China Menus

[Arey]

fruits frais avec des glandes de crabe japonais
It sounds tastier in French (courtesy of babelfish), but what doesn't?

[liuzhou]

This place opened recently not far from my home. It is a small restaurant which only sells soup. Here is the menu,

 

 

And my translation:

Column 1

香菇肉饼汤                            Fresh Shiitake  and Pork Cake Soup

墨鱼肉饼汤                            Cuttlefish and Pork Cake Soup

苦瓜排骨汤                            Bitter Melon and Pork Rib Soup

墨鱼排骨汤                            Cuttlefish and Pork Rib Soup

香菇排骨汤                            Fresh Shiitake and Pork Rib Soup

莲藕排骨汤                            Lotus Root and Pork Rib Soup

萝卜排骨汤                            Daikon and Pork Rib Soup

海带排骨汤                            Kelp and Pork Rib Soup

玉米排骨汤                            Corn and Pork Rib Soup

冬瓜排骨汤                            Winter Melon and Pork Rib Soup

淮山排骨汤                            Chinese Yam and Pork Rib Soup

花生排骨汤                            Peanut and Pork Rib Soup

茶树菇排骨汤                        Tea Tree Mushroom and Pork Rib Soup

雪梨猪肺汤                            Snow Pear and Pork Rib Soup

花生猪肺汤                            Peanut and Pig's Lung Soup

黄豆猪手汤                            Soybean and Pig's Foot Soup

花旗参板粟排骨汤                American Ginseng and Pork Rib Soup

 

Column 2

 

花生猪脚汤                            Peanut and Pig's Foot Soup

白果猪肚汤                            Ginkgo Pork Tripe Soup

墨鱼肚片汤                            Cuttlefish and Pork Tripe Soup

天麻宿脑汤                            Tianma (Gastrodia Elata) Brain Soup

花生猪尾汤                            Peanut and Pig Tail Soup

老鸭猪肚汤                            Duck and Pork Tripe Soup

白果老鸭汤                            Ginkgo and Duck Soup

香菇老鸭汤                            Fresh Shiitake and Duck Soup

枸杞香菇土鸡汤                    Goji Berry, Shiitake and Organic Chicken Soup

天麻党参土鸡汤                    Tianma, Dangshen (Codonopsis pilosula) and Organic Chicken Soup

天麻乌鸡汤                            Tianma Black Chicken (Silkie) Soup

花旗参板粟乌鸡汤                American Ginseng Organic Chicken Soup

人参乌鸡汤                            Ginseng Black Chicken Soup

天麻鹌鹑汤                            Tianma Quail Soup

黑豆乌鸡汤                            Black Soybean Black Chicken (Silkie) Soup

天麻乳鸽汤                            Tianma Pigeon Soup

人参乳鸽汤                            Ginseng Pigeon Soup

 

As ever, foods in China have medicinal benefits, especially soups. The title of the menu is Nutritional Soups. Prices are low. The most expensive is 15元 ($2.30; €2; £1.60) - most are half that.

Edited March 7, 2016 by liuzhou (log)

[Chris Hennes]

Can you explain the numbering scheme?

[liuzhou]

48 minutes ago, Chris Hennes said:

Can you explain the numbering scheme?

 

It is derived, I think, from an ancient tantric divination practice imported from India in the Tang dynasty involving chicken entrails, the direction of the wind, and a broken calculator. These results are offered up to the mahjong table and gamblers rate the dishes on a personal scale. The results are then ignored and a random number generator is instead employed. It's the scientific approach to socialism. Or possibly the diners are cheapskates. I notice that, in general, the lower numbers are cheaper.

 

Either that or "No, I haven't a clue!"

Edited March 7, 2016 by liuzhou (log)

[Shalmanese]

5 hours ago, liuzhou said:

 

It is derived, I think, from an ancient tantric divination practice imported from India in the Tang dynasty involving chicken entrails, the direction of the wind, and a broken calculator. These results are offered up to the mahjong table and gamblers rate the dishes on a personal scale. The results are then ignored and a random number generator is instead employed. It's the scientific approach to socialism. Or possibly the diners are cheapskates. I notice that, in general, the lower numbers are cheaper.

 

Either that or "No, I haven't a clue!"

 

Please walk in there next time and confidently order the #2 without looking at the menu. I really want to see what they bring out.

[liuzhou]

I mentioned here having eaten at this restaurant a few days ago. Here is their menu which mainly consists of traditional Xi'an and NW Chinese dishes.

 

 

肉夹馍                        Rou Jiamo

 

 

干拌牛肉面                Dry Mixed Beef Noodles

 

干拌臊子面                Spicy Pork Sauce Noodles

 

油泼面                        Oil Splashed Noodles

 

炸酱面                        Zhajiang Noodles

 

西红柿鸡蜜面            Egg and Tomato Noodles

 

炸酱西红柿面            Zhajiang Tomato Noodles

 

煎饼                            Millet Pancakes

 

手工凉皮                    Hand Made Liangpi

 

 

凉拌面                        Cold Dressed Noodles

 

农家臊子面                Peasant Style Spicy Pork Sauce Noodles

 

酸汤饺子                    Sour Soup Jiaozi

 

饺子                            Jiaozi

 

 

蛋炒面                        Egg Fried Noodles

 

肉炒面                        Pork Fried Noodles

 

大盘鸡                        Da Pan Ji (Big Plate Chicken)

 

 

糖醋里脊                    Sweet and Sour Pork

 

回锅肉                        Twice Cooked Pork

 

鱼香肉丝                    Fish Fragrant Pork

 

农家小炒肉                Peasant Family Stir Fried Pork

 

木耳炒肉                    Wood Ear Fungus w Pork Stir Fry

 

青椒肉丝                    Green Chilli Pork

 

 

豆角烧茄子                Yardlong Bean w Eggplant

 

麻婆豆腐                    Mapo Doufu

 

 

番茄炒蛋                    Tomato Scrambled Egg

 

蒜蓉西兰花                Garlicky Broccoli

 

酸辣土豆丝                Hot and Sour Potato Slivers

 

红烧茄子                    Red Cooked Eggplant

 

生炒时蔬                    Fresh Cooked Seasonal Vegetables

 

豆腐花                        Tofu Dessert

 

绿豆粥                        Mung Bean Porridge

 

蒜泥肚丝                    Garlic Pig's Tripe

 

凉拌牛肉                    Cold Dressed Beef

 

猪脚                            Pig's Foot

 

耳朵                            Pig's Ear

 

凉拌猪脸                    Cold Dressed Pig Face

 

冻肉                            Cold Pork

 

猪脸拌素拼                Mixed Pig Face

 

尖椒皮蛋                    Preserved Egg w Chilli

 

洋葱拌木耳                Onion and Wood Ear Fungus

 

菠菜拌粉条                Spinach Noodles

 

炝莲菜                        Boiled Lotus Root

 

老虎菜                        Tiger Salad

 

 

凉拌黄瓜                    Cold Dressed Cucumber

 

 

凉拌三丝                    Cold Dressed Three Strips

 

芝麻菠菜                    Sesame Spinach

 

凉拌笋丝                    Cold Dressed Bamboo Shoot

 

凉拌土豆丝                Cold Dressed Potato Slivers

 

五香花生米                Five Spice Pignuts

 

皮蛋拌豆腐                Preserved Egg w Tofu

 

油炸豆腐拌粉条        Fried Tofu w Bean Starch Noodles

 

酸辣肚丝汤                   Hot and Sour Pig Tripe Soup

 

西红柿鸡蛋汤            Egg and Tomato Soup

 

紫菜蛋花汤                Seaweed Egg Drop Soup

Edited April 5, 2016 by liuzhou (log)

[KennethT]

@liuzhouI just downloaded the Waygo app - it includes 10 free translations per day in the free version.... so I just scanned a bunch of the above characters - and each was translated almost exactly as you had done!  So exactly, I wonder if they based their app on your descriptions!  After that trial, I think it's definitely worth $6.99 for a lifetime of free translations!

[Naftal]

liuzhou- What are pignuts?

[liuzhou]

13 hours ago, Naftal said:

liuzhou- What are pignuts?

 

Good question.

 

I've been served a number of different things identified as "pignuts", especially these.

 

There is also a linguistic confusion.  Although a standard translation of 花生米 is "pignuts", it is also possible that they just meant peanuts. (花生仁 is more standard for shelled peanuts, at least round here.)

 

I haven't eaten the "五香花生米 Five Spice Pignuts" at this particular establishment. The next time I am there, which won't be long coming, I will order some and let you know. I'm betting on the peanut theory, though and will edit the translation if necessary.

[liuzhou]

Yesterday, I ate here as reported in the dinner thread here.

 

 

Quote

Their sign reads "正宗兰州拉面 - zhèng zōng lán zhōu lā miàn" The first two characters together mean "orthodox", then we have Lanzhou", the capital of Gansu province in China's NW,  and finally "lā miàn" or "hand pulled noodles".

Yes, Lanzhou is noodle central, home to both "hand-pulled noodles" and "knife cut noodles" among others. There are theories that the Japanese "ramen" originated here, but then veered off in its own direction.

 

The "orthodox" refers to it being a Muslim restaurant, Gansu being one of China's most Muslim areas. The two characters at the top "清真 - qīng zhēn" simply mean "Muslim". So, no pork.

 

Here is my translation of half the menu. I'll do the other half next time I visit.

 

Left

Beef Hand Pulled Noodles - 牛肉拉面 niú ròu lā miàn

Beef Hand Cut Noodles - 牛肉刀削面 niú ròu dāo xuē miàn -

Egg Hand Cut Noodles - 鸡蛋刀削面 jī dàn dāo xuē miàn

Green Vegetable Hand Pulled Noodles - 青菜拉面 qīng cài lā miàn

Egg Hand Pulled Noodles - 鸡蛋拉面 jī dàn lā miàn

Scallion Oil Soup Noodles - 葱油拌面 cōng yóu bàn miàn

Extra Beef Hand Pulled Noodles - 加肉拉面 jiā ròu lā miàn

Red Cooked Beef Noodles - 红烧牛肉面 hóng shāo niú ròu miàn

Tomato and Egg Hand Pulled Noodles - 番茄鸡蛋拉面 fān qié jī dàn lā miàn

Tomato and Egg Knife Cut Noodles - 番茄鸡蛋刀削面 fān qié jī dàn dāo xuē
miàn

Beef Fried Hand Pulled Noodles - 牛肉炒拉面 niú ròu chǎo lā miàn

Egg Fried Hand Pulled Noodles - 鸡蛋炒拉面 jī dàn chǎo lā miàn

Beef Fried Hand Cut Noodles - 牛肉炒刀削面 niú ròu chǎo dāo xuē miàn

Egg Fried Hand Cut Noodles - 鸡蛋炒刀削面 jī dàn chǎo dāo xuē miàn

Beef Fried Noodle Pieces - 牛肉炒面片 niú ròu chǎo miàn piàn

Dried Beef Soup Noodles - 肉干拌面 niú ròu gān bàn miàn

Beef Paomo - 牛肉泡馍 niú ròu pào mò

Mutton Paomo - 羊肉泡馍 yáng ròu pào mò

Xinjiang Soup Noodles -  新疆拌面 xīn jiāng bàn miàn

Steamed Beef Dumplings - 牛肉水饺 niú ròu shuǐ jiǎo

 

Right
 
Red Cooked Beef - 红烧牛肉 hóng shāo niú ròu

Hand Torn Beef - 手抓牛肉 shǒu zhuā niú ròu

Onion Quick Fried Beef - 葱爆牛肉 cōng bào niú ròu

Onion Quick Fried Mutton - 葱爆羊肉 cōng bào yáng ròu

Cumin Beef - 孜然牛肉 zī rán niú ròu

Cumin Lamb - 孜然羊肉 zī rán yáng ròu

Potato Fried Beef - 土豆烧牛肉 tǔ dòu shāo niú ròu

Green Chilli Fried Beef - 青椒炒牛肉 qīng jiāo chǎo niú ròu

Mushroom Fried Beef - 蘑菇炒牛肉 mó gū chǎo niú ròu

Wood Ear Fried Beef - 木耳炒牛肉 mù ěr chǎo niú ròu

Garlic Shoot Fried Beef 蒜苔炒牛肉 suàn tái chǎo niú ròu

Onion Fried Beef - 洋葱炒牛肉 yáng cōng chǎo niú ròu

Pumpkin Fried Beef - 西葫芦炒牛肉 xī hú lú chǎo niú ròu

Chicken Pieces with Chilies -  辣子鸡块 là zi jī kuài

Tomato and Egg - 番茄炒蛋 fān qié chǎo dàn

Green Chili Fried Egg - 青椒炒蛋 qīng jiāo chǎo dàn

Hot and Sour Cabbage - 酸辣白菜 suān là bái cài

Green Chili and Potato Slivers - 青椒土豆丝 qīng jiāo tǔ dòu sī

Red Cooked Chicken Pieces - 红烧鸡块 hóng shāo jī kuài

Xinjiang Big Plate Chicken - 新疆大盘鸡 xīn jiāng dà pán jī

Xinjiang Small Plate Chicken - 新疆小盘鸡 xīn jiāng xiǎo pán jī

 
Others       Beef per portion
另加： 牛肉每份
lìng jiā       niú ròu měi fèn

                  Fried Egg           
                  煎蛋每份
                  jiān dàn měi fèn

 

Notes:
 "Paomo" literally means "Soaked Steamed Bread", but the dish is one of hand torn bread served in        soup with the desired meat. Mutton is the more common. A speciality of Xi'an.

"Noodle Pieces" are just randomly shaped bits pulled or cut from the main lump piece of dough and boiled. Image here.

 

Edited March 28, 2017 by liuzhou (log)