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China House 中茗閣 @ the Mandarin Oriental Hotel
Reopened before Christmas 2006 after months of renovation, I couldn't waste a minute to see her face-lift with a friend, also a food critic, to eat there right after New Year’s holidays. I was so exciting at the beginning until I realized my only reward was a big shock against the totally revamped outline. What I saw was the then elegant century-old colonial house (I miss that house now!) in cream paint had gone completely, in exchange was the murky old building (newly revamped into a old-looking building) painted gray on concrete wall with red light emitting from all windows available on the edge of the hotel property having my imagination linked to a graveyard. And in harmony, the restaurant sign set at the entrance happened to have a great look of gravestone, coincidentally. If it was my first time to this restaurant, I would think this is the first Disney theme park incorporated with the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, a Haunted Mansion! And I am talking about the Mandarin Oriental Hotel's China House, arguably the most prominent Chinese restaurant in Bangkok.
The relatively modern glass portico at the entrance is an addition adhered to the building in a result of the definitely damage to the original look of the traditional house. Step inside. Don't expect there a big well-lit dining hall with round tables outfitting like any other prominent Chinese restaurant across Asia. Thanks to Neri and Hu Design hands on destroying the century-old antique house, brought China House in a dark and mysterious tone. Walls painted in black and ceilings in red, designers were intended to deliver a feeling of dining in an ambiance of the 1930's Shanghai. Small booth and isolated tables divided by the center bar into left and right zone, giving patrons maximum of privacy. Having us feel like being in an opium den in the 1930's Shanghai perhaps! While restaurants in China and Hong Kong always moving forward, seems the China House enjoys a backward in time. I believe it is neither traditional Chinese nor contemporary setting, but a mess-up to the Chinese culture. I am not being snobbish here, if China House is a fusion or Asian specialty restaurant but not focus on authentic Cantonese cuisine with a bit of provincial dishes then I would not feel the eyes sore.
No matter how much I don't approve the revamped China House in terms of interior, the food always brings me back.
On my revisit to the China House with a friend from Hong Kong tonight, we were warmly welcomed and ushered to a booth with good privacy, seats upholstered with horsehair and cowhide were not only comfortable but also opulent. A sip on refreshing chrysanthemum tea started the dinner.
Kicked off with the Stir-fried Shark fin with Eggs Baht 800, consisting of small fin, bean sprout and eggs stir-fried with a hint of Yunnan ham yield an aromatic taste to rescue the naturally tasteless shark fin. Unlike mistakes some Thai-Chinese restaurants repeat, oily and juicy with excessive of sauce; chefs here implement the quick wok-fried technique having (only necessary) sauce absorbed into ingredients to give proper moisture and flavor to the shark fin. The stir-fried shark fin with Eggs was good, but their Vegetables You-mak Sauce Baht 200 was the star of the show. This is a common Northern provincial appetizer in China. The China House version (, instead of having sesame sauce pour onto a bed of greens,) having celery and veggies folded inside a crispy cucumber wrapper, one piece one bite, with the sesame peanut sauce ties it all together. It really gave my taste bud a lift. Now we believe simple is best!
Followed was soup for us. I had the Fish Maw Soup with Shark Cartilage Baht 450 while my friend took the Seafood Soup in Whole Pumpkin Baht 380. Both were seafood soup, both with prawn, and both boiled with Yunnan ham to enhance the taste. Using fruits and sweet vegetables as ingredients are pretty challenging in a kitchen, it is not easy to balance the sweet tastiness of the fruits/sweet veggie with spices and seasonings without the overpowering in one side. At China House, chefs did the balance well. Freshness and naturally sweet of seafood with a hint of sweet from the pumpkin went well under the help of some Yunnan ham to substitute seasonings and MSG, the soup tasted heavenly refreshing. Look simple but eventually lots of work, bravo China House!
To go with fragrant jasmine rice (served warm but not hot, China House shall look at details too!), we had the Pan-fried Xin-jin Style Lamb Chop in Cumin Baht 500, I like cumin a lot since it has a strong scent yield a magical therapy to my appetite. The lamb chop was tendered with the aroma of strong herbs made the dish another star of the night. The Deep-fried Bamboo Fish in Sweet and Sour Sauce Baht 900, the fish was moist but its skin too, we wish the skin could be a bit crispy and the fish bathed longer in the fry oil, with well balanced sweet and sour in good command of julep and wine seasoning earned the mark. The Amaranth with Minced Pork and Dried Fish Flake in Broth Bath 280, broth was good thus helping to lift the appreciation on amaranth a bit but dried fish flake certainly lacked some wok-burnt aroma. So-so! In between main dishes and desserts, we opted for an order of Yi-fu Noodles in Abalone Sauce Baht 280. E-fu (as yi-fu in China House) noodles are also a popular rice/noodle dish in Hong Kong, it should be wok-fried to a dry texture but at China House it was pretty moist. The noodles didn't live up to my expectations.
By now we were pretty full, but without some desserts wouldn't make our China House experience complete. My friend chose the Chilled Pomelo and Sago in Mango Cream Baht 220, and I took the Baked Rice Dumplings with Sesame Fillings Baht 200. The chilled pomelo and sago in mango cream is a popular dessert in Hong Kong, first introduced (if not invented) in the late 80's by Chef Wong of Lei Garden Restaurant (利苑酒家), soon spread to every eateries from prominent hotel restaurants to roadside tea stands, so you feel the allure of this dessert by now. At China House, the mango cream was a bit (too) sweet due to the natural sweetness of Thai mango but the little sour of pomelo solve the gap, and it could be better served chilled than just cold. For my baked rice dumplings with sesame fillings, a kind of dessert like heaven on earth, get my meaning?
The Cantonese feast with a bit of provincial gourmet added at China House was quite enjoyable thanks to the appointment of celebrity Chef Jereme Leung of the Whampoa Club as the China House consultant chef, who in turn brought in one of his brightest protégés Chef Kong Khai Meng to lead the restaurant culinary team.
After dinner there were options to immerse yourself through out the night at the restaurant's two-storey bar decorated in Macassar ebony with blinking lighting system for the bronze, or step into the Tea Apothecary for some Mariage Freres teas. Giving us more time to figure out what part of Shanghai in 1930's Neri and Hu Design would like to interpret!
Our Ratings (1 to 5 the higher the better): China House has [4.0]
(Ratings are based on Food, Service and Ambiance, with Price taken into account in relation to Quality) Food =4, Service=4.5, Ambiance=3.5, Money Worth=4
Price range for two without drinks (incl. local water) in Thai Baht = BBBBB
(B=below 200, BB=201-500, BBB=501-1,000, BBBB=1,001-2,000, BBBBB=over 2,000)
Best dishes: braised shark's fin soup, Bi-fong-tong style stir-fried crab (/mantis prawn) with spiced garlic and shallots, deep-fried bamboo fish in sweet and sour sauce, Yangzhou fried rice, bake rice dumplings
Wine list: extensive selection of wine
Best table: window side booth
Details: Open daily - Lunch 11:30am-2:30pm, Dinner 7-10:30pm
China House, the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, 48 Oriental Avenue (Charoenkrung Road Soi 40), Bangrak, Bangkok 10500; Tel.: 02-659 9000
http://www.mandarin-oriental.com/bangkok/dining/Restaurants/China_House/default.aspx
81 comments:
Supposed I shouldn't say it.... Stella, Man, William - your time!
I know. It is a Viet restaurant in Bangkok.
/William
Any hints?
Hurray, guessing game again. Here I am.
I guess this is a special place in BKK that Mr. Tea went with his friends.
I am sure my guess is right.
But well, if Mr. Tea and Sea are about to say this answer is not good enough, then we need some hints.
Isn't this China House?
If my guess is correct, do you know why I can guess it so fast?(Now my revenge time.)
Please don't let me guess this so easily baby.
I would like to get more guessing team work with Man and William.
This looks like you are in front of "Tien Ann Moon Square" in Thailand(I assume this is about Thailand.
This girl looks Vietnamese so I think this is a Vietnamese Restaurant.
From,
SF Guy
Stella, not yet to celebrate (and i know why u guess china house, ur hints r from the other blog), but ...
people, keep trying
the question is simple, don't think the complicated side
Hi,
I did not guess from the other blog; I get the China House from your own picture here. Are you sure this is not Chian House? If not, then we need some hints.
Stella, the question is "where is it?". So my answer is "it is in the Oriental Hotel Bangkok.".
Man
P.S. I'm also sure it is China House, but the question didn't ask "what is this place?". For me, I checked the other blog. The mood is the same to this one photo.
Where is it?
My guess is Thailand, Bangkok, a restaurant in the Oriental Hotel.
ok, this time both Stella and Man do the csi way, good job
hurry, people, take ur guess
u still hv a few days to place as many guesses as u want
I think we should answer the road and the city as the question is 'where is it'.
So my guess is on New Road, Bangkok, Thailand.
/Willaim
My guess is China House Chinese Restaurant in the Oriental Hotel, Bangkok, Thailand.
Oh if you want the street name also, it is Charoen Krung (New) Road in Bangkok's Bangrak area.
Btw, what is my prize?
seems friends from the west of the pacific rims r not joining the game
OK, this is China House at Oriental Hotel, BKK, Thaiand. I don't expect you need people to tell the street address though.
This guess is only good for those who really read your blog thorough enough, or else they have to know Bangkok well enough. Or else they have to be smart enough(like me). Ha ha ha.
By the way, what is the prize? Hey, are you checking how many winners first before you decide the prize?:)
Yes I guess the same thing.
And I want my prize to be salmon sashimi in the ice dome, plus the Haggen Daz ice cream, plus one Lord Jim buffet(or Normandie), plus the Peking Duck and shark fin soup at Shang Palace.
From Piggy
OK, me too. I guess the same thing. I only want one item out of Piggy's list then I am happy.
From,
Richard
I don't get a clue how you people did you get the answer. This is like "insider trade". There is no hint to outsider at all.
From,
SF guy
If I did not know this blog is about Thailand, I would guess this is at Beijing as this picture looks very "politically red".
the hints r at google
with internet and search engine, the world has no boundary
and obvious hints r laid on the picture itself and in-the-sea blog
Wow, even the host didn't say the prize, the participants can decide what prizes they should get.
Yes, this restaurant looks very "red".
I think it is a Chinese (Beijing) type of restaurant in Bangkok.
one more day
hurry
everyone welcome to place ur guess, any blind guess is welcome too
OK, my wild guess is "a haunting house inside Disneyland Orange County, CA, USA"... ;)
in-the-sea actually know where exactly this place is as we once dine in there
so his guess was just a teasing
Haha... you both went to a haunting house for dinner and go to USA? I know there is one restaurant like that in Japan. They also have jail restaurant, hospital restaurant and military restaurant in Japan. Very funny. Thailand Club, is there any restaurant like that in Thailand? Tks.
Man
Don't forget I am the first one to guess this is China House at BKK.
I guess this is a nice Asian fusion restaurant in Bangkok, Thailand.
I guess this is a convention center in Bangkok for big events.
If I guess right, my prize is I can go to Bangkok with Stella and staying at Oriental.
From,
Linda
theme restaurant in bkk? no la
I followed Stella's guess as she always guess right.
From,
SF Guy
I guess this is a Chinese high end restaurant in Bangkok.
OK. Stella guessed this is ChinaHouse Restaurant at Oriental Hotel, Bangkok, Thailand. Address is:
48 Oriental Avenue, BKK, 10500. Phone number 66(2)659-9000.
This is an avant-garde eatery inspired by the vibrant 1930's Shanghai Art Deco period featuring modern interpretation of classical Cantonese cuisine.
Stella must be the winner for the following reasons:
1) She is the first one to guess Chinahouse here many days ago just by enlarging the photo.
2) She gave the most thorough answer regarding ChinaHouse.
3) Please let me win otherwise I am in trouble.
From,
Stella's secretary
Next time I will put my wife, children on threat too. :)
To Stella's Secretary, we share our sympathy with you. Man, William and all others, please withdraw your guesses for good sake. :)
Dear Stella's secretary, I don't think Stella is such a mean boss even she can't get the prize here. If so, go and find another job, we will support you to be reasonable. :)
Stella's secretary? hey u really have a mean boss, coz u hv to deliver the comment at midnight? (12:27am)
maybe u r too tired, so u hv a typo, as instead of 'her' u said 'me'
or was that really the 'me'? so i doubt who was this secretary!
oh, btw, if u r really the secretary, pls tell ur boss, i change the name of the pic everyday (so was that the only source she place the bet?), go check it out hahaha :)
boys and girls, hurry, place ur guess, one more day left, prizes r for everyone, not just one prize
Mmmh... then we need to tell the real Stella's secretary that someone has faked her ID. This is a serious offence. Stella, you need to protect your secretary against such offence. Take good care of her.
wow, changing the picture? I just re-checked the question and the photo. "Where is it?". The "it" can be anything in the photo, e.g. the lamp, the painting, the decoration, the copyright notice. So the answer can vary, e.g. if "it" is the copyright notice, the answer is "it's in the right bottom of the picture". haha.... :)
very logic in-the-sea
that's why i said don't make the guess complicated, just guess anything in mind, as the meaning of 'where is it' is broad (of course it has to be related to the pic posted)
anyway, deadline in about a few more hours
those who would like to place ur guess pls hurry, and don't need any hints, just trust ur instinct
I think you guys are making smog again. :) My guess is still the same "in the Oriental Hotel Bangkok".
Man
u r waiting for ur prize don't u? some may find hints from the pic (not in the pic but from the pic), some may find hints in my previous post or in-the-sea previous post, some may use a little of common sense, some may use a little logic, some may just guess by instinct (a.k.a. blind guess), and some even just follow someone's guess; no matter how u reach to ur guess, that's proven that we need a bit of effort, not just look at the ceiling and say 'oh difficult'
indeed this one is probably the most easiest one
hi dear now the time to tell u 'where is it', a few people notice that the question is 'where is it' so i am going to tell u WHERE IS IT, remember, it is WHERE IS IT and nothing more than WHERE IS IT
i have to say, i am sorry, almost all of u, e.g. Stella's guess is the China House (she confirmed again and her friends follow her), then yai's guess is the Oriental Bangkok Thailand, followed by Man, William and fillet-o even read the street name, even Linda told us it is probably a convention center in Bangkok!
i am glad, at least, all of u involve, some anonymous without telling us who they r (i encourage them next time to put his/her name at the bottom if they enter as anonymous, like Man, Linda, William ... does) but they also involve in the game
like Olympic, the spirit is to be involved
no matter u r those anonymous, or u r Stella, Man, Linda, William, fillet-o, yai ... if ur guess had touch any of these words >> "China House, a Chinese restaurant, Bangkok, Thailand, New Road, Charoen Krung Road, or the Oriental Hotel" u r CORRECT
however the answer is not 'i guess the same thing'
congratulation to all of the winners (well well i told u winner not limited to one for this time, i did hints u many people will win, c, why c thing complicated if it is a simple one)!
ur prize is, to read my review on China House
enjoy!
(oops, at the end, this is not a real guessing game, just for fun, a real one will be appeared soon and not that easy, stay tune, hahaha)
What a good prize for us to share huh.
That was exactly what I said in the beginning that it is China House. The answer is simple as your question"where is it" is simple. I got this the first round.(I shall get a bonus gift for being the first one to guess it right.)
Please give us a harder one. This is too easy for me, Man, William, Fish Burger, and even Stella's secretary. We like challenges.
China House looks quite expensive and fancy.
Is it for those Western tourists only?
Thank you, you are too kind. Hope to see the new guess again. Thanks again for the fun.
Man
Good! Yes, sometimes we don't need to be complicated. Step back and look at the things from another perspective.
Oriental's China House is not cheap, of course, in the world top 20 hotel the Oriental Bangkok wor! if it is good, then it does worth us to dip ur wallet deeper a bit more to enjoy a proper Chinese feast
so it is not necessary for tourist and westerner, used to have lots of local well-off businessmen and politicians r fans of the China House, even celebrities from HK were regulars, but after the grand renovation in 2006, its glory fade out
my personal view, now it looks like a high-end D.C. or hollywood kind Chinese restaurant (for chop-suay lovers!), hahaha 1930 shanghai-tan theme? u guys can ask ur grandpa and grandma, what part of Shanghai this China House represent? may be the China House means the spooky part! (the decoration is definitely Shanghai and China in the western people's eyes) the food? it was ok but not 100% match the Oriental's tag
overall, China House is still above average, at least better than the other ultra expensive Asian seafood restaurant on the 52nd floor of a npl property near the Oriental Hotel (crazy the head chef was trained in london's chinese restaurant for a decade with native malaysian background, i didn't say he cannot cook a decent chinese dish; but, just imagine if any of u encounter a french chef who is non-french native, practice his culinary skill in china and never visit france before, u judge that if his dish can be authentic or not?)
for Cantonese cuisine, if u want just a nice and authentic Chinese feast without ur wallet getting broken, go to Crustal Jade at Siam Paragon Mall
but if u want something fancy and prestige, if u don't care the bill, or if u would like to impress ur girl friend (or bf) then China House is no other choice in ur list, go
or make sure u whisper to the air 'excuse me allow me to take pictures before u raise ur camera'
Thank you Mr. Blogger for the detailed introduction of China House. Your comment is exactly what my friend told me(he has been there). He said this restaurant has an A- quality but with an A+++ pricing. Crystal Jade or Shang Palace is more worth it, as its quality is A- while its pricing is only B- so there is good value.
My supplementary comment: if you want to know how a proper attentive service can be, go to China House or any Oriental restaurant outlet. The waiters are very discerning too.
Except the stir fried shark's fins, all the dishes are above average to excellent. Note the stir fried shark's fins is so hard to do it well, esp. at this peak time of bird flu that no one dares to cook the egg to a 90-95% done. So I still give it an allowance to this dish.
Then for the decoration of China House, I can't comment whether it's a 30's Shanghai style. I have been to those local top restaurants in Shanghai (too bad I didn't like photography then) but most of them are colonial white with some hanging fans on the ceiling - so classic. For this China House, with deep red and 1W light bulb (if you have your ancestor's place, the light bulb of your ancestor's place is even brighter). Yes, it seems to me it's a converted hip restaurant either found in Singapore or LA or NYC...etc. By the way, their sofa is so hard to sit on. I moved around on the sofa more than 20 times.
Yeh the service really need the credit so people are willing to pay a little more. I don't mind to pay in exchange for such unbeatable service. Of course, once in a while as I am not rich.
Just like the hotel itself (the Oriental Bangkok), the room is very so-so, but people stay there for the service.
Thank you Thailand Club, Sea, and Yai for all your detailed feedbacks regarding China House and Oriental Hotel.
Oh, my friend told me the cost at China House is $50 US per person last time when he went there(last Dec). It is kind of expensive so the service better be attentive.
US$50 per person is very cheap. It's Oriental restaurant. Haha, so we need to bring a torch to this China House if in the Sea said they use 1W light bulb. You guys must have a hard time to take your photos.
Man
before the renovation yes $50 can hv a budget 4-course lunch/dinner, shared; but after the 2006 grand renovation, no way la
so just $50 what did they eat?
2 baskets of dim sum and a dish of fried noodle?
impossible to leave China House within $100 if we tend to hv an at least 4-course (appetizer, soup, main course, dessert, shared) equivalent lunch/dinner
2 months ago in-the-sea went there was $200 for 2 persons, this price WAS NOT even incl. the China House renowned shark's fin soup and double-boiled bird nest in whole grilled coconut, NO steam whole red grouper, NO lobster tail, but just few honest home-style dishes and 2 family soup and 2 desserts
i hv to admit that China House, along with Shang Palace of the Shangri-la Hotel, is among the most expensive Chinese eateries in Bangkok
people go there for 1) the excellent new world Chinese food, 2) unbeatable service, and a few even fancy 3) the prestige of eating there
(however to-see and to-be-seen is not possible, because the new China House table plan has an ultra privacy layout, u either sit in semi-self-content booth or in private room, there is only 4 tables in the common area, 2 on the left and 2 on the right as separate by the lounge, and the whole restaurant is playing the Disney's haunted mansion theme and save the world policy (save energy), walk with care due to light is limited to 5W, so u won't c the other customers)
ask me if i recommend this restaurant? YES, if ur name appear in the Fortune top 500 tycoons; NO, if u even think Sizzler (or say 美心 for those reside in HK) is not cheap
HOWEVER, once in a while (if not once in a life) doesn't hurt as food is really superb
* oops if u r Spring Moon of Peninsula Hotel HK and Man Wah of Mandarin Oriental HK regular then no need to go give China House a visit, and don't eat any Cantonese food in Bangkok as well; instead go to Lord Jims the no.1 seafood joint in Bangkok, they do Mediterranean seafood dishes; oh u don't like frozen or chilled seafood but only accept live seafood? ok ok one secret to u, the restaurant has a big fish tank in the kitchen (don't ask me why the restaurant has a fish tank in the kitchen), and a Thai-Chinese chef on duty, some Mediterranean dishes in Lord Jims were borrow Chinese culinary skill, esp. the steam part; if u r vip enough (show them u stay in the Oriental Suite) they can do stir-fried yellow curry live crab, steam live grouper, stir-fried live lobster with green onion and ginger, everything Chinese in the city most exquisite Mediterranean seafood restaurant... and ur neighboring customers (usually western people) under soft jazz playing on background and candle-lit ambiance with their knife and fork holding on hand while the mouth open definitely give u an ultimate fear-factor look at u while ur 10 fingers fighting with the curry crab and probably u licking the curry sauce left on ur fingers; don't worry if u r not staying in the Oriental Suite, then tell them u r friend of in-the-sea :)
Wow, excellent details of the Oriental restaurants. I can't say no more. Lord Jim's really surprised me a lot and it's the best restaurant (both for food and services) I have ever been to. OK, I'm departing tonight again for BKK... Hope we will bring you more updates... Ciao!
With US $50 per person, I'd rather go to Lord Jim for lunch buffet.
My friend told me he was not even half full when he ate at China House.
If he went with party of 6, the cost was $300 US already man.
Please don't bring me to eat here but I want to take picture with the same scene that you took here.
Do you know I just took my friend Flora for dinner tonight at "The Kitchen". We had 3 lbs of big clam/geoduck($20 per lb), one live big head red snapper($19.99 per lb), beef, chicken and "sprout"(Dull Miu)and it is only $135 for party of 4. I am surprised Flora told me she likes this restaurant as the taste, qulity, portion and the price is better than most of the seafood restaurants in HK.
Flora works at Wanchai and eats out a lot with clients(she is in financial investment industry). She is not the "shu" type. She said it is costly to eat live seafood in HK and not always tasty too.
Is this really in Thailand?US $50 per person and it is not even full, and yet this is considered understated? I think this is more like the price in New York rather than in Thailand.
If so, I think this is really a high end celebrity restaurant catered for high class tourists,celebrity and royalty only.
Yes I agree with the blogger, if you are a high end gourmet in HK and also a frequent guest at Mandarin Oriental eatery or its equivalent, no need to try this restaurant.
But if you are a high end so called gourmet from LA or SF(or any where in US or Canada), this is the place you shall go.
From,
An ameteur chef
that's what i told u, for $50 u eat nothing, a decent meal start at least $100 per person at China House
well a simple word, fine dining
btw, fine dining in New York is $200 up per head, e.g. Peter Luger porterhouse steak for 2 cost over $600 per set
No surprise that your friend Flora enjoy food at the Kitchen and think price is cheaper. Consumer price index in Hong Kong is the highest in the world. So a meal in the same quality, definitely in LA is cheaper.
Yep, since that stupid HK Gov't upset the China-related poultry/food big importer Ng Fun Hang (五豐行) by taking out their exclusive importation right on poultry, all the food prices are going up like rocket ride. Someone claimed it's also partly due to the shortage. However, noted HK is just a tiny tiny place as compared to the big big mainland China, the China Gov't can do it well to protect the HK food prices. There are yet many people who don't really understand how to deal with the Chinese people. Often think "oh we gotta be fair, gotta have rule, gotta have human rights.". My industry fellows often upset some mainland Gov't officials by forcing them to take the so-called Int'l practice. I simply told them "I know there are problems too but I would like to get whatever money I can get as long as it's more than nothing and as long as they are willing to pay.". My clients are happy to see $1 from China and $1 from Thailand instead of $0. Besides meeting in person is much better than emails or so-called video/phone conference in many Asian countries.
Thank you Fish Burger and Sea for the feedbacks.
OK, so it seems that LA and BKK are the good places for good and relatively inexpensive food.
I brought Flora to Teppenyaki lunch today and she said good good good and cheap cheap cheap. A 2-item combo(choose out of beef, chicken, salmon, shrimp, pork, big mushroom) with soup, salad, lots of cooked vege and dessert is only $12 per person. Flora said the said quality and portion costs twice as much in HK.
Stella,
You must go to Kingswood in San Gabriel, across Hilton Hotel. As that is the only one cheap but also good. All others charge like $20 for the same 2-item combo and not even as good as Kingswood.
You are smart to go to this one. I think you get the genes from your brother when it comes to finding good quality food with cheap price.
The only thing not good at Kingswood is there is not much "stunt show" of the chef.
From,
Mi
Mi,
You are only half right on the "genes". Yes, I get the same gene with the blogger about good food. But I only like good food with cheap price. Whereas the blogger likes good food with any price.
Stella, is there a way you can post some photos of those food you mentioned so we can see how they look like or make your own blog for LA food? Thanks.
Man
Yes, I hope Stella can post some pictures for the restaurants and food she ate as she described good but cheap.
/William
Good idea! We are waiting for Stella's photos on her LA good value food.
I think I need to take some photo and computer class first before I can do the blog thing.
In fact, all the food I mentioned has the same look as those you guys have, except the portion is bigger and the price is cheaper.
When you guys come to LA, I will take you there. You only need to stay for 5days as I don't have any place to bring you for more than 5 days(10 meals).
That is why I only limit to see my friend Flora on 2Fridays(night)and 2 Saturdays(lunch)otherwise I run out of good(and cheap)restaurants(within 10-mile radius usually as Flora does not like to sit in the car too long and my car cannot drive too far, except for shopping at Palm Spring outlet).
Stella, just buy a good compact camera and use the auto function and then practise more. Time for your home work. :)
Stella has 2 nice pieces of furniture at home, they r a Canon dc and a local brand dc
asking them (3 of them in the family) to take some snapshot is more difficult then one of our friend taking pills
if u want an excuse, u can always find 10
I don't have the time and leisure to take pictures. You need to have the leisure and also you need to like to take pictures.
At my leisure, I like to eat, or shop, or read magazines and newspapers(I mean hard copies but not e-copies).
Watching TV is not one of those. Watching TV in fact is for me to rest and brainstorm what I need to do tomorrow.
Stella, taking photos of food is much easier. Just point at it and let the "auto" function of the camera do the rest. Same for the scenery photo, frame what you wanna shoot. ;)
Yes, you should try it. We will wait for you about what happens in LA.
Man
FYI, China House yum cha is very good and not that expensive compares to its dinner tariff.
/William
I just went there to have dim sum lunch with my parents, they love the food so much and the service was so good. Price is any 5-star hotel standard, not particularly expensive.
In this case I shall include China House in my itinerary.
Yes China House sure looks tempting after all these nice photos and the detailed introduction from Thailand Club here.
This blog and also Sea's have more substances than the cook books I read from California Cooking School in Pasadena 2 weeks ago. And each book costs like $40 US.
Very detailed analysis! Good work!
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