Friday
Nov 21st
Home 
Mexican Lifestyles Food & Dining Wanton Disregard For Taste At Chinese Buffet
Mexican Lifestyles Food & Dining Wanton Disregard For Taste At Chinese Buffet | Wanton Disregard For Taste At Chinese Buffet |
|
|
| Written by Brian Levinson | |
| Saturday, 07 May 2005 | |
|
Chinese restaurants have operated in Guadalajara for decades, but the industry really exploded two or three years ago. There are at least one hundred restaurants around the city, with the greatest concentration on avenues Juarez and Moreno downtown.
Guadalajara, Jal. But the increase in restaurants does not translate to greater food quality. In fact, it might just be the opposite. The all-you-can-eat Chinese buffet is now a common sight, as owners are looking to attract customers with sheer bulk. ÒThe whole world started selling buffets, so we had to start doing it too,Ó says Anny Kuang, who owns several restaurants and has lived in Guadalajara for twenty years. Kuang never eats Chinese food outside of her own restaurants. ÒItÕs pretty much the same wherever you go. So if I eat out, IÕm going to go for Mexican or Italian food, or maybe barbecue.Ó The Chinese buffet is a kind of nuance-killing phenomenon. People donÕt know the name of their favorite restaurant, nor can they identify many of the food items. But at least it fills them up. I decided to try Chongua on Avenida Juarez. The plates they were serving from the kitchen did not look half bad, but the investigative journalist in me was compelled to test the buffet -- in the waning, reheated hours of the evening. Chongua wins my Òworst place to be cooked if you are a vegetableÓ award, a distinction previously held by a Greek diner back home in New Jersey. The broccoli looked dead on arrival. Then there was a strange eggroll filled with a green vegetable, a mystery meat and some kind of banana pudding. I had a hard time recognizing the banana taste, it being outside of its natural culinary habitat and all. Robert Lo runs a gourmet and very tasty Chinese/Thai restaurant on Avenida Ni–os Heroes. He says the downtown buffets are popular with Tapatios simply because of the bargain. ÒItÕs not because they like the food so much as they like the price. For 25 pesos you donÕt really care what kind of food you are eating.Ó (The 48-peso Chongua buffet is one of the more upscale.) He adds, ÒNot many people are willing to spend 80 or 90 pesos for Chinese food, and those people that can afford it would prefer Italian or Japanese.Ó The other problem is ingredients. The cheaper restaurants use second or third rate vegetables, and chicken wings instead of the meatier breasts. They forgo water chestnuts and certain types of mushrooms because they are not sold in Mexico, and too expensive to import. Lo goes the extra step and brings in many of his products from Los Angeles. With a higher priced menu, he relies on a more foreign clientele, including many diplomats from the U.S. consulate. But even he has to cut costs. His soy sauce is a 50-50 combination of Kikoman, the recognized international brand, and a sugary Mexican knock-off. |
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
This Week's Stories
Popular
Feature of the Week
Competitors stay cool despite Wal-Mart fever
Photos of the Week
|
Copyright © 1998 - 2008 Guadalajara Reporter. All rights reserved.
The material on ths site may not be reproduced, distrubuted or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of the Guadalajara Reporter. Developed by Hawk Tail Design |
|
