What's the best dish to get at my local Chinese takeaway?

Question

Here's a random menu for your reference:

http://www.justoffbase.com/dragonhouse/new_p3.htm

Answer 1

It reminded me of menus that we had many years ago in the rural areas of California, USA.  Chop Suey, etc. might still be on their menus but I haven't returned to the valley since our family moved away.  Prices on your menu seem very reasonable.  But with US dollars, it wouldn't be that cheap.

I didn't see my favorite, Tomato Beef Chow Mein (specify with pan fried noodles) but I always order that to check out any Chinese restaurant when I travel.  Off the menu I would order prawns & Broccoli or try the Cashew Chicken to eat with steamed rice..

Answer 2

How many people?

Here's what I'll go for (Enough to feed 5)

Chicken with Green Peppers and Black Bean Sauce

Char Shui (Chinese Roast Pork) Chow Mein

Stir Fried Spareribs with Salt and Pepper (Hot and Spicy)

Plain Mixed Vegetables

For something totally different, I would add

Crispy Duck Cantonese (with special Soya Sauce)

Answer 3

Chicken w/ cashews is pretty yummy =]

Answer 4

Yat Gaw Mien soup with roast pork is my favorite, but I don't see it on your menu.  I'd say roast duck with mushrooms.

Answer 5

I always love ONLY Chinese fried rice and chilly chicken .

Answer 6

sweet n sour chicken balls wid egg fried rice -x

Answer 7

Beef in Blackbean sauce is really nice and its not sweet although it can be quite hot (as in spicy).  Id recommend it to you.

Answer 8

kitty curry

Answer 9

Singapore Noodles is one of my all-time favorite (more authentic) Chinese dishes that is actually derived from Chinese-Singaporean-style of fried rice noodles.  I don't know how spicy they make their version, but I like mine very spicy.  That would be my first recommendation.  Here are other ones that SOUND more authentic to me:

----Chinese Roast Duck & Roast Pork With (steamed) Rice

----Crispy Duck Cantonese style

Ask them if this is similar to the Chinese Roast Duck first.

----Squid with Green Peppers in Black Bean Sauce

But this one is salty, so you might want to ask for extra extra steam rice to go with it.

----Crispy Duck with Pancakes

Ask them if this is just a different name for the renowned Peking Duck.  I'm willing to bet it is.  If done right, the best part of Peking Duck in the crispy skin.  

----Chicken or Beef in Satay Sauce.

Ask them what they use for their Satay Sauce (what brand?  Lee Kum Kee?  Or their own recipe?).  Satay is always interesting to me, not just because it's spicy, but also because every brand, every recipe of Satay is a little different in terms of texture and spices.  

----Roast Spareribs Chinese Style

See what kind of sauce they use.

That's about it.  SKIP ALL those Roast Duck/Roast Pork/Roast-anything combined with Black Bean Sauce or Beansprouts, Pineapple, Mushrooms, Bamboo Shoots, and Water Chestnuts-----because Roast Duck & Pork (燒鴨 or 燒肉) already have a distinct flavor and should be eaten alone with rice.  Anything sauce-y or vegetables with natural moisture (especially when the moisture comes out during cooking or stir-frying) would make the crispy skin soggy, as well as the re-cooking the ducks or pork (since it is already roasted first) in the wok would make the meat hard and chewy....not to mention the "extra" tastes would "distract" the roasted taste.  That's why when you go to other authentic Chinese restaurants that serves Roast Duck & Roast Pork would never have it in combination with other vegetables or stir-fry sauces.

Lastly, if you really want to test the chef's skills (what I do when there's a new Chinese restaurant just opened):

1.  Order 1 soup (Hot & Sour Soup if it's an American-style restaurant & Shark's Fin Soup if it's an authentic Chinese restaurant) with 1 bowl of steamed (white) rice.  That's because rice is the most basic (in terms of texture and cooking procedure) and Shark's Fin is the most complex.  If they can cook the most basic rice, that shows their head chef & sous chefs pay attention (=care about) to their recipes.  And Shark's Fin is just a test of the chef's skill in being able to make the most complex combo to come out with the right texture.  Hot & Sour Soup....it takes a little more work than Egg Drop Soup, as the portions of soysauce & vinegar must be right to come out right.

2.  If it's a Cantonese restaurant, order the Beef Chow Fun (the dry stir-fry = 干炒牛河)----especially if it's something that's NOT on the menu.  That will really test the chef's skill in being to toss the wok to make the soysauce distribute evenly to EVERY piece of wide rice noodle.  It takes years of experience to be able to toss that wok evenly.

3.  Order something that is NOT on the menu and see if they have heard of it and if they are skilled enough to make it.  This will show them you know your Chinese food, styles and tastes.  If their chef is passionate about cooking, he/she will feel sooo HONORED to have you as a customer who can appreciate their art.  

Based on this restaurant's menu, it seems like the owner and chef are (sometimes same person) Cantonese.  Ask them if they would be willing to cook you something off the menu, such as the Beef Chow Fun (specify "dry chow" style); the Salty Fish Diced Chicken Fried Rice (鹹魚雞粒炒飯); Sweet & Sour Fish (糖醋魚); Clam With Black Bean Sauce (豉椒炒蜆)....That also depends on what materials (ingredients) they have on-hand to make, too, of course.  But the list is a few of the renowned Cantonese dishes.  Also pay attention (or ask directly) what food they fix for themselves to eat for lunch and dinner.  You might be surprised to see a few wide-eyed, surprised, raised-eyebrows from them.  Don't worry, they will only think it's an "honor" to find someone who truly cares to ask.

Answer 10

Sweet and Sour Chicken, Love it!!

Answer 11

I love singapore noodles with char sui pork, and vegetable dumplings, although i get them in pork too, but try the dumplings, they are amazing, and for dessert, as always, fried pineapple fritters! =]

Answer 12

Ask them if they have 'Shanghai Noodles', thick spicy noodles, or ask for eggplant in black bean sauce. Both dishes should be spicy. Have you ever tried, hot and sour soup? Its pretty tasty if done well.

Answer 13

I would try their seseme prawn toasts as starter, then order No. 19. Stir Fried Spareribs with salt and pepper (hot and spicy), this is a typical Hong Kong dish with steamed rice and stir fried mixed vegetables (no. 78).  

Bon appetite!

p.s.  I do not like to try saucy dishes when I'm not in China unless I know the restaurants well and they employ Chinese chefs.

Answer 14

Crab Foo Young sounds the best to me.  If you don't like it sweet avoid the ones with sauces.  Chinese sauces  tend to have a lot of apricot juice