christmas eve or Easter. :lol:

DENNIS - 1-2-2011 at 05:13 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bajahowodd
Actually, I thought it was more about finding an open restaurant on Christmas eve or Easter. :lol:

What??? Jews didn't have restaurants? :?:

JESSE - 1-3-2011 at 03:00 AM

Theres a great Chinese restaurant in Mulege.

durrelllrobert - 1-3-2011 at 10:43 AM

during one of my business trips to South Korea my hosts took me to an "authentic" chinese restaurant because I was getting tired of korean food. the first course served was raw jelly fish. anyone had that in Baja?

DENNIS - 1-3-2011 at 10:48 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by durrelllrobert
during one of my business trips to South Korea my hosts took me to an "authentic" chinese restaurant because I was getting tired of korean food. the first course served was raw jelly fish. anyone had that in Baja?

Are you kidding? I won't even eat Sushi...or whatever the correct word is. It should be on fish hooks.

I've heard more than once that China has the worst Chinese food in the world.
It's hard to beat California for avant garde foods and methods.

sanquintinsince73 - 1-3-2011 at 10:51 AM

Usually the only "ornamental" food I like is Japanese but the Chinese food in Mexicali is killer.

Loretana - 1-3-2011 at 11:05 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by JESSE
Theres a great Chinese restaurant in Mulege.

Jesse,

We're thinking in terms of a day trip from Loreto.

Location, please??

Mexitron - 1-3-2011 at 11:07 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by DENNIS

Quote:

I can't wait to go to Chinatown in SF, best Chinese food I've ever had...Chinese fare in Fort Worth sucks (although Vietnamese is excellent)

I didn't realize "chino" had such a negative connotation.

DENNIS - 1-3-2011 at 11:14 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Mexitron
I didn't realize "chino" had such a negative connotation.

I didn't either. Who said that?
Weren't those the pants the Cholos used to wear?

mcfez - 1-3-2011 at 11:49 AM

Great link Dennis, txs.
Good history to read is about China Camp, in the bay area.

......"By 1875 there were 30 shrimping villages around the Bay Area. The catch was exported to Chinese communities worldwide. But by 1885, thought to be the peak production year, the Chinese were finding it increasingly difficult to catch shrimp, as they were first stripped of some of their rights.

This place is an hours drive from us. Really cool.

http://www.sfgate.com/getoutside/1997/may/cc_history.html

Chinese restaurants in Mexicali...any recommendations with a secured parking lot? We have too much stuff of value ever going into Baja, to leave the truck on the street parking.

BajaGringo - 1-3-2011 at 11:55 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by DENNIS
I've heard more than once that China has the worst Chinese food in the world.

When I worked in the orient most folks there told me the best Chinese food in the region was in Singapore. I agree and would later discover that Singapore also has some very good Indian as well as Indian/Middle Eastern food as well...

Barry A. - 1-3-2011 at 12:09 PM

I spent 4 weeks traveling all over China----------the "Chinese" food there was mediocre to poor, without exception, IMO.

Much better in Mexicali.

Barry

BajaGringo - 1-3-2011 at 12:13 PM

I can see the billboards now...

Come to Mexicali for the WORLD'S BEST CHINESE FOOD!!!

:lol:

vandenberg - 1-3-2011 at 12:30 PM

Loreto sure good use a decent chinese restaurant.
The few that tried didn't succeed, mainly do to cold or lukewarm food and bad service.

durrelllrobert - 1-3-2011 at 12:33 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by mcfez
Great link Dennis, txs.
Good history to read is about China Camp, in the bay area.

http://www.sfgate.com/getoutside/1997/may/cc_history.html

another interesting piece of history is that the Navy's largest
facility, China Lake in the Mojave desert, got
it's name from the Chinese coolies[sp?] that had their camp on the lakeshore while building a railroad to transport silver ore from Cero Gordo in the White mountains, above Owens lake, to the port of Los Angeles. Of course, both China lake and Owens lake have been dry since LA Municipal Water District diverted the Owens river in 1913 and that railroad is long gone.

DENNIS - 1-3-2011 at 12:33 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by vandenberg
mainly due to cold or lukewarm food and bad service.

Oh...is that all? :lol:

You Loretoeños must not have a sense of humor. :lol:

DENNIS - 1-3-2011 at 12:51 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by durrelllrobert
China Lake in the Mojave desert, got
it's name from the Chinese coolies

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

lizard lips - 1-3-2011 at 01:00 PM

I've heard more than once that China has the worst Chinese food in the world.

Been to China many times and the best food I ever had was room service at the Intercontinental in Hong Kong. Other than that all the restaurants seem to make soups... Fish soup, Chicken soup, Beef soup with or without noodles and a lot of stuff I saw on display behind the counter that the flies seemed to enjoy.

As much traveling as I do I always stick to two thing-If I can't see the chef making it, I won't eat it, and you don't order shellfish or any kind of seafood if you are not in a restaurant VERY close to the ocean.

With that said, I have never been sick-YET

Barry A. - 1-3-2011 at 01:24 PM

Hong Kong is different (than mainland China)--------we have had excellent food in Hong Kong, but then I am prejudiced as I think Hong Kong is the most beautiful city I have EVER been to and I am in la la land when there. :lol:

Barry

lizard lips - 1-3-2011 at 01:31 PM

Hong Kong is great Barry. There is nothing like walking the streets at 3am and checking the people out and browsing the small stores and street vendors.

I have been there many times as well the mainland and the mainland is so much different as is the food.

Oso - 1-3-2011 at 01:59 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by DENNIS

Quote:

Dennis,
You are thinking of sashimi, thinly sliced raw fish, usually tuna, most often served with wasabi. Sushi can be a wide variety of "center" ingredients, not necessarily fish and not necessarily raw. A thin line of ingredients are laid on a bed of sticky rice which is then rolled into a cylinder, with or without a seaweed wrapper. The cylinder (think of it as a "rice burrito") is then sliced crosswise into bite-sized pieces. Proper technique is to put the entire piece in your mouth. Never cut it or bite off part of it.

DENNIS - 1-3-2011 at 04:00 PM

:lol:

Barry and Barry are getting action on the same thread. Haven't seen this much interaction for quite some time. :lol:

Yeah...I knew "Sushi" was a misnomer, but it's a common one. Gimme a Machaca Burrito any day. Sushi/Sashimi was designed by little people who just had their electrical infrastructure fried by Jimmy Doolittle.

Gawwwdammmm, folks....cook your food. Please. :lol:

Oso - 1-3-2011 at 04:48 PM

You don't eat oysters on the half shell?

Barry A. - 1-3-2011 at 04:59 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Oso
You don't eat oysters on the half shell?

NO!!!! Never felt I needed them. :lol:

(and yes, I realize that question was NOT for me) :spingrin:

Barry

DENNIS - 1-3-2011 at 05:05 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Barry A.

Quote:

Originally posted by Oso
You don't eat oysters on the half shell?

NO!!!! Never felt I needed them. :lol:

(and yes, I realize that question was NOT for me) :spingrin:

Barry

Oh...that's OK, Barry. It's my answer as well....NO. None of those snotty, rubbery uncooked molusks for me.
I like fried Oysters however.

Oso - 1-3-2011 at 05:08 PM

My favorite mental image of sushi comes from "Rising Sun" with Sean Connery, when Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa as "Eddie Nakamura" ate sushi off the body of a naked redhead,

DENNIS - 1-3-2011 at 05:10 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Oso
My favorite mental image of sushi comes from "Rising Sun" with Sean Connery, when Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa as "Eddie Nakamura" ate sushi off the body of a naked redhead,

That's not the same thing. Nope. Not at all.

Bajahowodd - 1-3-2011 at 09:11 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by DENNIS

Quote:

Originally posted by Barry A.

Quote:

Originally posted by Oso
You don't eat oysters on the half shell?

NO!!!! Never felt I needed them. :lol:

(and yes, I realize that question was NOT for me) :spingrin:

Barry

Oh...that's OK, Barry. It's my answer as well....NO. None of those snotty, rubbery uncooked molusks for me.
I like fried Oysters however.

And Oysters Rockefeller!

Skipjack Joe - 1-3-2011 at 09:17 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Oso
My favorite mental image of sushi comes from "Rising Sun" with Sean Connery, when Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa as "Eddie Nakamura" ate sushi off the body of a naked redhead,

I can see why that would be your favorite.

Marc - 1-6-2011 at 07:07 PM

China has the worst Chinese food in the world. My Chinese wife agrees. The upside to this is there's usually a McDonalds somewhere nearby.

bajajazz - 1-7-2011 at 08:11 AM

Best Chinese restaurant I've ever haunted is called Hunan Homes, on Jackson near Kearney (just off Grant Avenue) in San Franisco. In the old days (the 'fifties) it was called Sun Tai Sam Yuen and we'd eat there after hours as it was a short walk up Jackson from the most famous of the Hungry i's incarnations.

Also surprisingly good is a restaurant opened by a delightful young Chinese couple in Payson, Arizona, in Payson's one and only shopping center, not the joint on the Bumble Bee highway as you come into town from Phoenix.

In La Paz . . . oh god, why spoil a nice day.

I've noticed two new Chinese restaurants on Forjadores Blvd. recently. Has anyone had nerve enough to try them?

CortezBlue - 1-7-2011 at 08:13 AM

This kind of reminds me of the fact that for many years Americans called Asians Orientals almost exclusively for many years?

Maybe it is the same thing, Chino is all inclusive?

toneart - 1-7-2011 at 11:36 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by bajajazz
Best Chinese restaurant I've ever haunted is called Hunan Homes, on Jackson near Kearney (just off Grant Avenue) in San Franisco. In the old days (the 'fifties) it was called Sun Tai Sam Yuen and we'd eat there after hours as it was a short walk up Jackson from the most famous of the Hungry i's incarnations.

Oh Yeah! The Hunan was a regular haunt for me, and also any Sezchuan restaurant. Their food is spicier and more flavorful than Cantonese food, for my tastes. I do like Cantonese too, though.

Jesse,
You mentioned the Chinese restaurant in Mulege. They only serve it on Sunday nights. The food is very good and many gringos make that their Sunday night ritual. However, you need to block the whole evening and have mucho patience.

If you are hungry, it really tests your patience. It helps to pound cervezas, but you have to go to the service bar and interrupt someone and bring it back to your table yourself. If you order it through the waiter, you will sit there, unfulfilled (and unfilled). It just doesn't happen.

The service is probably the worst I have ever experienced anywhere...not only slooooooooooooooooooow, but almost every order arrives at your table, maybe, but with many errors. This is not just a rare off night. You can count on it, modus operandi. You have to be in the mood and prepared to shrug your shoulders and laugh a lot!

They say Mexico that "Mexico teaches you patience", but this place is patience boot camp. :saint:

BajaBlanca - 1-7-2011 at 11:54 AM

you know Toners, I never heard the expression that Mexico teaches you patience but IT DOES. It most certainly does.

BTW some friends of yours from Mulege were here the other day: Benjamin and Lynette. They are so nice ! They brought some really neat friends from Australia with them .... unfortunately, I was sick most of the time and the days went by in a daze, but they were great about taking care of themselves !! They had dinner with Joaquin .... but we had bad luck with a fishing captain who simply did not show up at the beach. Good guy but we will NEVER use his services again, that's for sure !!

toneart - 1-7-2011 at 12:08 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by BajaBlanca
you know Toners, I never heard the expression that Mexico teaches you patience but IT DOES. It most certainly does.

BTW some friends of yours from Mulege were here the other day: Benjamin and Lynette. They are so nice ! They brought some really neat friends from Australia with them .... unfortunately, I was sick most of the time and the days went by in a daze, but they were great about taking care of themselves !! They had dinner with Joaquin .... but we had bad luck with a fishing captain who simply did not show up at the beach. Good guy but we will NEVER use his services again, that's for sure !!

Blanca,
Ben and Lynette rented the casita across from me a couple of years ago. Great people! He is a good fisherman too. Too bad the captain didn't show up. Are they headed for Mulege?

I hope you are feeling better now.

Marc - 1-7-2011 at 10:00 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by CortezBlue
This kind of reminds me of the fact that for many years Americans called Asians Orientals almost exclusively for many years?

Maybe it is the same thing, Chino is all inclusive?

Years past in China and most of Asia all Europeans were called "Englishmen"

Packoderm - 1-8-2011 at 12:23 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by DENNIS

Quote:

I've been to China, and the food is different than the Western interpretation of Chinese food. One of the hardest things to get used to is that they serve the same things in the morning as they do for lunch and/or dinner. Also, they cut the chicken bones diagonally which changes the whole dish. They serve stuff that seemed weird to me such as frog soup. We have an ethnic Chinese neighborhood here in Sacramento, and their food is similar to what they serve in China. Again, it's different than our interpretation of Chines food. There is only Chinese writing and only Chinese people eating there. I try to go there as often as I can.