panjianlien's Profile
Taishanese & Taiwanese in TO?
My partner (who is Taishanese) and I will be visiting Toronto at the end of this week, and are wondering whether, among the many Chinese options, Toronto has any specifically Taishanese restaurants?
We're also curious if there are any Taiwanese places that might come well-recommended... we miss Taiwanese food!
Oh, and while I'm here, if anyone has a favorite Sichuan joint that we should definitely try (dare I hope for homestyle?) let me know!
Thanks in advance for all your thoughts and insights.
P. F. Chang's China Bistro in White Marsh
Baltimore has no Chinatown any more, which is part of the problem. All the Chinese migrated out toward the 270 corridor, which is why you get so many good Chinese places in, for instance, Rockville. (Go to Joe's Noodle House, or Chopstix (horrible name but great pork and pickled cabbage) and you will see what I mean.)
D.C's Chinatown is very small and fading fast. There are still some places that are worth going to down there. Li Ho is a tiny dive that I like, but don't order from the steam table lunch specials, sit down with the menu and stick with the Cantonese.
Philadelphia Chinatown has more to explore. I have only been there a few times but found at least one decent Hong Kong-style fish place, so thought it showed promise.
P. F. Chang's China Bistro in White Marsh
There is flatly no Chinese food worth eating in Baltimore. Unless, of course, you are at my house. :)
another balt. restaurant has closed its doors
I'm not surprised. Locust Point is nowhere near ready to support a restaurant in that price range, or of that degree of culinary specialization. The lack of parking in the neighborhood sure didn't help bring people in from other areas, either.
I do think that the concept was a little indecipherable. I agree with you that the quality of their food was quite good, but some of us were still never very sure what Japanese and Spanish were doing together in a restaurant, something which I felt the limited menu never really helped to explain. I have to admit that I also hesitated for some time to go in and try it because I just couldn't figure out from the name what to expect... I can only imagine that there are other people who never made it in for the same reason.
Charlottesville: HELP!
Not remotely Italian, but very good, convenient, and cheap: Marco Luca, a Chinese noodle shop on the pedestrian mall. Owned by a lovely couple who met in a refugee camp. The space is small but bright and comfortable and the food is similar, with bright, refreshing flavors and a comfortable small range of options on any given day. There aren't many places in the US (and especially not in the south!) that make sesame noodles I think are worth eating, theirs are. Their bao (steamed buns) are also good, quite large, and the dough is not oversweet as it is some places.
