Disappointing Dishes

[joshuatree]

Re: Disappointing Dishes

I go to the Campbell and Milpitas L&Ls & stick to lau lau almost exclusively because it's fatty, moist and they tell me they're flown in from Hawaii. $5.95 for a mini isn't outrageous; was $4.95 when L&Ls first opened.

Is it just me or do all the L&Ls in Cali not serve lemon chicken? What's up with that?

The same goes for Chinese food here in LA, 90% of the time...big time disappointment.

That's cuz you need to go to the ones with a grade of "C" or worse for authenticity. JK.

But seriously, which part of LA do you hit up for Chinese food? And what do you consider good Chinese food? Hawaiian local style? Cuz then yeah, I can see the disappointment.

[tikiyaki]

Re: Disappointing Dishes

Is it just me or do all the L&Ls in Cali not serve lemon chicken? What's up with that?




That's cuz you need to go to the ones with a grade of "C" or worse for authenticity. JK.

But seriously, which part of LA do you hit up for Chinese food? And what do you consider good Chinese food? Hawaiian local style? Cuz then yeah, I can see the disappointment.

Well, I was born and raised in NY, and the Chinese food I grew up with there is what i'm used to. I don't know if the majority of Chinese restaurants there are Hong Kong, Canton, or some other style. All I know is, when I moved to LA and asked for Chow Mein, I got nooodles, which, as I've learned IS what Chow Mein is (mein being the Chinese word for noodle)

BUT, what I grew up eating as "Chicken Chow Mein" was a chicken, onions, celery,bean spprouts and water chestnuts in a white garlic sauce, served with White rice, and we would add crispy won ton strips over it. THAT was our Chow Mein. I've only found like 2 places here that did that, and one of them called it "NY Style Chow Mein"

Then there are the egg rolls. HERE in LA, and Hawaii too....The only egg rolls you can get are "Spring rolls"...which have a different wrapper, are very skinny and have no meat in them.

The "Egg Rolls" I had in NY were made with a Won Ton skin, much fatter, and had lots of veggies, egg, and usuallly pork all chopped up really small inside. We'd dip them in duck sauce and they were soooo good.

I met a Chinese person out here who knew how to make them, and taught me, so now me and the Wahine make them ourselves.

On top of that, most of the Chinese food here is just not nearly as good, and yea, I WONT eat inside a "C" rated restaurant.

I do go to Arcadia and San Gabriel to eat Chinese food, but the few places I've found that I like are in Burbank, one in Costa Mesa and a few others scattered about. The restaurants in Chinatown are the absolute WORST.

[Pomai]

Re: Disappointing Dishes

I met a Chinese person out here who knew how to make them, and taught me, so now me and the Wahine make them ourselves.

On top of that, most of the Chinese food here is just not nearly as good, and yea, I WONT eat inside a "C" rated restaurant.

So what's the difference between Taiwanese (Hi to KK and Ang!) and Chinese food? Seriously! I imagine not much. Then again, China is such a HUGE country, who really knows what's "authentic". I'm sure every cook has their own twist on a given dish, just like "American" barbecue, or any other cuisine for that matter.

I hosted a friend from Nebraska once who used to live here, and the first place he wanted to revisit was Patti's Chinese Kitchen in Ala Moana. Good grief.

Honestly, I'm so not into Chinese food, mostly because my parents force-fed us that at restaurants while growing up.

[joshuatree]

Re: Disappointing Dishes

I do go to Arcadia and San Gabriel to eat Chinese food, but the few places I've found that I like are in Burbank, one in Costa Mesa and a few others scattered about. The restaurants in Chinatown are the absolute WORST.

You could also give Rowland Heights, aka the third Chinatown, a try. But it sounds to me it's the slight regional differences is what you're trying to sort through.

So what's the difference between Taiwanese (Hi to KK and Ang!) and Chinese food? Seriously! I imagine not much. Then again, China is such a HUGE country, who really knows what's "authentic". I'm sure every cook has their own twist on a given dish, just like "American" barbecue, or any other cuisine for that matter.

Actually, there are subtle differences in style and method. I'm no expert but I can definitely tell. For one thing, Taiwanese keep referring to pork chop dishes as spare ribs and that always throws me off as I expect ribs and get a pork chop.

[tikiyaki]

Re: Disappointing Dishes

So what's the difference between Taiwanese (Hi to KK and Ang!) and Chinese food? Seriously! I imagine not much. Then again, China is such a HUGE country, who really knows what's "authentic". I'm sure every cook has their own twist on a given dish, just like "American" barbecue, or any other cuisine for that matter.

I hosted a friend from Nebraska once who used to live here, and the first place he wanted to revisit was Patti's Chinese Kitchen in Ala Moana. Good grief.

Honestly, I'm so not into Chinese food, mostly because my parents force-fed us that at restaurants while growing up.

Actually, there is a HUGE difference between Chinese and Taiwanese food.

Also there are many differences amongst the various Chinese foods too.

Remember is China is,what ?, like 3 times the size of the CONUS....

Many different regional styles.

Taiwan is a different country altogether, an island off the coast of China.

Taiwanese food is different for sure, tho China and Tawian DO share many dishes, obviously the style or preparation is sometimes different.

[speedtek]

Re: Disappointing Dishes: L&L "Hawaiian Barbecue"

I haven't been to the original L&L on Liliha Street in a while, but I remember that one was EXCELLENT.

The secret ingredients are all the roaches and rats you see running around at night over there are spicing up the food! ala the movie Ratatouille.

Everytime I go to Thailand and come back to Hawaii all the food here tastes junk!

[woodman]

Re: Disappointing Dishes

I just wanted to add one more thing to this list, an entire establishment that I feel has gone a long way to earn a spot in this thread:


"MAUI TACOS, Babeee!"

[pzarquon]

Re: Disappointing Dishes

My wife and I met glossyp (and, it turns out, Palma Kid, CranBeree and 1stwahine) downtown for lunch earlier this week. Afterward, we walked over to Soul de Cuba for dessert -- we'd remembered their great empanadas (filled with guava and cream cheese).

The menu advertised desserts as follows: two empanadas with plantain ice cream for $6, plantain ice cream alone for $4.

We ordered "the empanadas." Turns out we just got empanadas, sans ice cream. We were told, quite rudely, that if we wanted ice cream with our empanadas and ice cream, we needed to specify we wanted the ice cream. And despite being shorted the pricier half of the dessert dish, we were still charged $6 per plate.

The waiter was a jerk. He went to talk to a manager... but not to seek relief for a customer. Rather, to seek validation that we were screwed. News he delivered with snooty relish.

So, Soul De Cuba is off our list.

[1stwahine]

Re: Disappointing Dishes

Disappointing dish? I neba have chance to order.

"So I took a drive to Wahiawa. I am not familiar with the area. Antonio and I were hungry. I saw a sign which said "MOLLY'S SMOKEHOUSE!" Ahhhh...I remembered someone ordering food from there for Thanksgiving. I found a parking and went into the restaurant. Clean, spacious and there were several tables open. We sat on one. The waitress told me if I could move on another cause she was expecting a party of eight. I smiled and moved. No problem. Several other customers came in after us. She had already given our water and our utensils. We waited and waited and WAITED. Three soldiers came in and sat down where we did and I was told to move. She started to take the orders from the other patrons first. I gazed around the room and saw several soldiers. They reminded me of my children and what they fight for. How I miss my son. I never knew I would feel racial discrimination in this day and age. Especially, on Oahu, my island home.

As I looked at Antonio, I grabbed his little hand and stood up. We walked outta dea with our heads up." (Applause)

Auntie Lynn

[pzarquon]

Re: Disappointing Dishes

Given the dearth of southern food on Oahu, my wife and I were big fans of Molly's. We tried to get their Thanksgiving dinner, but that turned out to be quite a fiasco. And every time we return to dine, we find the menu smaller and smaller. Presumably, times have been tough given the deployments.

Racial discrimination? More than likely civillian discrimination. I imagine a uniform gets you better service in lots of places, especially Wahiawa. I was sore at Karen's Kitchen in Kakaako for a long time after they pushed us off more than once (and delayed our order to the point of us giving up and leaving) for a flock of HPD officers.

[Pomai]

Re: Disappointing Dishes

Oh man, discrimination would certainly make any dish disappointing, provided they actually even serve it!!!

A long time ago, my girlfriend and her family were on a mainland trip in I forget which state (I can't ask right now). They went to a "local" diner for breakfast, and the obviously all-white establishment wouldn't serve them. They knew why. These folks thought they were Mexican (they're Filipino, Hawaiian & Russian mix). One of the staff eventually said something to them in Espanol, to which they stood up and walked out.

[1stwahine]

Re: Disappointing Dishes

Racial discrimination? More than likely civillian discrimination. I imagine a uniform gets you better service in lots of places, especially Wahiawa.

I really felt it was "Racial!" After all, I am a Proud Military Mother!

I walk it, talk it and scrap it!heheheh

Hmmm...I should go there with my kids in uniform. Nah, not worth it. Discrimination is DISCRIMINATION!

I never did that to any of our customers. Everybody were equals. Like Ohana.

Auntie Lynn

[cynsaligia]

Re: Disappointing Dishes

All of this pop-culture fusion-cuisine nonsense is nothing more than "art-nouveau" applied to food.

I went to Sam Choy's in Kona.

We had to eat that pathetic excuse for food, then pay a ridiculous price for it. I did not leave a tip.

We have not eaten at Sam Choy's since then, and I now make it a point to avoid other "fusion" outlets like Roy's and Alan Wong.

It you're going to cook food, then just cook the darn food, but if you're trying to create art then use an easel and palette, and restrict your work to a fu*%@&# canvas!

to suffer sam choy's cooking and swear off hawaiian regional by others like alan wong and roy's is rather like suffering a poorly executed poke and then swearing off all poke, sushi and sashimi (even the heavenly blue fin tuna) tho you'd never actually tried other poke, sushi and sashimi.

those of us who are foodies appreciate when chefs elevate food to art. then again, most foodies appreciate equally home-made meals, hole-in-the-wall establishments, and multi-starred glamour restaurants...as long as the food preparation is executed well and is a good value for what it is. sam choy is nowhere near the same echelon as roy or alan.

in my opinion, the only difference between sam choy's cooking and L & L drive inn is the price. equally bad, for what they tout themselves as being.

that said, the most disappointing meal i've had recently was at the pho place (pho saigon?) by sam sung across wal mart. my favorite vietnamese food place, bac nam, was closed. i found out later it was because the mrs./cook had to fly to vietnam because her mother was very ill. the soup at saigon was nowhere near simmered as long or seasoned as well as at bac nam. i guess the visual comparison would be like if i'm used to eating a meal that is as vivid and nuanced as a painting by monet but getting a 6th generation photocopy instead. there was no earthiness in the soup; no beefy quality to it. all it had was the heat of spice. bleh.

[Beau]

Re: Disappointing Dishes

that said, the most disappointing meal i've had recently was at the pho place (pho saigon?) by sam sung across wal mart. my favorite vietnamese food place, bac nam, was closed. i found out later it was because the mrs./cook had to fly to vietnam because her mother was very ill. the soup at saigon was nowhere near simmered as long or seasoned as well as at bac nam. i guess the visual comparison would be like if i'm used to eating a meal that is as vivid and nuanced as a painting by monet but getting a 6th generation photocopy instead. there was no earthiness in the soup; no beefy quality to it. all it had was the heat of spice. bleh.

Ericncyn, I swear we must live very close to each other. I love Bac Nam too. The mrs./cook always asks me how come I come in alone to eat in her restaurant, and when am I going to bring my girlfriend in with me! LOL...

BTW, I agree 1000% with your posts about "idiotic" drivers! I see them all the time making illegal turns unto, and sudden lane changes (without using their turn signals) on Pi'ikoi.

[cynsaligia]

Re: Disappointing Dishes

Ericncyn, I swear we must live very close to each other. I love Bac Nam too. The mrs./cook always asks me how come I come in alone to eat in her restaurant, and when am I going to bring my girlfriend in with me! LOL...

BTW, I agree 1000% with your posts about "idiotic" drivers! I see them all the time making illegal turns unto, and sudden lane changes (without using their turn signals) on Pi'ikoi.

well, howdy, neighbor! i soon will be moving out of makiki. however, we'll still patronize bac nam above any other vietnamese food place. dew drop inn is also a favorite, as is taishoken and a number of korean places in the neighborhood.

which reminds me--we went to the saimin place on the corner of pensacola and king...can't remember what it was called. compared to taishoken and kyoto ramen, that place was an utter disappointment, too. *sigh*