Tummy Talk an Interview with Mee Tsu Yan

This is the second interview in our series, called Welcome to Tummy Talk. Today we are interviewing Mee Tsu Yan (MTY). MTY is a native Long Islander, and a devout lover of Chinese food. When he is not eating Chinese food, MTY can be found with his lovely wife of 28 years (who loves to play Mah Jongg; not sure if that is relevant) , and two daughters (one loves Chinese food, and one hates it-Oh well)

Tummy Talk (TT):  Thank you, Mee Tsu Yan, for taking time out of your very busy schedule to chat with us.

MTY:  My pleasure, can I call you Tum for short?

TT: Sure, Tum works. Can you tell our readers a bit more about your love of Chinese food?

MTY: I’ve been eating Chinese food my whole life. Going to a Chinese restaurant is probably my earliest memory of eating out as a family. I grew up in a Kosher home, but we would bring in Chinese food, and eat it on paper plates. I guess my mother had her own ideas about being Kosher!

TT: What’s the furthest you’ve ever travelled to enjoy Chinese food?

MTY: I guess from Long Island to New York City’s China Town, but I would travel a lot farther than that for a good Chinese meal!

TT: What in particular is the first impression you take when you enter a Chinese restaurant?

MTY: The overall look of the place, but that usually is not a good indicator of what the food will taste like. Another thing is if they bring some free starters to the table (I like that). Also, a cool fish tank, I like a cool fish tank.

TT: What’s your favorite dish?

MTY: Tough question, Tum. It has evolved a lot since I joined this Quest. These days, I like the different Chinese vegetables prepared with the different sauces. Also, I’m loving the seafood, including scallops & lobster.

TT: Why the Quest?

MTY: Well, it’s a great way to eat fantastic food with good friends. We usually end up laughing the entire meal, and flirting with the waitresses. Also, it is wonderful to hear the feedback from our followers when they go to one of our recommendations.

TT: Are there any secrets you can share, or stories you’ve never told anyone else?

MTY: Not one in particular, but being a group of guys, you can imagine the banter that takes place. One unknown fact about my name: Mee Tsu Yan means excellent in Hebrew.

TT: What do you hope to accomplish on the Quest in the coming year?

MTY: The second half of 2014 is very exciting for the Quest. We just finished revamping the site, making it much more user friendly, and easier to navigate. In the past week, we introduced our very first article for the Wine column, which pairs wines with the dishes that we eat. Finally, we have found some great contributing writers that add their own stories to the blog. By the way, we love when our followers write in, so please feel free to do so.

TT: What about the future?

MTY: I see great things happening in the future. We will be adding videos, with highlights from our dinners. We will be venturing to more neighborhoods, and exploring more varied styles of Chinese food. I believe that we become more relevant by introducing our followers to the best local Chinese food that is out there.

TT: Would you ever try a different type of food?

MTY: I think so, but we have a lot more work to do with Chinese food. Fortunately for us, we live in an area with a lot of Chinese restaurants.

TT: I want to thank you for your time. Are there any parting words you have for our readers?

MTY: Thank you for giving me this opportunity to talk about The Chinese Quest. Remember to check out the Quest, before heading out for Chinese, you will be glad you did!!!