China 46

[Anonymouze]

Try Minado not too far away in Little Ferry the food is better and tastier and it's also all you can eat. We have eaten quite a few times at C46 and it's pretty unremarkable and each time seems to be worse than the last when the owner Cecil isn't there. Trust me a take out chinese restaurant in an urban city with several health code violations may taste better IMHO. You can really find other places that have better tasting food like Lotus Cafe near Hackensack about 5 minutes away or Dim Sum Dynasty in Ridgewood. I don't understand why some folks seem to push this place especially some of the EG staffers, but we attended a chinese new year EG event there and several of our friends were there and they also stated that they would not come back, they were disappointed as well.

Edited to also add: I meant "asian" as a whole not particularly chinese vs japanese vs korean etc... I'd just as soon pass on eating at C46! REALLY.

Edited May 10, 2006 by Anonymouze (log)

[Jason Perlow]

Stacey, there's no comparing China 46 to Minado. To say that it is "better" is an absolute falsification and an improper comparison -- Minado is a buffet restaurant that centers on sushi. China 46 is a Shanghainese and Sichuan-style restaurant with some Hong Kong dishes. If you're going to make comparisons at least compare it to another Chinese restaurant.

Now, Lotus Cafe is a very good Chinese restaurant. However they serve Taiwanese -style food with a particular focus on Noodles and they have a primarily American customer base. However, they do not have a seafood focus or cater to mostly Chinese like China 46 does. So again, it would be better if we made appropriate comparisons.

Edited May 9, 2006 by Jason Perlow (log)

[pete ganz]

I don't understand why some folks seem to push this place

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Maybe it's because they can tell the difference between good authentic Chinese food and your local take-out place?

What I don't understand is why some folks would compare a Japanese buffet with a Shanghai Chinese restaurant.

[Hank]

Try Minado not too far away in Little Ferry the food is better and tastier and it's also all you can eat.  We have eaten quite a few times at C46 and it's pretty unremarkable and each time seems to be worse than the last when the owner Cecil isn't there. Trust me a take out chinese restaurant in an urban city with several health code violations may taste better IMHO.    You can really find other places that have better tasting food like Lotus Cafe near Hackensack about 5 minutes away.    I don't understand why some folks seem to push this place especially some of the EG staffers, but we attended a chinese new year EG event there and several of our friends were there and they also stated that they would not come back, they were disappointed as well.

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Stacey, we certainly all have a right to our own opinions and thankfully in this country we can vocalize them without fear but to say that Minado is better than China 46 proves to me that you have either some kind of agenda towards China 46 or you do not have the slightest idea what good Chinese food is all about. That comparison, IMHO is nothing short of being terribly dead wrong.

Also, in my many years of going to restaurants I have never, ever yet gone to an "all you can eat" restaurant where I did not walk out as hungry as when I walked in and that includes Minado. The food was nothing less than God awful and inedible and any of my friends who have gone have felt the same. Again, I cannot for the life of me understand your comparison.

You also remark why some folks push this place. Simple answer my frined. We go because we think it is some of the best Chinese food in our area and keeps us from driving to New York or Chinatown for comparable food.

That said, if you like the food at Minado that is fine and I wish you many more enjoyable meals there. A Votre Sante.

P.S. Personally, I have been lucky enough over the years to have gone to some of the best Chinese restaurants in this country and in China and I truly believe that I have learned good from bad Chinese food.

Edited May 10, 2006 by Hank (log)

[rooftop1000]

I wonder what it is about China 46 that gets to so many posters...It is really a love it or hate it kind of place.

There are some dishes that are good and some that kinda suck, or perhaps it is the style that some of us are unused to from being brought up on La Choy or take out.

Between the 2 meals I have had at China 46 and 2 at Dim Sum Dynasty. I would choose Dim Sum Dynasty myself...but usually just get delivery from Tings

tracey

[Jason Perlow]

Again Tracey, very different type of cuisine. Hong Kong / Dim Sum versus banquet style Shanghai. But I agree DSD is a great place. Totally different concept though.

[Adam P.]

Just out of curiosity, which dish with the hot peppers did he order?

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i keep picturing the pepper and salt pork chops, and that's getting me veeeeery hungry.

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Did you have to mention the pepper and salt pork chops? I'm drooling on my keyboard at this very moment and I had just eaten a very large meal.

Edited May 10, 2006 by Adam P. (log)

[tommy]

Trust me a take out chinese restaurant in an urban city with several health code violations may taste better IMHO.   

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trust you? no, i think i'll trust me.

i've been to china 46 about 150 times, and i can count the times that cecil and/or connie hasn't been there on one ear hair.

as far as eg staffers pushing the place, there was a time when founder jason perlow was down on the place, and i was pushing it. and i, you are assured, am about as far from an "egullet staffer" as the egullet staff can hope.

really, though, i'm not sure i get the comparison of a japanese buffet with china 46. i really don't get it. not to mention that when i go to minando, i spend more than i've ever spent at china 46. there's really no comparison. although, i don't agree with hank that the food is god awful. there's plenty to choose from and some items are very decent. most notably, the cold salads...which may or may not be worth the 25 dollar tariff.

adam p, you can make those chops at home, sort of:

http://tommyeats.typepad.com/photos/cooking/img_0953.jpg

i crave this flavor sooo much. there's something magical about it, i'm convinced.

Edited May 10, 2006 by tommy (log)

[Jason Perlow]

there was a time when founder jason perlow was down on the place

Temporary insanity.

[tommy]

there was a time when founder jason perlow was down on the place

Temporary insanity.

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there's hope for you yet.

[Jason Perlow]

That's what my therapist says now that I'm no longer a stress head.

[richl2214]

Sushi/sashimi at a buffet?!?!?!?!?!

I can't imagine myself ever doing that. But then again, I am sure the end of the world is nigh.

[pete ganz]

Sushi/sashimi at a buffet?!?!?!?!?!

I can't imagine myself ever doing that.  But then again, I am sure the end of the world is nigh.

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Minado is actually pretty good, but I'd be surprised if they had more than 2 dishes in common with C46.

[Jason Perlow]

I agree, they actually have some good items such as the BBQ Korean short ribs. Also, the sushi is good if you go on a VERY BUSY lunch hour or dinner (such as friday/saturday night) because nothing sits.

[tommy]

i don't find the quality of the sushi and sashimi to be particularly high or notable. in fact, it looks tough and fatty. like scraps. the BBQ selections are quite good, and you'll often find a line of people fighting over the stuff. worth the fight.

[jo-mel]

I wonder what it is about China 46 that gets to so many posters...It is really a love it or hate it kind of place.

There are some dishes that are good and some that kinda suck, or perhaps it is the style that some of us are unused to from being brought up on La Choy or take out.

Between the 2 meals I have had at China 46 and 2 at Dim Sum Dynasty. I would choose Dim Sum Dynasty myself...but usually just get delivery from Tings

tracey

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Hey! I was raised on La Choy AND Chung King, but I grew out of it and now know Chinese food from Chinese food! LOL!

The selections I've had at C46 have never disappointed me. My only problem is being there with just DH and myself and having to limit how many dishes we order.

Their food is authentic and varied (on the Chinese side of the menu) and have me craving Shanghainese more and more.

As far as comparing restaurants, that is a tricky thing to do unless you are comparing similar dishes --- like your meatloaf or my meatloaf. All restaurants appeal to us in different ways.

Jason -- that House Special Saute is pork, beancurd and flowering chives. I don't recall peppers being a big part of the dish.

[Jason Perlow]

Jason -- that House Special Saute is pork, beancurd and flowering chives. I don't recall peppers being a big part of the dish.

I think you're right, the other one is called "Spicy Capsicum" something or other.

[irongut]

China 46 is a Shanghainese and Sichuan-style restaurant with some Hong Kong dishes. If you're going to make comparisons at least compare it to another Chinese restaurant.

Now, Lotus Cafe is a very good Chinese restaurant. However they serve Taiwanese -style food with a particular focus on Noodles and they have a primarily American customer base. However, they do not have a seafood focus or cater to mostly Chinese like China 46 does. So again, it would be better if we made appropriate comparisons.

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Good point about the cuisines of China46 & lotus cafe. If i'm in the mood for Shanghai style food like the soup dumplings, zha zherng noodles (not sure what the english name of this meat sauce noodle is) , scallion pancakes, or any other shanghai noodle soups, and warm soy bean milk, I go to a shanghai restaurant like C46 or old soochow on 46 in Saddle Brook. If i'm in the mood for dim sum or cantonese style seafood & meatdishes i tend to go to a hong kong style place like China garden in clifton or the restaurant in fort lee on main st. that serves dim sum. The name escapes me. If i'm in the mood for chicken wings 'n fried rice or general tso's chicken i go to my local neighborhood ghetto chinese place. By the way, "Goody's" a chinese takeout joint in Paterson on market st. sells a mean 'n tasty half rotisserie chicken (pollo a la brasa) with yellow rice for under $5 .

[Jason Perlow]

or the restaurant in fort lee on main st. that serves dim sum. The name escapes me

Silver Pond, its another favorite of mine. Try Dim Sum Dynasty in Ridgewood. Different items in a more elegant atmosphere. I alternate between both.

[Adam P.]

China 46 is a Shanghainese and Sichuan-style restaurant with some Hong Kong dishes. If you're going to make comparisons at least compare it to another Chinese restaurant.

Now, Lotus Cafe is a very good Chinese restaurant. However they serve Taiwanese -style food with a particular focus on Noodles and they have a primarily American customer base. However, they do not have a seafood focus or cater to mostly Chinese like China 46 does. So again, it would be better if we made appropriate comparisons.

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Good point about the cuisines of China46 & lotus cafe. If i'm in the mood for Shanghai style food like the soup dumplings, zha zherng noodles (not sure what the english name of this meat sauce noodle is) , scallion pancakes, or any other shanghai noodle soups, and warm soy bean milk, I go to a shanghai restaurant like C46 or old soochow on 46 in Saddle Brook. If i'm in the mood for dim sum or cantonese style seafood & meatdishes i tend to go to a hong kong style place like China garden in clifton or the restaurant in fort lee on main st. that serves dim sum. The name escapes me. If i'm in the mood for chicken wings 'n fried rice or general tso's chicken i go to my local neighborhood ghetto chinese place. By the way, "Goody's" a chinese takeout joint in Paterson on market st. sells a mean 'n tasty half rotisserie chicken (pollo a la brasa) with yellow rice for under $5 .

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Authentic Hong Kong style dim sum in Clifton? I must have passed by China Garden a million times and never bothered to check it out. Now I definitely have to.

I still have to check out Old Soochow. I've seen a few people offhandedly post about it, but I've never seen it make it into its own topic. How does it compare to China 46?

[Jason Perlow]

Rachel and I went there once, I'm not sure if we ordered badly but we didn't find it as good a restaurant as China 46. Food didn't seem as fresh for some reason.

[markk]

Authentic Hong Kong style dim sum in Clifton? I must have passed by China Garden a million times and never bothered to check it out. Now I definitely have to.

It's not very good at all. Tired, lackluster tasting dim sum, and it's made to order.

(Ditto China Chef in nearby Secaucus, whose dim sum is from carts on weekends.)

[irongut]

Authentic Hong Kong style dim sum in Clifton? I must have passed by China Garden a million times and never bothered to check it out. Now I definitely have to.

I still have to check out Old Soochow. I've seen a few people offhandedly post about it, but I've never seen it make it into its own topic. How does it compare to China 46?

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China Garden hosts some good standard fare dim sum, nothing creative though. At least my chinese family thinks so. You have to order off the dim sum menu, no push cart ladies. I have got to try Dim Sum Dynasty. It seems like a creative & refreshing twist to Dim Sum & Cantonese dishes according to the posts on this forum.

As far as comparing C46 with old soochow, I think C46 is better. C46 has tastier stir fry & main entree dishes with good standard shanghai soup & stir fry noodles & dumplings. While in general Old Soochow is good at the noodle part.

[Daniel]

Went for lunch today.. It was pretty good.. We started out with cold sliced beef..

Had great gelatin in it..

Had the spicy cellophane noodle dish.. It was ok.. It was slightly warmer then room temp.. Dish wasnt too exciting had a nice heat and liked the cilantro..

Pork and crab soup dumplings.. Really enjoyed the filling .. The dumpling was rather thin and caused a lot of them to break apart..

The pork was great:

Spicy chicken dish.. This was my least favorite.. It had a nice heat, it had a peppery flavor but was a little weak and was one dimmensional.

Pan fried noodle with seafood and vegetables.. Noodles were good, liked the bok choy and mushrooms.. Sauce was a not too exciting white sauce...

I didnt love the restaurant, but we enjoyed it..

[Rachel Perlow]

So, you went at lunch time but seemed to order from the menu rather than partake of the dim sum & buffet. Next time you go on a Sunday at lunch time, order more dumplings from the one page list they give you, which is included in the all you can eat buffet price.