Restaurants

[Ron Mexico]

Is it this hairy crab thing?

How Shanghai hairy crabs get to your plate and ways to cook them

For the several dozen crab farmers of Yangcheng Lake in China’s Jiangsu province, it’s the excellent water quality there that makes their crustaceans the best. Boil the crabs to retains the texture and smoothness of the meat.

www.scmp.com

Yangcheng Lake crabs losing their appeal

While hairy crabs from the famous Yangcheng Lake northeast of Suzhou in Jiangsu province are still widely considered to be the best in China, some top chefs in Shanghai no longer view them as the indispensable ingredient for their autumn/winter menus.

www.chinadaily.com.cn

Yeah, those are it. I like them now, even the male ones. It just took getting a little hard to. Plus it's at a meal with all sorts of strange to me food. These crabs are usually served with a vinegar ginger sauce that is very good. I can eat just about anything though. Pig brain has become one of my favorites. There is also a couple Beijing foods that only older locals eat, other Chinese won't, that I like. Shanghai waiters and people in general have low expectations for foreigners and food though. There are very few adventurous foreigners there.

 

[Gameface]

Yeah, those are it. I like them now, even the male ones. It just took getting a little hard to. Plus it's at a meal with all sorts of strange to me food. These crabs are usually served with a vinegar ginger sauce that is very good. I can eat just about anything though. Pig brain has become one of my favorites. There is also a couple Beijing foods that only older locals eat, other Chinese won't, that I like. Shanghai waiters and people in general have low expectations for foreigners and food though. There are very few adventurous foreigners there.

They all be like "I want orange chicken and moo goo gai pan." and then complain that it tastes nothing like Panda Express.

 

[LogGrad98]

Yeah, those are it. I like them now, even the male ones. It just took getting a little hard to. Plus it's at a meal with all sorts of strange to me food. These crabs are usually served with a vinegar ginger sauce that is very good. I can eat just about anything though. Pig brain has become one of my favorites. There is also a couple Beijing foods that only older locals eat, other Chinese won't, that I like. Shanghai waiters and people in general have low expectations for foreigners and food though. There are very few adventurous foreigners there.

I'd love it. I'll try anything once. I like brains, but I'm a fan of most organ meat, even though brains and liver and kidney are all very different. Best pho I ever had was at a fusion kind of place and they served brain on the side which you dunked quick in the broth. Couldn't be in the broth it would basically melt. I've always wanted to visit China. Sounds pretty awesome.

 

[LogGrad98]

They all be like "I want orange chicken and moo goo gai pan." and then complain that it tastes nothing like Panda Express.

I had an authentic Chinese dinner in Germany. A bunch of Chinese students at the University of Vaihingen invited us for dinner and made us a bunch of traditional dishes. Definitely not orange chicken, but I loved it.

 

[Avery]

What’s the best AYCE sushi around SLC that’s under $25 a person? Had a few duds and would rather get it right next time around.

 

[LogGrad98]

What’s the best AYCE sushi around SLC that’s under $25 a person? Had a few duds and would rather get it right next time around.

We used to really like sushi ya. There are a couple of them around. The one in draper is pretty good. Last time we were in salt lake we went to a place with our kids but I can't remember the name. But it was great. If I think of it I'll post it.

 

[Avery]

We used to really like sushi ya. There are a couple of them around. The one in draper is pretty good. Last time we were in salt lake we went to a place with our kids but I can't remember the name. But it was great. If I think of it I'll post it.

I've been to Sushi Ya and it was alright - my only qualm was that the service seemed a bit slow and they were unfortunately out of salmon which limited some of the rolls I like.

 

[infection]

A few months ago I found a great new Mexican place. La Casa Del Tamal is on 56th West and 2843 S. It isn't trying to be upscale but it doesn't have a cheap divey decor, either. The prices are pretty reasonable. I don't like tamales much so can't say anything about that but their Barria is some of the best I've had in the valley. The go-to for me seems like a boring option, I get the Chicken Enchiladas with Salsa Verde. You can get red salsa or mole, but I've only had the Salsa Verde. I actually get extra Salsa Verde because it is the most amazing sauce I think I've ever eaten. It's got some spice to it, but it's not super spicy. I don't know what the recipe is but it's absolutely amazing. I've also gotten the Camarones a la Diabla a few times and it's really good and spicy compared to most places I've been, I just hate making a mess of my hands pulling off the tails.

These are all pics I took.

I’ll have to try it. The best camarones a la Diabla I ever had was this past summer in Tilamook, Oregon. I’m going to go back one day just for that. It was wild. I almost ordered another plate after I ate it.

I’d rather have the tails off but it needs to be cooked with the tail. It chaps my *** having to peel tails when it’s in pasta. What’s worse in when the whole shell is on it and have to spend way too much time peeling it.

On the flip side, shrimp shells and tails are the absolute favorite of our chickens. I’ll always put the shrimp tails in my to-go boxes because they go nuts eating them.

 

[infection]

Also re: shrimp a la diabla…

My wife and I have been eating Mi Ranchito since we were first dating and first married. My wife had worked next to the one in AF and for a long time I’d get the carne asada burrito. At some point over the years I ended up eating the shrimp flautas (so good) and didn’t get the carne asada burrito for a really long time. My problem with restaurants is that as soon as I eat something I really like, that’s what I want, and when I think about what I may want to eat (in terms of deciding a place to eat) it’s always a specific dish I’m thinking and not a “hey let’s go to this place and I’ll try something different.” I’ve got a broad palate and I’m always open to trying new things, but once I find something from a place, that’s what I want to eat. My “trying new things” is tough and often only comes when I order both what I like and an additional dish. I’ve gotten to the point where I order both the carne asada burrito and the shrimp flautas, with 8 grilled jalapeños, and eat half of each and then enjoy the rest later as left overs. Ever time I’ve gone to Mi Ranchito I think “hey, I’d like to taste their molcajete” or try various things, but so hard to pass up on my good stuff. I tried their shrimp a la diabla Friday. Still ordered the carne asada burrito and one shrimp flauta. It wasn’t bad. Not sure I’ll get it again (not an indictment) but I just finished the leftovers today. I enjoy variety more as leftovers, because my expectations are different and I can truly appreciate what I’m eating, rather than eating something that’s different from what I expect and know I like.

 

[Scat]

Went to Rancheritos last night for the first time in long time. Ordered a couple of burritos. Not paying attention to the prices on the board I about gagged when she told me it was $22. What used to be a $10-12 meal has doubled price. **** me.

 

[LogGrad98]

I don't normally eat there but we recently went to 5 guys. First i had to go to a title loan place to afford the burger. $9 for the ala cart burger. Second, they had their drink machines set to the bare minimum mix they could do and still call it a "coke". It was like drinking colored carbonated water. We asked because all of our drinks were that way and they said they have the machines set that way. Guess that saves me from drinking too much sugar. I'm sure the 0.015 cents per cup they have seriously adds to the bottom line. Burgers were what I remembered, greasy and sloppy but not bad. Fries were hot grease. I got reminded why I don't ever go there.

 

[bigb]

I don't normally eat there but we recently went to 5 guys. First i had to go to a title loan place to afford the burger. $9 for the ala cart burger. Second, they had their drink machines set to the bare minimum mix they could do and still call it a "coke". It was like drinking colored carbonated water. We asked because all of our drinks were that way and they said they have the machines set that way. Guess that saves me from drinking too much sugar. I'm sure the 0.015 cents per cup they have seriously adds to the bottom line. Burgers were what I remembered, greasy and sloppy but not bad. Fries were hot grease. I got reminded why I don't ever go there.

I’ve never been impressed with 5 Guys.


Sent from my iPhone using JazzFanz

 

[LogGrad98]

One other thing, it's time for fast food places to stop with the tip jars and ****. At the 5 guys paying with a debit card the machine came up and asked what tip I wanted to leave, STARTING at 20% with 5 options. Who leaves a 35% tip on fast food?

 

[gandalfe]

I’ve never been impressed with 5 Guys.


Sent from my iPhone using JazzFanz

At least the one here in Corvallis (literally next door to my office) has good shakes. Burgers are meh, fries are OK, but pretty basic.

 

[Ron Mexico]

I'd love it. I'll try anything once. I like brains, but I'm a fan of most organ meat, even though brains and liver and kidney are all very different. Best pho I ever had was at a fusion kind of place and they served brain on the side which you dunked quick in the broth. Couldn't be in the broth it would basically melt. I've always wanted to visit China. Sounds pretty awesome.

Food is amazing and pretty diverse in China. There is lots of organ meat, especially in the sichuan style hotpots. I really like the cow stomach lining in the spicy hotpot. Almost no food at a Chinese restaurant is normal Chinese food. It is almost always a variation of Southern China Cantonese style food. There are probably 100-150 restaurants within 500 meters of my house, and more than I could dream of eating within 3km. Its pretty nice how cheap food is and diverse here, plus it can be delivered for super cheap in 15 min. We have 5 different Chinese hotpot (almost every region has a very different hotpot style) right below us that are always great my favorite does lamp spine hotpot with really tender meat and the spinal cord is so good. There is also a couple of the pick your food that is on a skewer and through it in the pot and they count the sticks at the end, its cheap and pretty fast. Plenty of hearts, kidneys, and other random stuff. There are a bunch of Chinese BBQ places, I like one that is super spicy. Near here the stranger ones I like are the Donkey meat store, they make a really good sandwich for about 50 cents. There is a Pig intestine Beijing specialty store that is really good. Living in Beijing is nice that I can get food from everywhere in China. Not all places are like that, usually you can get the local food and sichuan food. Maybe a few others like Beijing style hotpot. Plus Beijing I can get lots of different foreign food that is pretty limited outside KFC or pizza hut places or knockoffs. The Durian pizza is very popular here, I am not a fan of that. I have been eating a lot of North Korean food lately.

 

[Ron Mexico]

I bought a bunch of Shark Fins for my in laws for the holiday. I ate some shark fin soup that was really good. I probably shouldnt buy them but when I went into a friends store on a tiny island he took me to the illegal sale room and they had so much of it. I cant put a dent in it, and it tastes good.

 

[Ron Mexico]

When I returned to the USA for a few weeks I ate Mexican food almost every other day. I realized that is what I missed the most. They have Mexican food restaurants here, some are pretty decent. But no where as close and only limited styles. There is a decent tex mex style place by my house that I like but its fairly expensive comparatively and mostly basic options.

I was most upset when I got to SLC that Diablo tacos on the corner facing south on 9th and State by the old Sears was way more expensive and they would not let you put stuff on yourself, which I guess makes sense with the virus stuff. But it was $1 a taco when I was there and not its $2.50 plus you have to pay .50 cents for the salsa . That is a crazy price jump, oh and their hours were much shorter. I only got to eat the cabeza tacos a couple times, which is one of my favorite foods. I might have to learn to make them but the spices are probably hard to get for me. Finding a cow head is probably not too hard but that is a lot of meat.

 

[LogGrad98]

One other thing, it's time for fast food places to stop with the tip jars and ****. At the 5 guys paying with a debit card the machine came up and asked what tip I wanted to leave, STARTING at 20% with 5 options. Who leaves a 35% tip on fast food?

Although I will say this. My daughter is a student at Washington State and she works at Jimmy John's doing delivery. She makes more on tips than her paycheck many days, nearly doubling her regular wage some weeks. She makes $14 per hour for delivery driving and one week she made over $500 in tips alone. One guy messed up on his sandwich order and asked her to hang on while he placed another order. He knew it was his mistake, they had ordered like 6 sandwiches. Anyway she ran back and picked up the new order, took them back and the guy gave her 3 of the other sandwiches that had been messed up, easy free lunches for her so she was excited even though she eats Jimmy John's food every day, and then he gave her a $50 bill for making the run back so quickly. She has been very happy about that part, and we sure do appreciate it as well. It is different from tipping inside at an In N Out burger or something, as delivery is a separate service that involves at least some level of liability for the drivers, so a tip is not that strange for delivery I suppose.

 

[Gameface]

One other thing, it's time for fast food places to stop with the tip jars and ****. At the 5 guys paying with a debit card the machine came up and asked what tip I wanted to leave, STARTING at 20% with 5 options. Who leaves a 35% tip on fast food?

My brother in law tipped my off (my puns are always intentional) to something I was completely unaware of. He said he always asks at non-full service places if the employees get the tips and very often the answer is no. If they do get the tips he leaves a tip but if not he doesn't.

 

[infection]

My brother in law tipped my off (my puns are always intentional) to something I was completely unaware of. He said he always asks at non-full service places if the employees get the tips and very often the answer is no. If they do get the tips he leaves a tip but if not he doesn't.

Interesting. I’ll have to ask. Thanks.