Stir-fried broccoli and chicken in NY

[Pan]

In today's New York Times, Brian Palmer talks about this Hong Kong-style dish as a "litmus test for budget restaurants in Hong Kong." (Link here, and scroll down as necessary - the title is "Temptation: A Humble Dish Worth the Effort to Find.") The Chinese name for this dish is "Choi sum gai fan," and the English translation "Stir-fried Chinese broccoli and chicken on rice." Are any of you fans or connoiseurs of the dish? How do you feel about his nominations for good places to get this dish in New York? I find the listing of Proton Saga dubious, but that's because I had the worst Asam Laksa ever the one time I went there and never returned; maybe they do well with a simple Hong Kong-style dish. The other places he mentions are Excellent Dumpling House ("creditable") and Ipoh Restaurant on Canal and Essex, which clearly gets his highest rating, with Proton Saga rated in between the two other places for this dish.

Any thoughts on all this?

Edited January 28, 2004 by Pan (log)

[weinoo]

Well, I went to Ipoh today and didn't see the aforementioned dish on the special rice plate menu - so I ordered another chicken dish (Hainan chicken) which was really good and I also tried the house-made shrimp noodles, which were excellent - a portion was $1.75!! I will go back and try the chicken with chinese broc dish which was on the regular menu...perhaps I just needed to ask for it, but sometimes I don't feel like going thru all the communication hassles!

Interesting note about this place is that all the people working there were women - which I haven't generally seen in most Chinese/Malay restaurants (which is what I think this place is). As a matter of fact, when dining at Congee Village recently, it was time for family meal and the whole kitchen staff came out (around 10 P.M.) - all men....and then we didn't get one of the dishes we ordered till family meal was over!

[Pan]

All the people working there including wait staff are men? That is very unusual. By contrast, at Restaurant Malaysia in Flushing, I think the only man working there is the guy who makes satay and such-like. I believe the wait staff and the cooks in the main kitchen are all women.

A place called Ipoh definitely would figure to have a Malaysian connection. Ipoh is a Malaysian city with a big Chinese community that is justly renowned for its excellent food.

Thanks for the report, weinoo.

Edited January 28, 2004 by Pan (log)

[Jason Perlow]

Of course, we all know that "Gai Lan" is Chinese Broccoli, not Choy Sum.

Chinese Broccoli is paired usually with Beef and oyster sauce, not Chicken.

[Pan]

What's choi sum? Do you speak Chinese or just restaurant-Chinese, Jason? No, not everyone knows.

[Jason Perlow]

What's choi sum? Do you speak Chinese or just restaurant-Chinese, Jason? No, not everyone knows.

Choi Sum is a different type of Chinese green vegetable. Its also served with oyster sauce (but usually by itself) and in a number of other dishes.

Choi Sum:

http://www.melissas.com/catalog/index.cfm?...id=172&Info=YES

also:

Yu Choy Sum

http://www.melissas.com/catalog/index.cfm?...id=202&Info=YES

Gai Lan:

http://www.melissas.com/Magazine/index.cfm?article_id=214

Gai Lan is distinguished by having little broccoli-like florets on it, whereas Choi Sum does not (although it also has flowers, just not ones that look like and tasted like Broccoli). Gai Lan's stalks also taste more approximately like Broccoli. Which is why Gai Lan is Chinese Broccoli and Choi Sum isn't.

The "Beef and Broccoli" dish you get in take out places all over the US is actually derived from the real Chinese dish, which has Gai Lan served with sliced beef.

[Pan]

Thanks, Jason. I recognize the Gai Lan (I've eaten it many times) and the Yu Choy Sum, but not the Choi Sum.

I'll check 'em out at the Hong Kong Supermarket or that huge place in Flushing next time.

[weinoo]

All the people working there including wait staff are men? That is very unusual.

Pan, I meant all the kitchen staff at Congee Village appeared to be men. In the FOH, both men and women are working the floor. At IPOH, it was ALL women.

As far as different kinds of greens go, I now live on East Broadway off Grand, and I can't believe the variety and choices of beautiful greens there are in the produce markets...and the Hong Kong supermarket has nothing on the produce stands along Grand.

Thanks for the info about Ipoh - makes perfect sense now.

[Pan]

weinoo, I could see what you meant upon rereading tonight.

I did a little shopping at the collosal Chinese grocery store on Kissena Blvd. today and paid careful attention to the green vegetables.