You can't even get decent Chinese Food in this lousy town anymore.

Blue Ocean closed or some ****, and now what's left is God awful bad.  We've gotten delivery for 6 months from different Chinese restaurants and the chicken keeps coming back with these grizzly muscle striations.  The food as we know has gone downhill in general in this town, but really?  I mean is Arturo's the only good food left in this town?  Can't our mayors negotiate for better food venues ?  



Try a tofu dish.  Mapo tofu, perhaps?   Mmmm.


Maybe you live in the wrong town for your tastes. Personally I like a lot of the local eateries.


maybe you should go back to Brooklyn


Try Door Dash, they deliver from lots of different towns.  I was never a fan of any of the Chinese places in MSO, but DD adds Springfield, Millburn, Summit and Livingston into the mix, where I thought the Chinese food was better.


I have to agree that NJ has done pretty lousy Chinese food especially SOMA.


Perhaps you should move. Hong Kong offers more choice and they have a robust citizen - mayor dialogue.


conandrob240 said:

I have to agree that NJ has done pretty lousy Chinese food especially SOMA.

 I do not disagree with this. But good Chinese food is about 1,436 on my list of reasons to choose a place to live. And I like Chinese food. 


5 words: Hunan Taste Montclair or Denville...

-s.


njcanuck said:

Perhaps you should move. Hong Kong offers more choice and they have a robust citizen - mayor dialogue.

 Robust is an understatement.  


ml1 said:

conandrob240 said:

I have to agree that NJ has done pretty lousy Chinese food especially SOMA.

 I do not disagree with this. But good Chinese food is about 1,436 on my list of reasons to choose a place to live. And I like Chinese food. 

 Sure. But it feels like #1 every once in a while when you really want it and wonder why it sucks so bad one state over.


I don't think Blue Ocean is closed.  I order from them regularly, and I put in a Seamless order with them 5 minutes ago.  Lucky Fortune is good too.


conandrob240 said:

 Sure. But it feels like #1 every once in a while when you really want it and wonder why it sucks so bad one state over.

 because there are more real Chinese people in NY. 


That’s true of every nationality because it’s a city of 8 million people, duh. Lol.  But many other types of food are as good or almost as good in NJ as NY. Chinese is not.


Not a delivery option I guess but Veggie Heaven in Montclair is a pretty popular spot. And you will never have that problem with the chicken! Wink.


I think Veggie Heaven has some of the best flavors (e.g., the hot & sour soup has fantastic flavor and textures) because they are not relying on the meat to carry the dish.  Teaneck's Veggie Heaven seems to make theirs hotter than Montclair's version. 

That said, I only went to the Denville Veggie Heaven once, but it was far below the standards of the other two. Maybe they just had an off-night, but I haven't gone back to check.  Teaneck is always full, Montclair is a bit less busy, and Denville was empty the night we went.


ml1 said:

conandrob240 said:

 Sure. But it feels like #1 every once in a while when you really want it and wonder why it sucks so bad one state over.

 because there are more real Chinese people in NY. 

Real Chinese people?  As opposed to fake Chinese people?


sprout said:

I think Veggie Heaven has some of the best flavors (e.g., the hot & sour soup has fantastic flavor and textures) because they are not relying on the meat to carry the dish.  Teaneck's Veggie Heaven seems to make theirs hotter than Montclair's version. 

That said, I only went to the Denville Veggie Heaven once, but it was far below the standards of the other two. Maybe they just had an off-night, but I haven't gone back to check.  Teaneck is always full, Montclair is a bit less busy, and Denville was empty the night we went.

 Wait. Who's Veggie Heaven? I've been bemoaning the sad state of hot and sour soup these days and would love a good bowl of it.


conandrob240 said:

That’s true of every nationality because it’s a city of 8 million people, duh. Lol.  But many other types of food are as good or almost as good in NJ as NY. Chinese is not.

 Still can't get a decent loaf of sourdough in NYC but you can at Montclair Bread Co.


drummerboy said:

 Wait. Who's Veggie Heaven? I've been bemoaning the sad state of hot and sour soup these days and would love a good bowl of it.

 http://veggieheavenmontclair.com/

Check it out db!


yahooyahoo said:

ml1 said:

conandrob240 said:

 Sure. But it feels like #1 every once in a while when you really want it and wonder why it sucks so bad one state over.

 because there are more real Chinese people in NY. 

Real Chinese people?  As opposed to fake Chinese people?

Often called bananas by "real" Chinese people.  Yellow on outside, white  on inside.


Morganna said:

drummerboy said:

 Wait. Who's Veggie Heaven? I've been bemoaning the sad state of hot and sour soup these days and would love a good bowl of it.

 http://veggieheavenmontclair.com/

Check it out db!

Unfortunately I don't go up to Montclair much these days, but I'll keep them in mind for a good soup..



drummerboy said:

Morganna said:

drummerboy said:

 Wait. Who's Veggie Heaven? I've been bemoaning the sad state of hot and sour soup these days and would love a good bowl of it.

 http://veggieheavenmontclair.com/

Check it out db!

Unfortunately I don't go up to Montclair much these days, but I'll keep them in mind for a good soup..

I used to go all the time (or order delivery) when I worked in Montclair. The lunch special during the week was a soup and a main dish for $6.95. (Along with the pickled cabbage and tea if I remember correctly). They also had a decent bubble tea. Haven't gone in a while -- and now I'm craving their hot & sour soup!


dave said:

yahooyahoo said:

ml1 said:

conandrob240 said:

 Sure. But it feels like #1 every once in a while when you really want it and wonder why it sucks so bad one state over.

 because there are more real Chinese people in NY. 

Real Chinese people?  As opposed to fake Chinese people?

Often called bananas by "real" Chinese people.  Yellow on outside, white  on inside.

Very classy.... not.


dave said:

yahooyahoo said:

ml1 said:

conandrob240 said:

 Sure. But it feels like #1 every once in a while when you really want it and wonder why it sucks so bad one state over.

 because there are more real Chinese people in NY. 

Real Chinese people?  As opposed to fake Chinese people?

Often called bananas by "real" Chinese people.  Yellow on outside, white  on inside.

 Why is this okay to say? Yuck


yahooyahoo said:

Very classy.... not.

Whoa, let's not call the Politically Incorrect Police Squad yet.  I first heard it from a Singapore Chinese person referring to an American Chinese friend sitting at the same table.   (And I pointed out they were both bananas, but I meant 'crazy').

ETA: I'm sure if they weren't already friends it could have been taken as a pejoritive.  


Honestly, that doesn’t make it okay for you to say it. 


yahooyahoo said:

Real Chinese people?  As opposed to fake Chinese people?

People actually from China who know the authentic cuisine. 


I think we're in a dangerous place where we are trying to define what makes a "real" Chinese person. According to your definition, ml1, a person born here with two parents who were born and raised in China is not a "real" Chinese person.


mrincredible said:

I think we're in a dangerous place where we are trying to define what makes a "real" Chinese person. According to your definition, ml1, a person born here with two parents who were born and raised in China is not a "real" Chinese person.

I just explained what I meant. I apologize for using the word "real." 


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