A culinary adventure through Chinese food in Chicago.
I was born in Taiwan and moved to the States at the age of four. My mom raised us on Chinese food. I like to joke that even when my mom is feeling adventurous in the kitchen, she Chinese-izes the food. My sisters and I were raised believing that spaghetti naturally has soy sauce and shitake mushrooms in it.
I was born in Taiwan and moved to the States at the age of four. My mom raised us on Chinese food. I like to joke that even when my mom is feeling adventurous in the kitchen, she Chinese-izes the food. My sisters and I were raised believing that spaghetti naturally has soy sauce and shitake mushrooms in it.
Food is one of the glues that binds my family. Growing up, no matter what happened in the day - broken shoelaces, a skinned knee, a bad day at work - everyone could count on my mom to work her magic in the kitchen. As evening set in, we would clamor around the table, a fresh and hot meal before us, and tell stories about our day. Even now as an "adult," when I go home to visit my family, I try to be home for dinner regardless of any other plans I may have.
Through my mom’s traditional Chinese cooking and teaching, we developed a wide, diverse, and adventurous palate. My sisters and I relished the delicacy of crab brains and generously passed the head around, spoons poised and eager. My sisters and I can all efficiently tear apart a lobster to extract all of its sweet juices and meat. We can strip a chicken down to its bone, eating the cartilage, expertly breaking the bone to get at the tender marrow, leaving nothing but bone behind on the table. Thousand year old eggs? Seriously delicious. Fish eyes and spinal meat? Yes please! We are fearless, enthusiastic eaters.
Being a transplant in Chicago, I often find myself craving comfort food, "home cooked" food, but don't know where to go. To me, comfort food is Chinese food. But, it's just not the same if I'm eating something I myself have made. Part of the comfort is that someone else is feeding you. To my sadness, I’ve found it very difficult to find good Chinese food in Chicago. Friends ask me where to go, and I am as helpful as a lamp post. So, I decided to start documenting my forays into the Chicago Chinese food scene.
I am not a food expert. I’m not a professional critic. These are my experiences and personal opinions. My "ratings" are emotionally-based. They are a combination of the food, ambience, experience, and my take on the restaurant's Chinese authenticity. At the end of the day, I’m just a regular girl who loves and appreciates good Chinese food. These are my adventures.
I am not a food expert. I’m not a professional critic. These are my experiences and personal opinions. My "ratings" are emotionally-based. They are a combination of the food, ambience, experience, and my take on the restaurant's Chinese authenticity. At the end of the day, I’m just a regular girl who loves and appreciates good Chinese food. These are my adventures.
