Marco Polo in Glen Rock

[tommy]

Had dinner at Marco Polo in Glen Rock tonite.  This is a chinese place, with some sort of hint of Italian.  Not sure where hint lies, but that’s what I’ve heard.

Before I go on, let me say that I despise chinese food, unless I’m hungover (which wasn’t the case tonite).  I find it bland, lacking in any herbs or exciting spices.  Salt and cornstarch don’t usually get me going.  After eating chinese food, I generally feel disgusted, disgusting, and bloated, and wishing that I hadn’t made the mistake again of ordering it.  I’ve also eaten at the “better” chinese places in NYC, including Chin Chin, shun lee, and numerous places in chinatown, not to mention others in various parts of the country.  All have left me with the above feeling.

However, this marco polo place threw me for a loop.  I’ve heard that it’s “the best” chinese.  I’m pretty sure I’ve had “the best” that this area and others have to offer.  Well I was mistaken.  

Dishes as follows:

Hunan chicken – not overly sauced, and the sauce that was there wasn’t overpowering.  Lots of fresh vegetables, and tender silky chicken.

Kung Po Shrimp – I never really had this dish, and only ordered it because it was featured in a recent episode of HBO’s Larry David Show.  My curiosity got the best of me.  Shrimp (not those little tiny poor excuses for shrimp that you usually get at chinese places, but rather, well, slightly larger ones – why don’t chinese places serve shrimp the size and quality that most thai and vietnamese places serve?!?!) with diced vegetables in a slightly spicy sauce.  Again, not overpowering, and rather satisfying.

10 ingredient fried rice – yeah, couldn’t make up my mind.  A very reasonable version of fried rice.  

Wonton soup – the wontons weren’t too doughy or pasty, which is what I generally find.  Rather light actually, and very good.

I hope this doesn’t start the inevitable “that’s not real chinese food” discussion.  It is what it is, and it’s better than all the rest!

Highly recommended for a chinese fix.  and they now have sushi as well.

Marco Polo Secret Restaurant

206 Rock Rd Glen Rock, NJ (201) 612-1188

[Jason Perlow]

Ah Tommy. You obviously have never really eaten Chinese food.

Go to China 46. Not like anything you have eaten recently, most likely.

the lack of flavor/etc that you mention is a problem with american-style Cantonese food. Its been done that way for american tastes, not Chinese.

If you have ever had REAL Hong Kong Style or Shanghainese or Sichuan or Taiwanese you wouldnt feel that way, I can assure you.

[tommy]

Quote: from Jason Perlow on 11:28 pm on Dec. 1, 2001

Ah Tommy. You obviously have never really eaten Chinese food.

right.  never been to china.

Quote: from Jason Perlow on 11:28 pm on Dec. 1, 2001

Go to China 46. Not like anything you have eaten recently, most likely.

my first version of this post assumed you meant Chengdu 46, which i wasn't impressed with.  i'll check out china 46 though.  thanks.

when i say bland i don't necessarily mean "lack of flavor".  perhaps i chose the wrong word.  more importantly, the concept doesn't do much for me. again,  no fresh herbs, no spices to speak of.  lots of heat, yes, lots of sweetness, yes, fresh veggies, sure, but that's all i can see.  i wish China 17 was still around, as i heard that was pretty good for what it was, and Nixon liked it. ;)

(Edited by tommy at 11:37 am on Dec. 2, 2001)

[201]

So I'm digging through the archives and I pull up this little tidbit... Tommy used to hate Chinese food?!?

I guess China 46 really did turn things around. However, I've been meaning to try this Marco Polo place, so I wanted to ask if anyone's been there lately. Also I figured that Tommy might have different thoughts about this place after falling in love with China 46.

Well?

[tommy]

marco polo is a notch above the other places in the area. it can't compete with china 46, but china 46 is in a whole nother league. they play a different game, have different rules, and, of course, a much different menu.

i had marco polo the other night for the first time in some months, and after, ugh, sampling many chinese places in the area, mrs. tommy and i both confirmed that it was still the best.

Edited December 18, 2002 by tommy (log)

[ngatti]

Oh shit! 2001! No wonder I'm all screwed up.

I feel better now.

Nick

[menton1]

Just wanted to throw a plug in for Veggie Heaven in Teaneck. Bah, humbug you say? Give this one a try. NEVER leaves you disgusted, disgusting, or bloated. You never miss the meat, because they use the meat analogs so creatively. Duck Soup and Happy Family are some of my faves. Since they have to be more creative, less cornstarch and salt is used, more spices, and the result is fantastic. Very clean place, good service. A good once-a-month type place for a weeknight.

[tommy]

Oh shit! 2001! No wonder I'm all screwed up.

I feel better now.

Nick

dude, as far as i can tell, you were screwed up long before 2001.

201, i *still* hate chinese food, in the form that it's usually served in these here parts. however, the more "authentic" sichuan and shanghai places get me going. i'd like to try some other types as well.

does anyone know the different btwn the words "sichuan" and "szechuan"?

[menton1]

Idoes anyone know the different btwn the words "sichuan" and "szechuan"?

Just in the phoenetic English translation. In chinese letters the word is the same.

[201]

Just wanted to throw a plug in for Veggie Heaven in Teaneck.  Bah, humbug you say?  Give this one a try...

Since I'm digging through the archives ANYway, I may as well just quote my original post on Veggie Heaven from the Vegetarian Restaurants thread:

...Of course, the fact that I've never eaten at the vegetarian restaurant that I walked past every day for months says something about my food preferences as well.  I've been to Veggie Heaven and while I feel that overall it's acceptable (and even sometimes quite good), there are certain dishes that are just awful (i.e. sweet and sour "chicken").  I attribute this  mainly to the failure to effectively mimic the textures one would expect of the equivalent meat dishes.  I'm impressed more by dishes that were CONCEIVED as vegetable dishes rather than those that try to imitate meat.  That sort of sums up my feelings on vegetarianism in a nutshell...