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The latest in the continuing series, by Mee Rich Yee, of “Chinese Food around the World”.
Having spent approximately two glorious weeks in the Mediterranean, including Athens, Santorini, Crete, Montenegro, two parts of Croatia, and Slovenia, we (me and Mee Pee Wee C) arrived in magnificent Venice. I’d been enjoying the food, but found myself, needing my fix of Chinese food.
Since I have discovered Chinese food in Scotland, France, Amsterdam, the Bahamas, England, Ireland, etc, in the past, I knew there must be some here! We began by strolling through St Marks Square (or as it is known in Venice, S.Marco). Breathtaking, complex, historic, yet so far, no Chinese food!
Then, suddenly, nestled amongst the shops, restaurants, and other wonders of the area, we saw a sign, Ristorante Dragone D’Oriente, located at S.Marco, Calle dei Fabbri 1053, 30124 Venezia (Italy). Of course, it suddenly felt like lunchtime, so we walked in.
The first thing we noticed, was this was far larger than it appeared from the outside. The menu had all the usual components, plus one section, for, of course, Pastas. We proceeded to order a couple of delicious appetizers, and two tasty entrees, and some hot tea. Service, décor, and food was superior, and we were very glad we ate there. The Spring Rolls were hand made, filled with both the usual suspects, and some local specialties. The dim sum was seasoned nicely, and tasty, as well. Both of our main dishes were excellent, which included both seafood and meat.
If you are a Chinese food nut, like we are, wherever you travel, try some, for at least one meal. This was better than England’s, and Scotland’s Chinese food, far better than in France, and better than the Chinese food we enjoyed in Rome. Try it!!
What are some of the “out of the way” Chinese restaurants you’ve been to? Please post a comment below to let us know!
by Mee Rich Yee, nee Richard Brody
I have been a French resident in Venice since 1996.
I am very fond of Chinese cooking.
I am must say I have been deluded with all the Chinese restaurants where I have been in Italy, including the Venetian ones. I found them crappy – very very UN-Chinese. They are usually quite cheap, but the cooking is also … cheap and not very good. You find much, much higher quality in Chinese restaurants in Paris, and in London or in New York. So, unless you are really fed up with Italian cooking, I would not advise anybody to go to a Chinese restaurant in Italy (at least in Milan, Padua and Venice where I have tried some of them and can tell you they are crappy).
By the way, there are also some crappy Chinese restaurants in France, but I found that, on average, there are better than in Italy or in the UK, aside from London.
The place I least likely thought that I would find Chinese food in was in the most remote sections of French speaking Quebec Province in Canada.
It was a take-out Chinese restaurant. But, one look at the menu, and I knew I was “home”.