The Year in Review – Most Popular Posts

What a year it was for The Chinese Quest!  Over a dozen Chinese restaurant reviews!  The presenting of the first Questie’s Awards!  Newspaper articles!  Videos! 

Let’s take a journey back in time to the most popular posts from the prior year:

The Year in Review

#10  “Z” is for Zodiac #AtoZChallenge @AprilA2Z

Jews are more than just about eating… or, just eating Chinese food. Yes, they have their own culinary cuisine. They’re also very spiritual people. Just like the Chinese. Yet another similarity! And both cultures have their own Zodiac, as if you didn’t know!

You come to the Chinese Quest not only just for our unbiased reviews of Chinese restaurants, but also to learn and be entertained by other articles about culture, etc. Besides, you can’t eat all day. And what better place to hang out than here, on our blog, reading articles, while you wait the hour until you’re hungry again![…]

#9  How to Order Chinese Food Like a Boss

Not everyone has the vast experience that The Chinese Quest has when it comes to dining out at Chinese restaurants.  Experience does have it rewards. When you sound like you know what you’re doing, and you know what you want, you tend to get not only better service, but kitchen doors will open up to Chinese foods that you won’t find on the menu.

How do you get the good stuff?  Order like a Boss!

Don’t know how to “order like a Boss”?  Or, order like a native.  The Chinese Quest is going to teach you.  This stuff is pure gold, I tell you.  You can thank us later… And at the end of the article, I will tell you how[…]

#8  “F” is for Flushing #AtoZChallenge @AprilA2Z

Flushing!  And no, I’m not referring to all the bathroom pictures that I always post on Twitter of every bathroom in every Chinese restaurant that we review.  THAT bizarre phenomenon can be traced back to ancient and heraldic times, when our great fore-father was anointed by the Queen of, umm, Queens, as Sir Flushalot.  Hence my strange obsession of taking bathroom pictures in every Chinese restaurant.  The rest, they say, his History… we at least it was HIS-story, and he’s sticking to it!  Please, no comments now about the toilet paper stuck to my foot.  I thought I handled that with poise, grace and panache.  But, it would explain too, my favorite fortune cookie, “May your life be like a roll of toilet paper… long and useful”.  But, I digress.

And I bet you thought “F” was going to be for Fortune Cookie.  Close.  But, no fortune for you this time!  But, you’re fortunate to have StumbledUpon this post, because we’re going to tell you what our favorite (another “F” word!) Chinese restaurants are in Flushing, NY.  Apparently, I digressed (or regressed) too far, and got stuck on Fortune Cookies.  Let’s get back on the throne, err, subject[…]

#7  [REVIEW] “Chef Wang”, New Hyde Park, NY

The Chinese Quest eagerly awaited their Quest last night to the newly opened Chef Wang, New Sichuan Cuisine Chinese restaurant in New Hyde Park.  Promising Authentic Chinese cuisine, the Chef delivered on his promise.  Chef Wang has three extremely popular Chinese restaurants in Manhattan. This is his first venture to Long Island.  While Chef Wang wasn’t present this evening, clearly his staff has been well trained, and his Chef’s are upholding his “Legend”.

Though New Hyde Park might have been a curious location to choose for his new Chinese restaurant (which was on the site of many failed Chinese restaurants in the past), I have the faith that he will develop a name and reputation here…. He has built it… and people will come[…]

#6  “D” is for Dumplings #AtoZChallenge @AprilA2Z

Dumplings are perhaps the most perfect of foods.  Self contained all within that wrapper, there are a myriad of food stuffs that can be crammed within.  A veritable smorgasboard between proteins such as shrimp, pork, and chicken; or various different vegetables.  A combination of all the above, OR, for the true aficionado, SOUP!  Can you imagine that?  A bowl of soup inside a dumpling?!!  What will they think of next?

Dumplings can be steamed, boiled, or even fried.  But, authentic Chinese cuisine NEVER ever fries dumplings (Such an Americanization!!)[…]

#5  Bok Choy – What is it Good For?

Absolutely EVERYTHING.   Say it again!  Let’s sing it’s praises.  A serving of Bok Choy a day will…  do a lot.  Perhaps even cure the common cold.  It’s good for you.  AND, it tastes GREAT!  As if you needed another excuse to go out for Chinese food.  Add this one to the list.

The name “bok choy” originated from the Chinese word for “soup spoon” because of the shape of its leaves.  Cultivated in China for centuries, bok choy has played a large part not only in its cuisine, but in traditional Chinese medicine. Today, it’s a staple in both Asian and American recipes[…]

#4  The @AprilA2Z Retrospective

The Chinese Quest participated in the great April A-to-Z Blogging Challenge.  The premise is simple; The challenge daunting!  The brainchild of Arlee Bird, at Tossing it Out, the A to Z Challenge is writing a blog post every day in April except for Sundays (they gave us those days off for good behavior).  And since there are 26 days, that matches the 26 letters of the alphabet. On April 1, we blogged about something that begins with the letter “A.” April 2 was “B,” April 3, “C,” and so on.  You can use a theme for the month or go random – just as long as it matches the letter of the alphabet for the day.

A week before the Challenge started we revealed our theme.  It should have come as a surprise to no one that our theme was “Chinese Food“.  Since revealing our theme, I have updated that post with links to each of the 26 articles that I posted during the Challenge[…]

#3  “L” is for Lo Mein #AtoZChallenge @AprilA2Z

Nothing is more symbolic of Chinese cuisine than noodles. Noodles represent long life, so they’re a superstitious dish and are always enjoyed in almost every meal that you’ll be served.  Long Life Noodles are always served on Chinese New Year.  The most popular way that noodles are served in Chinese cooking is in Lo Mein.

You don’t have to wait for Chinese New Year’s to enjoy some Lo Mein, and you don’t even have to take out Chinese food in order to get the real taste of Lo Mein.  Try this recipe at home, and I guarantee you that your family will think it came from the Chinese restaurant.  If you really want to fool them, save a take-out box from the Chinese restaurant the next time you take out, and serve up the Lo Mein in the box (of course, please take full precaution to wash the box thoroughly before saving it, and re-using it.  The Fine Print:  Please note that The Chinese Quest is not liable for any ill affects from re-using the box.  Use at your own discretion.  Or, as the Chinese restaurant for an extra box next time.  Tell them you want to share the take out with the neighbors.  Or, just use your imagination.  Or, forget the box, and just enjoy the Lo Mein! Or… Or… Or… if I had this much gold ore, I would be a millionaire and wouldn’t have to blog… I would just open a Chinese restaurant, hire the best chefs in the world, and enjoy the best Chinese food in the world.  Every night.  Or not!  😉 )[…]

#2  [CONCEPT] Eliminating Tipping at Restaurants

Would you be more apt to dine again at a restaurant that has a “No Tipping” policy? I can think of a few reasons why that may sway my decision. And a few reasons why it might not be a good policy. As if you didn’t know, waiters (using waiter gender neutrally) typically receive below minimum wage salaries and are dependent upon tips for a majority of their take home pay. As a result, they’re incented to provide excellent service in HOPES of receiving the largest possible tip.

However, there’s no guarantee they will receive a tip commensurate with their services. Some people just tip a fixed percentage regardless of service. In some restaurants all the tips are pooled. So, there’s really no incentive for a waiter to go above and beyond the norm. Waiters are also “supposed” to give a percentage of their tips to the bus boys (again, using “boys” in the non-gender specific way)[…]

#1  [REVIEW] Orient Odyssey, Jericho, NY

Orient Odyssey is the sister restaurant of The Orient in Bethpage.  Orient Odyssey serves Hong Kong Style Seafood.  After a year’s wait, they finally opened their doors two weeks ago.  The buzz was still going strong (and it eventually turned in to an alarm!  More about that later), when we got there as the restaurant was PACKED!  And it was a Wednesday night.  Didn’t everyone know it was Wednesday is Sundae at Carvel?  Perhaps that was their destinations after dinner.  Outside of Flushing, this is the only Chinese restaurant that we have been to that had a line of people waiting to get in.

The restaurant, being brand spanking new, was very clean and dare I say sterile as far as Chinese restaurants typically are.  There wasn’t a lot of ornamentation, but the restaurant is well lit, and modern.  Our presence wasn’t totally unexpected (we made reservations!) and we got to enjoy our meal in a circular table that would have easily fit another two or three people.  Plenty of room for us to spread out, and plenty of room for all the food that we were served.  A large glass lazy susan was strategically placed in the middle of the table that made passing and sharing dishes a breeze[…]

The #1 most viewed video last year:

Wait until next year!  The best (of the Quest) is yet to come!

Humbly submitted for your approval,

—Mee Magnum  (“Chop!  Chop!”)

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