In search of a decent chinese - but not at Le Dragon

[Roger O]

So, I think the Chinese in the UK are probably using the same fish sauce I buy here in France.

Blackduff

For the "purist"..

Associated primarily with Vietnamese and Thai cuisine, fish sauce is also found in southern Chinese dishes.
Depending on where it was made, you'll find it sold under a number of names.
Chinese brands are often labeled "fish gravy" or "fish sauce," while it is called "nuoc mam" in Vietnam
and "nam pla" in Thailand.

What is sold in most French supermarkets (not only in Asian shops) is the Viet nuoc mam.
I have been using this since the early 80s - when Annaïck introduced me to it) in some of
my (not quite authentic but we like them like that) Indian and Chinese-Malay recipes.

I never ever saw nuoc mam (labeled as such) on the counter or on any table in a UK Chinese resto or takeaway, as far as I can remember.
The Chinese "fish sauce" doesn't have exactly the same flavour as nuoc mam, though it is somewhat similar.

[john]

I fear you are rather out of date,Rog. Most large towns in UK ,not just ones with a high immigrant community,now have at least one specialist ethnic grocers,where it is possible to buy goods from all over the Far East;not just Hong Kong. Nuoc Man is readily available,and stuff like Kaffir Lime,Lemon grass,and various spices that were not seen relatively recently,are now commonplace.

[JollyBolly]

A fascinating discussion.

Just out of curiosity, have any of the contributors to this thread travelled in the PRC and sampled any of the myriad local variations en place?

John Bolitho

[Roger O]

I fear you are rather out of date,Rog. Most large towns in UK ,not just ones with a high immigrant community,now have at least one specialist ethnic grocers,where it is possible to buy goods from all over the Far East;not just Hong Kong. Nuoc Man is readily available,and stuff like Kaffir Lime,Lemon grass,and various spices that were not seen relatively recently,are now commonplace.

John I never said one can't buy nuoc mam in the UK - I said I never saw it on the counter or a table in a Chinese takeaway or resto - I.e. they wouldn't be selling it there, would they - it'd be for use by the clients like ketchup in McDo or vinegar and oil in a French resto.

Having said that, I agree that since I was there last, Chinese takeaway and restos may nowadays offer to spray your food with nuoc mam like salt and vinegar in a fish and chip shop (if they still do that?).

[Santiago]

I've never been to China but I think the best and most authentic Chinese food I have eaten was in New York. It's also the hottest food I have ever tried to eat. All those hard people who like a Faal should go to Dynasty in NYC and try some of the Szechuan dishes. The restaurant has a rule that you can't order a 2 chili dish until you've previously had a 1 chili dish and survived!

[john]

Been to China a couple of times...more if you count Hong Kong,and certainly Bolly is right;there's some weird and wonderful stuff on the menus there. But I'd say that to a western palate,much of the "authentic " stuff wasn't greatly to my liking. Much nicer in Hong Kong.

Also Santiago is right about New York. Some of the places nr Canal St in Chinatown were excellent,esp the seafood places. The only thing was that ,as in all America,the portions are FAR too large,and this means that it is a lot more difficult for a couple to sample lots of small dishes,as one would do in UK or Hong Kong.

Another excellent place to sample superb chinese fare is Malaysia/Singapore.

[Roger O]

Another excellent place to sample superb chinese fare is Malaysia/Singapore.

MMMMMMM... those Chinese "street kitchens" (they wok while you wait) in KL - John, did you have to remind me?
Course, steamboat is pretty good too - though in some places the ingredients are such that you close your eyes and trust your tastebuds!!!!

[jethro]

Is a huge barn of a place with a buffet-style choice of varied Asian dishes. It is bafflingly cheap, and the young and enthusiastic staff insist on having you sample many dishes, all free. It's full of voracious Asian diners and an old Chinese client I got chatting to said he goes there because he doesn't like the greasy food of the usual "Chinese" restaurants in the area. I have never eaten so much for so little. The quality varied from dish to dish, but at these prices you can afford to taste and discard. Not a place for fine dining, but a good value canteen.

[polremy]

sounds good.
recently had the first chinese meal i actually enjoyed.
this was in Godmanchester just outside Huntingdon.
chinese takeaways to me are usually only worth eating when you are very, very drunk but we weren't (until later) and it was really tasty with none of that horrid glue-like sauce.
i am really tempted to go to the mas guerido place now.
thanks

[PJ Maybe]

I fear you are rather out of date,Rog. Most large towns in UK ,not just ones with a high immigrant community,now have at least one specialist ethnic grocers,where it is possible to buy goods from all over the Far East;not just Hong Kong. Nuoc Man is readily available,and stuff like Kaffir Lime,Lemon grass,and various spices that were not seen relatively recently,are now commonplace.

John I never said one can't buy nuoc mam in the UK - I said I never saw it on the counter or a table in a Chinese takeaway or resto - I.e. they wouldn't be selling it there, would they - it'd be for use by the clients like ketchup in McDo or vinegar and oil in a French resto.

Having said that, I agree that since I was there last, Chinese takeaway and restos may nowadays offer to spray your food with nuoc mam like salt and vinegar in a fish and chip shop (if they still do that?).

Fish Sauce or Nuoc Nam is best used in the cooking phase, More flavor is released into the meal. Every region in Asia has their own variant of it and all claim to be the first to have made it.

There is a nice Chinese Wholesalers in Toulouse called King Fats off the Motorway direction Albi. Spend a few hundred euros there and you can make all the Asian food you can think of. All the Nems, Won tuns come premade from the Far East, You can even buy Chinese Roasted ducks, All the nicer Veggies and Salad bits as well.

[PJ Maybe]

sounds good.
recently had the first chinese meal i actually enjoyed.
this was in Godmanchester just outside Huntingdon.
chinese takeaways to me are usually only worth eating when you are very, very drunk but we weren't (until later) and it was really tasty with none of that horrid glue-like sauce.
i am really tempted to go to the mas guerido place now.
thanks

There is a really nice chinese at Caxton Gibbet, How I miss the shredded pork and deep fried mussels.

[polremy]

sounds good.
recently had the first chinese meal i actually enjoyed.
this was in Godmanchester just outside Huntingdon.
chinese takeaways to me are usually only worth eating when you are very, very drunk but we weren't (until later) and it was really tasty with none of that horrid glue-like sauce.
i am really tempted to go to the mas guerido place now.
thanks

There is a really nice chinese at Caxton Gibbet, How I miss the shredded pork and deep fried mussels.

just googled it as we will be in that area again in around a month.
unfortunately the restaurant is closed until april 2010.
it might be consoling to know that no-one is eating their shredded pork and deep fried mussels at the moment.

[PJ Maybe]

sounds good.
recently had the first chinese meal i actually enjoyed.
this was in Godmanchester just outside Huntingdon.
chinese takeaways to me are usually only worth eating when you are very, very drunk but we weren't (until later) and it was really tasty with none of that horrid glue-like sauce.
i am really tempted to go to the mas guerido place now.
thanks

There is a really nice chinese at Caxton Gibbet, How I miss the shredded pork and deep fried mussels.

just googled it as we will be in that area again in around a month.
unfortunately the restaurant is closed until april 2010.
it might be consoling to know that no-one is eating their shredded pork and deep fried mussels at the moment.

Well there is always Charlie Chan`s on the high street in Cambridge, Although should you ever find yourself in Tunbridge Wells try the Honeymoon.

[polremy]

hey, that sounds doable.
which high street are you talking about?
didn't realise cambridge had one.
there is mill road - excellent and quirky.
then there is lion yard - all new since our time .
somewhere around there?