I remember my dad telling me about what he used to do on extended business trips to Europe the 90s: find the Chinese embassy on a map, and look for restaurants around it. If necessary, walk around the block ask the staff coming out of the embassy where they eat. And then, once you arrive at the restaurant, tell ask the chef to make you some of whatever they are going to cook for themselves, especially if they also serve sushi and pho.
I'm so glad it's much easier today! I've even found an authentic Cantonese food place in Lisbon making their own char siu and char siu bao.
Absolutely- that’s the way to do it. You can often find some of the best options around the embassies or consulates. Great tip, and I’d love to check out that spot in Lisbon too. Yum!
OMG! Where were you and this guide when I was in Finland with my family! (Wait do you have a list for Finland?)
My parents nurtured my wanderlust from the tender age of four, but my dad always, always, ALWAYS, needs one Chinese meal per trip especially if the trip is too long. He dragged us out in the Finnish winter cold to walk and look for a Chinese restaurant. This was well before the internet exploded. There was no online guide. Just my dad convinced there must be one because “every major city in the world will have a Chinese restaurant” he says. It was snowing. It was freezing. It was dark. And we went Chinese restaurant hunting. Find one we did. Amazingly!
That is so great, I love your dad. I am glad that you found this guide! I have not gotten to Finland yet. I am going continent by continent, and the post/maps will be updated as I go. That said, the project is pulling from many different sources, so if you or others have recommendations, they are always welcome in the comments!
1. The menu should be fundamentally Chinese. That means Chinese cuisine is at the core, not a fusion place or those doing sushi, pho, etc. The only exception is if it's the only meaningful Chinese restaurant in an entire country or region.
2. It shouldn’t be fine-dining or haute cuisine. I'm not including Michelin-starred or “Black Pearl” style restaurants that operate in the luxury tier. This guide is focused on everyday, community-rooted Chinese restaurants with really good food.
After that, it’s all up to first-hand experience, reviews from Chinese diaspora and Chinese travelers, wechat, other online forums, etc. and hopefully some of your suggestions!
I love this concept of trying Chinese food everywhere! Sometimes I get caught up in "well why would I get X if I'm in Y country" but trying the international cuisine scene in a country is just as valuable.
Also, love this idea of releasing parts of a guide in "installments"!
I used to have a rather silly 'tradition' of having McDonald's on Thanksgiving whenever I was abroad, which was usually Europe (and then I'd have the proper Thanksgiving with turkey, etc, on the Sunday, since I'd always be working on Thanksgiving itself).
But then in 2004 I found myself in the Niger Delta and there were definitely no McDonald's to be found so I opted for the next best thing - a pricey, but fantastic Chinese buffet at a posh(ish) hotel. That was the only Chinese meal I had during my time there, making it all the more memorable (wow, just realised that's coming up on 21 years ago!)
Amazing. Love how that stuck with you (but see why it would), have you thought about going back to your McD’s tradition in Austria?
That is another thing about Chinese restaurants, too: how accessible they are on holidays. When everything else is closed, they are open (unless it’s the spring festival), so like you, I have eaten many times in a Chinese restaurant on holidays like Thanksgiving (in the US only) or Christmas Eve/Day.
Oh no, that tradition ended in 2006 actually - I was in San Sebastian and though there was a McDonald’s, I got a nasty bout of gastroenteritis the day before which is CLEARLY a sign that it wasn’t a good idea!
Actually, the next year I was in Riga and planned on returning to it, but a couple of Scottish colleagues talked me round and I instead had…(gasp)…fish and chips at a Latvian cafe.
One year in Kyiv I did something a bit different - TGI Friday’s (but then it closed the next year).
I remember my dad telling me about what he used to do on extended business trips to Europe the 90s: find the Chinese embassy on a map, and look for restaurants around it. If necessary, walk around the block ask the staff coming out of the embassy where they eat. And then, once you arrive at the restaurant, tell ask the chef to make you some of whatever they are going to cook for themselves, especially if they also serve sushi and pho.
I'm so glad it's much easier today! I've even found an authentic Cantonese food place in Lisbon making their own char siu and char siu bao.
Absolutely- that’s the way to do it. You can often find some of the best options around the embassies or consulates. Great tip, and I’d love to check out that spot in Lisbon too. Yum!
OMG! Where were you and this guide when I was in Finland with my family! (Wait do you have a list for Finland?)
My parents nurtured my wanderlust from the tender age of four, but my dad always, always, ALWAYS, needs one Chinese meal per trip especially if the trip is too long. He dragged us out in the Finnish winter cold to walk and look for a Chinese restaurant. This was well before the internet exploded. There was no online guide. Just my dad convinced there must be one because “every major city in the world will have a Chinese restaurant” he says. It was snowing. It was freezing. It was dark. And we went Chinese restaurant hunting. Find one we did. Amazingly!
That is so great, I love your dad. I am glad that you found this guide! I have not gotten to Finland yet. I am going continent by continent, and the post/maps will be updated as I go. That said, the project is pulling from many different sources, so if you or others have recommendations, they are always welcome in the comments!
Oh I’ve love to contribute! Do you have a criteria?
The two main criteria I’m using are:
1. The menu should be fundamentally Chinese. That means Chinese cuisine is at the core, not a fusion place or those doing sushi, pho, etc. The only exception is if it's the only meaningful Chinese restaurant in an entire country or region.
2. It shouldn’t be fine-dining or haute cuisine. I'm not including Michelin-starred or “Black Pearl” style restaurants that operate in the luxury tier. This guide is focused on everyday, community-rooted Chinese restaurants with really good food.
After that, it’s all up to first-hand experience, reviews from Chinese diaspora and Chinese travelers, wechat, other online forums, etc. and hopefully some of your suggestions!
Such a fun angle
I love this concept of trying Chinese food everywhere! Sometimes I get caught up in "well why would I get X if I'm in Y country" but trying the international cuisine scene in a country is just as valuable.
Also, love this idea of releasing parts of a guide in "installments"!
I used to have a rather silly 'tradition' of having McDonald's on Thanksgiving whenever I was abroad, which was usually Europe (and then I'd have the proper Thanksgiving with turkey, etc, on the Sunday, since I'd always be working on Thanksgiving itself).
But then in 2004 I found myself in the Niger Delta and there were definitely no McDonald's to be found so I opted for the next best thing - a pricey, but fantastic Chinese buffet at a posh(ish) hotel. That was the only Chinese meal I had during my time there, making it all the more memorable (wow, just realised that's coming up on 21 years ago!)
Regardless your holiday meal selections remain on an elite level.
Amazing. Love how that stuck with you (but see why it would), have you thought about going back to your McD’s tradition in Austria?
That is another thing about Chinese restaurants, too: how accessible they are on holidays. When everything else is closed, they are open (unless it’s the spring festival), so like you, I have eaten many times in a Chinese restaurant on holidays like Thanksgiving (in the US only) or Christmas Eve/Day.
Oh no, that tradition ended in 2006 actually - I was in San Sebastian and though there was a McDonald’s, I got a nasty bout of gastroenteritis the day before which is CLEARLY a sign that it wasn’t a good idea!
Actually, the next year I was in Riga and planned on returning to it, but a couple of Scottish colleagues talked me round and I instead had…(gasp)…fish and chips at a Latvian cafe.
One year in Kyiv I did something a bit different - TGI Friday’s (but then it closed the next year).