Post #540436 by White Devil on Fri, Jul 2, 2010 12:23 PM

On 2010-06-29 23:33, Baron von Tiki wrote:

On 2007-09-17 02:01, Bongo Bungalow wrote:. It is the expertise with the food that I'm after.

Sure, there are plenty of Chinese families running Chinese restaurants but most of them are no more expert with food than the average white families that run roadside diners serving American food. So, it sounds to me like you'd be better served hiring an educated chef (i.e. one with a certificate or degree in Culinary Arts) who specializes in Asian food -- either as a consultant or to run your kitchen outright.

Anyone who's ever been inside a Chinese restaurant should read Jennifer 8. Lee's "The Fortune Cookie Chronicles," which is one of the most entertaining books on food I've ever read. She writes a history of "Chinese" restaurants in the U.S., their export to other countries, as well as the history of the fortune cookie. It also, apropos to this thread, goes into the familial nature of how Chinese restaurants operate, proliferate, and change hands.
One request I'd make of any future Tiki restauranteurs: please keep in mind us old duffers with acid reflux conditions. I've just been diagnosed with it, and am still coming to grips with the new reality of no more citrus juice, alcohol, or anything else with actual flavor. While there's a good chance it will heal in time, there will always be a number of us out here who actually have to think about what we eat & drink before we do it. I'd still love to be able to patronize Trader Vic's & the Mai-Kai, even if I'm stuck with it from now on.