Growing up, my dad would joke about how gwai lo (a somewhat derogatory Cantonese term for foreigners that translates roughly to “foreign devils”) usually love to order dishes like Chop Suey when they go to Chinese restaurants. Chop Suey, my dad explained, translates roughly to “random bits and pieces” in Cantonese or a hodgepodge dish of leftovers.
Real Chinese food isn’t always found on the menus. Rather, it’s in an insider’s menu, mutually understood by Chinese patrons, and sometimes scrawled in Chinese characters and stuck on the walls at Chinese restaurants. Still, some non-Chinese admittedly long for access to this “secret menu”, as I read recently on NY Times’ Freakonomics Blog. The bloggers write:
Jason Kuznicky at Positive Liberty offers some hypotheses as to why Chinese restaurants have “secret menus” that only Chinese people seem to know about. His top theory: American are used to Americanized Chinese food and wouldn’t like the real stuff, so Chinese restaurants continue serving the authentic food only to their Chinese customers.
I would have to agree with Kuznicky’s theory, but after watching Chef Chris Chung introduce Anthony Bourdain to the secret menu on No Reservations, I got to thinking. Maybe Chinese restaurateurs should open up their secret menus–who knows, perhaps the westerners want the real stuff too?
Suzie
(Thanks bwong for the link!)
{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
I won’t say it’s a secret menu, we just know what we want and order them, not all the dishes are posted on the walls, plus a lot of times restaurants have the ‘catch of the day’, for fish, veggies, etc, all you have to do is ask the waiter what’s fresh today, and after they tell you the list, ask what styles are they making it and what’s the one they’d recommend.
As far as introducing this ‘secret’ menu, i’d say go right ahead, but i think owners are afraid of losing their customers because they don’t like certain foods, but i found more and more of my non chinese friends wanting to try these food, not the generic take out ones
now you’ve made me hungry, good thing i got enough food in the fridge to make some yummy chinese dish
asking the waitstaff always helps. you have to have a little insider knowledge, though – or an insider, with you!
now you’ve made me HUNGRY!
Bourdain wouldn’t know authentic anything from crap.
I love Anthony Bourdain! Although given what he’s eaten on his show over the years, I hardly think it’s representative of what “westerners” really want.
I love ordering off the menu. I do not read Cantonese; however family does so I know the names of good dishes. Pi guwat (not sure the spelling) is a dish of spar ribs in a black bean sauce. Best dish from my childhood… mmmm
I would trust Bourdain’s opinion on what is authentic due to the fact that he goes out and interacts with the locals who are most familiar with the food in that area.
Bourdain’s a good guy.. he’s just out to learn other people’s cultures and their foods.. I respect that he’s open to stuff.. and I just wish I had his job.. haha
I’m totally kool with the “secret menu”.. and am actually leaning towards keeping it secret.. I’m open to tell those who ask.. but it’s like an exclusive club.. that takes time or special interest to attain.. besides, I agree that most people go to Chinese restaurants with the “Americanized” food fare in mind.. and at times I have urges for that style also.. but for those who want more from their average neighborhood friendly Chinese restaurant, those who seek will be rewarded.. =)
I used to love the guy, Anthony Bourdain. but after hearing him say, “This is really good…” when he drank the wonton soup, I lost all respect for him. His opinions no longer provided any significance on the culinary front. YOU DON’T USE THE SAME PHRASE FOR SOMETHING LIKE WONTON SOUP (AMERICANIZED) AS YOU DO FOR OTHERS. dammit, i really don’t like this guy now.
Peng, so you’re saying wonton soup can’t be good? I beg to differ…authentic or not authentic. Wonton soup can be good.
So what word would you use Peng?