Greek, Indonesian & Chinese restaurants

[charlesh]

Nah you're wrong Takiap. Filling is with diced dog (preferably puppy)! And for a bit of regional variation a smattering of snake(gall bladder and bile duct removed).

[caller]

As for the Thais...........I've only known a few that have experienced Chinese food, and all of them have said they don't like it.

This surprises me. Its my experience that Thais love Chinese food - well the UK version at least. Those around London will gravitate to China Town for the Dim Sum, the eat as much as you can buffet places that are now everywhere, other restaurants, the cake and bun shops and finally the shopping! Oh ok, I like the bun shops as well, and Dim Sum!

Once visited friends who lived in the 'Wallops' and ending up having Lunch in a Chinese buffet place in Andover - not what I had in mind (Sunday Roast in a nice pub)! And of the two Thai ladies I have had relationships with, both would choose Chinese by choice when eating out, happy to give Thai a miss as thats what they cook everyday and they do it how they like it and cheaper.

[image]

funny cottage pie ..takiab...if you take the chilli out of thai food ..its almost chinese..they eat alot of chinese food themselves..ka-moo for one..not sure on spelling...ka tom is basically congee also

[pharvey]

Seriously guys, what's your definition of Chinese food? The usual b*ll*cks that it's simply dog, chicken feet & duck @rse.....? Although admittedly this is high end cuisine in some areas!! Or a little better?

China is immense, and the cuisine can be completely different in the various regions. Chongqing for example is famous within China for it's very spicy food and Hotpot (not the UK version).... some incredibly spicy food (pickled veg is unbelievably good). Then take Inner Mongolia - great meat, some of the best steak I've had....... BIG meat eaters. Further south - Guangzhou.... Cantonese food - predominately what you see outside China IMHO. I enjoy a few of the dishes, but this isn't Chinese! Shanghai..... sh*te food - influenced by the west!

Thailand also has vastly different dishes when comparing north to south for example, and is nowhere near the size of China....... You simply cannot generalise.

Back to the whole Greek thing.... I actually enjoy several Greek dishes - the salads I love, some of the savoury pastries with veg and feta cheese are wonderful....... and how can you ignore a decent Moussaka!!

[caller]

Yeah, I do enjoy a good Moussaka, but not easy to find a decent one! Although when in Greece, I always enjoyed best the simple grilled fish and squid. Always struck me as odd that such a hot Country has so many 'heavy' dishes, but I guess that's an Italian influence?

[pharvey]

Always struck me as odd that such a hot Country has so many 'heavy' dishes, but I guess that's an Italian influence?

Funny you say that Caller - I've always thought the same. Some great light dishes, but some incredibly heavy dishes. Why Italian influence though?

[caller]

Just from my time on Corfu, which was either once ruled by venetians I recall (haven't looked it up), or just because it had a lot of trade with Italy? Maybe the food influence was the other way - the use of pasta and the like, with the Greeks being the earlier mobile civilisation?

[Takiap]

Seriously guys, what's your definition of Chinese food? The usual b*ll*cks that it's simply dog, chicken feet & duck @rse.....? Although admittedly this is high end cuisine in some areas!! Or a little better?

China is immense, and the cuisine can be completely different in the various regions. Chongqing for example is famous within China for it's very spicy food and Hotpot (not the UK version).... some incredibly spicy food (pickled veg is unbelievably good). Then take Inner Mongolia - great meat, some of the best steak I've had....... BIG meat eaters. Further south - Guangzhou.... Cantonese food - predominately what you see outside China IMHO. I enjoy a few of the dishes, but this isn't Chinese! Shanghai..... sh*te food - influenced by the west!

Thailand also has vastly different dishes when comparing north to south for example, and is nowhere near the size of China....... You simply cannot generalise.

Back to the whole Greek thing.... I actually enjoy several Greek dishes - the salads I love, some of the savoury pastries with veg and feta cheese are wonderful....... and how can you ignore a decent Moussaka!!

I was only joking Pharvey. I've never been to China, so can't comment on "real" Chinese food. That said, the Thais I know who have sampled Chinese food in places like Malaysia generally don't like it. Upscale Chinese restaurants may be different, but when it comes to side of the road Chinese food in Malaysia, it has absolutely no taste at all. Whenever I'm there, I never even try it anymore. Learned my lesson too many times.


I guess it's much like Thai food. Buy green curry in a nice restaurant, and it's completely different to the little packets of green curry you get in the markets. There are also many Thai dishes which are simply never served in restaurants, and I would imagine the same applies in China.

I've also been told about many Japanese dishes which I'm sure I would love, but yet I never bother going to Japanese restaurants because I just don't enjoy the food, other than the duck.

Maybe I've just got too accustomed to Thai food. Then again, the Thais destroy a lot of food as well because all the flavor is masked by chili. Half the time you don't know whether you're eat chicken beef or pork.


On the other hand, I also found food in the UK to be very bland when I first moved there. Not all types of food, but quite a lot of it.


Anyway, since I rarely eat out, and since I rarely cook, I just have to be happy with whatever is served up.

[pharvey]

Seriously Takiap no offense ever taken, and I'm pretty much taking the **** myself! Would however love you to sample the Long Haired General's "Hot Pot" some time.

I actually find the reverse with regards to upscale and side streets..... at least where I am. Up-Scale being a waste of money, side street being damn good!! Of course it helps when you have a Chinese wife/partner...

[dtaai-maai]

Would however love you to sample the Long Haired General's "Hot Pot" some time.

Heavens to Betsy, that's the most generous offer I've ever seen on here!!

[pharvey]

Would however love you to sample the Long Haired General's "Hot Pot" some time.

Heavens to Betsy, that's the most generous offer I've ever seen on here!!

I haven't mentioned the price yet........

[expat71NL]

Greek & Turkish food are much more than kebabs. Greece has many kinds of stews as well as other meat and fish dishes. Turkey is supposed to be the origin of most of European cooking, it is said that French Cooking originated in Turkey. I was certainly surprised by the quality of restaurants in Istanbul.
No one has mentioned Indonesian restaurants. The wide selection of different flavours and foods that can be found in a Rijsttafel would amaze most people. The many different sorts of saté are worth trying. The Indonesians use many different types of chillies (sambals) than the Thais, some spicy, some not. It doesn't have to burn all the time.

[HHCanuck]

I'd kill for a good Greek salad with a side of pita bread. Must have Kalamata olives and quality Feta. I have never seen Kalamata olives in Thailand. Greek pastries are also excellent spinach and feta pies plus Baklava. Not to mention a gyros with Greek yoghurt tadziki in fresh Pita. Getting quality ingredients for Greek and Turkish food may be difficult hence no restaurants.

[thekitemachine]

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