Chinese Restaurant in the ID

[gingerpeach]

little ms foodie, have you tried Phnom Penh on King St.?  They have big bowls of seafood noodle soup that are perfect on cold, rainy days. Wish I could get there more often!

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no I haven't! where abouts on King is it or what is it near...I'll put it on my list!!

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It's right next to Kau Kau BBQ (which I believe is at 6th & King).

[rockdoggydog]

Went to the Purple Dot yesterday for lunch with Little Miss Foodie. We went for dim sum and I must say that it was pretty good. The only things we didn't like were the chang fun, there was too much noodle to filler and sauce, and the tripe was a little bland. Much better than I expected it to, I would say that it is a good deal above averge for Seattle dim sum.

Rocky

[sharding]

I really like Tropics. I like everything I've tried there (and I've tried a lot), but they have my favorite Pad Thai in the city (though I also really like Golden Singha in Belltown).

[balomi]

We tried the new Homestyle Hong Kong Restaurant. Good chinese clay pot rice in Seattle at last.

The I.D.has taken a good turn with the additions of Green Leaf, then our first ramen house - Samurai, and now a clay pot rice shop. if only someone would make a decent xiao long bao.

[little ms foodie]

We tried the new Homestyle Hong Kong Restaurant.  Good chinese clay pot rice in Seattle at last. 

The I.D.has taken a good turn with the additions of Green Leaf, then our first ramen house - Samurai, and now a clay pot rice shop.  if only someone would make a decent xiao long bao.

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location please??

i have to say that my current addiction is the house special fried rice at Green Village- cash only.

[balomi]

Homestyle Hong Kong - 615 King across street from park and PO.

Clay pot rice is their specialty. They make it with pork riblets, chicken, beef & egg, frog, squab, duck, and several more things that i don't recall. Be sure to scrape the sides of the pot to get the browned, charred rice for textural and taste heaven.

Edited February 13, 2007 by balomi (log)

[Ling]

Growing up in Richmond, I guess I am a little leery of what Seattle has to offer in terms of Chinese food. Went with a group (8 people total) to 7 Stars Peppers today after reading many good things about it online. We got the Szechuan crab, the spicy chicken pieces (breaded) with chillis, fried eggplant, green onion pancakes, potstickers, house special pancake, hand-shaved dan dan noodles, pea vines, a special of the day (chicken with taro), the Szechuan "bacon" stir-fried with scallions, and the scallops with garlic sauce. I honestly thought one dish was passable (pea vines), and everything else was downright bad or below average. The noodles were totally over-cooked. All the sauces were much too sweet. Green onion pancakes were not flaky or pan-fried, but deep-fried. Everyone else seemed to think the food was pretty good, so maybe it's just me, but I just can't see myself craving this stuff.

There has only been one item served in a Seattle Chinese restaurant that I've eaten and actually enjoyed, and that's the thousand layer pancake at Rocking Wok. Chiang's Gourmet also has decent stir-fried hand-shaven noodles that are good in a pinch, but they also use way too much sugar in their stir-fried dishes (like the "fish fragrant pork sliver" dish, which is normally one of my absolute favourite Shanghainese dishes.)

Edited February 16, 2007 by Ling (log)

[dimsumfan]

Growing up in Richmond, I guess I am a little leery of what Seattle has to offer in terms of Chinese food. Went with a group (8 people total) to 7 Stars Peppers today after reading many good things about it online... Everyone else seemed to think the food was pretty good, so maybe it's just me, but I just can't see myself craving this stuff.

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Ling, I have the same feeling. I think 7 Stars has gone downhill (from great to just good - which still puts it at more tasty than most other Seattle places) since management changed, despite what others think. In my view, the menu is the same, but the execution is worse.

Owners opened Szechuan Chef in Bellevue, which I think is much better (though falling short of a place like Golden Szechuan in Richmond). Have you been there yet? Would be curious to know your opinion...

[kiliki]

I'll warn you not to get the green onion pancake at Szechuan Chef, either-it's done the same way (or worse-someone posted here about getting one that was rock hard). The House Special Pancake is what you want at both places-it is like the 1000 layer at Rocking Wok.

Even though I like 7 Stars I feel for you. Not having any acceptable options has to suck.

[Ling]

Ling, I have the same feeling. I think 7 Stars has gone downhill (from great to just good - which still puts it at more tasty than most other Seattle places) since management changed, despite what others think. In my view, the menu is the same, but the execution is worse.

Owners opened Szechuan Chef in Bellevue, which I think is much better (though falling short of a place like Golden Szechuan in Richmond). Have you been there yet? Would be curious to know your opinion...

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No, but we'll try it someday.

kiliki: Maybe it was just the house pancake we got yesterday, but though it was marginally better than the green onion pancake, it was still pretty bad! I wouldn't compare it to Rocking Wok's thousand layer, but then again, it has been months since I've been back there.

Has anyone been to Facing East?

[hhlodesign]

Everyone else seemed to think the food was pretty good, so maybe it's just me, but I just can't see myself craving this stuff.

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I thought the Szechuan crab was good, the twice cooked pork was good and the chicken dish was adequate. To be fair, when a Chinese boy is craving Chinese food in a city without any good Chinese food, you take what you can get and be thankful you can get it at all. That being said, Richmond definately has better Chinese options than Seattle. But we all knew this going in. Lorna was a trooper for not complaining too much during our meal. BTW, our non-chinese friedns really enjoyed the meal.

The difference between Lorna and myself is the fact that sometimes I have to have Chinese food, even the mediocre stuff; while she would rather go without.

[tighe]

The difference between Lorna and myself is the fact that sometimes I have to have Chinese food, even the mediocre stuff; while she would rather go without.

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Isn't that the definition of the difference between a 'gourmand' and a 'gourmet'?

[Ling]

^ Yes, I always remind Henry of this difference between us.

[little ms foodie]

too bad your meal wasn't up to par- I absolutely love the dan dan noodles at 7 Star but then I've lived my entire life eating west coast chinese food....... I agree the 1000 layer pancake at rocking wok is amazing!!!

[Abra]

I haven't been there since 7 Stars changed hands, but that crab used to rock my world. It's so sad if it's no longer stupendously good.

[little ms foodie]

visited Pho Bac today for the first time and thought it was very good. I've ever only had Pho once before (can you believe it?) but the flavor was very nice and you could tell everything was quite fresh. We also had the Banh xeo which was really crispy and tasty!

[little ms foodie]

I also like the hand shaved noodles at Shanghai Garden. Yum.

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had these today- pork chow mein- fantastic!! the noodles reminded me almost of spaetzle with their firm texture and funny shapes. excellent today and the rest should be great tomorrow!

[Marky Marc]

So I went to Rocking Wok today to try the 1000 layer pancake that y'all are raving about..... I don't see what's so special about it. It was a mess of peppered puff pastry. The texture was nice, I guess. The flavor was mediocre at best though. I also had the mixed meat (?) friend noodle, which was recommended. It was decent but, once again, nothing special.

I'll go to this place in pinch. Say, I'm in Wallingford, hungry, and only have $10 cash, I might go back. But I'll never seek this place out.

[white lotus]

Too bad your Rocking Wok experience was such a disapointment Marky Marc. If memory serves me correctly, the last PNW eG sanctioned social event was organized by Rockdoggydog and we basicaly took over the joint. It felt like the courses would never stop and everything was tasty. I guess I am of the crowd that raved about the 1000 layer pancake. So sad indeed if it is as crashingly mediocre as described. Perhaps you need to find yourself a Rockdoggydog or equivalent to be treated as an honored guest when you go to such places but really, can there be any other equivalents running around out there? cheers, wl

[scarlett]

So I went to Rocking Wok today to try the 1000 layer pancake that y'all are raving about..... I don't see what's so special about it. It was a mess of peppered puff pastry. The texture was nice, I guess. The flavor was mediocre at best though. I also had the mixed meat (?) friend noodle, which was recommended. It was decent but, once again, nothing special.

I'll go to this place in pinch. Say, I'm in Wallingford, hungry, and only have $10 cash, I might go back. But I'll never seek this place out.

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I visited Rocking Wok back in January and as I understand it, they were under new ownership. Apparently the owners sold to an employee (one of the cooks).

I'm not sure if the transition impacted the quality of the food, but when I was there, I didn't think it was all that exciting either.

[dimsumfan]

This is an interesting development. I know many people (many Chinese) who were avoiding the place because they didn't like the attitude of the owner. Hopefully they can get the food quality and service right for the future...

So I went to Rocking Wok today to try the 1000 layer pancake that y'all are raving about..... I don't see what's so special about it. It was a mess of peppered puff pastry. The texture was nice, I guess. The flavor was mediocre at best though. I also had the mixed meat (?) friend noodle, which was recommended. It was decent but, once again, nothing special.

I'll go to this place in pinch. Say, I'm in Wallingford, hungry, and only have $10 cash, I might go back. But I'll never seek this place out.

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I visited Rocking Wok back in January and as I understand it, they were under new ownership. Apparently the owners sold to an employee (one of the cooks).

I'm not sure if the transition impacted the quality of the food, but when I was there, I didn't think it was all that exciting either.

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[MagFoodGuy]

I was there a few weeks ago and found the food to be very good. I will have to admit I found the 1000 layer pancake needing something, but I did observe them making the pancakes in the front room. The real highlights are the fried dishes (like the salt-and-pepper pork chop and the duck) and a surpisingly good shrimp with lobster sauce.

[Marky Marc]

Hmmm.... maybe I'll give it another go in the future.

On another note: I find it just cooler than hell that Jade Garden in open until ungodly hours in the morning. I went there at midnight with my girlie a few nights ago. Hong Kong style noodles, yum yum.