Find the Best

Having lived in Georgia for 6 months, it is safe to say that the area around me is a hotbed of culinary activity.  The international fare ranges from all American to Caribbean, Chinese, Korean, Mexican and more.

I have experienced a good bit of these different cuisines and I have found a couple of favorites.  1 would be the sushi experience at Lobster House in Duluth.  Assuming they have a sushi chef that day, it is worth the visit, and the lunch specials are generous for the price.

For authentic Chinese food, I will definitely go back to Golden House.  The atmosphere harkens back to my days enjoying meals with my Mom at the Golden Dragon in Chinatown, San Francisco.  The food is markedly more authentic in flavor, creation, presentation and ingredients.

There are, however, some strange establishments that draw a large Asian crowd, both at lunch and dinner.  A buffet restaurant whose dishes I will never try again is always full.  I attribute the crowd to the price.  ($6.95 for all you can eat plus a drink is reasonable, no matter where you go, as long as you do not have a critical palate.)

Either way, I have asked many people around here what their impressions of Asian restaurants, most specifically, Chinese restaurants are, and what their thoughts are about identifying an authentic Chinese restaurant.

Here they are, in no specific order:

1. The toilet is clean (the restaurant will be too).
2. There’s a good-looking roast duck in the window.
3. There are long queues outside the restaurant full of Chinese people – the Chinese are impatient when it comes to food, so if they are waiting, its going to be an AMAZING restaurant.
4. In my opinion, MSG should not be on the menu.
5. If you feel intimidated about going in, you probably should.
6. To get the best Chinese food, ask Chinese foodies: friends, colleagues, uncles, aunts, people in the community who adore good quality food and want authentic flavors of “home,” someone whose palate you trust and is quite critical about food.
7. Go where the fish and seafood are swimming happily in tanks.
8. The head chef and his crew are Chinese.
9. None of the waiters speaks English.
10. The diners are Chinese and there is only one menu – the Chinese one.

Feel free to let me know what other elements of the restaurant deciding process need to be included.  Until then,

Good Eating, Friends...

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