Top100 Chinese Restaurants in the U.S.A. 2004

[elswinger]

This reminds me of Chili Pepper recently magazine saying Azteca (http://www.aztecamex.com) is the best Mexican food in the state of Washington. Anyone from here knows it's one of the worst chains in the NW.

[Hest88]

I didn't need to read past PF Chang's.

[Bux]

Have you tried AsiaRoma Bar and Lounge on Mulberry? 

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Nope, I was never tempted. Isn't that a karaoke lounge?

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I guess so by the name.

Okay, it sounded familiar and you've helped me place it. That was one of the last vestiges of the Italian neighboorhood that used to be that part of Chinatown, and it morphed. Morphed is a good word here if it has any connotations of a science fiction experiement gone awry. I've never been inside and have the urge to cross the street when I walk past it. Now that I know it's one of the 100 best, I'll have to try it. We shold meet there and if I'm late, you should start without me.

[Busboy]

I need to voice how I feel about the nominations.  I am completely puzzled why they took Lee How Fook off the list.

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Closed by the health department for Weirwolf infestation.

[Al_Dente]

Closed by the health department for Weirwolf infestation.

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That's what he overheard in Mayfair.

[hannnah]

Lee Ho Fook in Soho didn't have beef chow mein on the menu.

That's just wrong.

[Gifted Gourmet]

The choices from Atlanta were less than thrilling as well. I can't understand why some of the new up and coming places were not nominated. The few they chose show that this "competition" is not particularly useful because it omits so many deserving candidates.

[viaChgo]

What a silly list.

Bob Chinn's in Wheeling, IL is not a Chinese restaurant! It's a seafood/crabshack place! However, they do have a mai-tai dispenser, so maybe that qualifies??

[Gifted Gourmet]

maybe the nomination was based upon the name of the owner???

[jschyun]

L&L Hawaiian Barbecue in Honolulu?

[Joe Blowe]

Bob Chinn's in Wheeling, IL is not a Chinese restaurant! It's a seafood/crabshack place!

maybe the nomination was based upon the name of the owner???

well, at least they managed to keep this place off the list...

[torakris]

Chinese Restaurant News' official list of The Top 100 Chinese Restaurants for 2004 has been announced today at a press conference co-sponsored with the All Asia Food Expo at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in New York City. Winners from various categories in a total of 29 states and the District of Columbia were included in the listings. Nationwide chains such as Panda Express, China Buffet, and P.F. Chang's were included on the roll as well as Alabama's Hunan Garden, Utah's China Lily Restaurant and New York City's Grand Sichuan Restaurant on 9th Avenue.

check out the list here:

http://c-r-n.com/english/content.asp-category_id=36711.htm

thoughts?

[NancyH]

From the Q&A section: Q: What can diners expect when coming to these restaurants to eat versus other restaurants?

A: Diners can see the Top 100 Chinese Restaurant logo at the Restaurant window and know that they are in for a culinary treat. This award will be displayed with pride by the owners, who have a commitment to excellence in Chinese cuisine.

For chain restaurants? You have to be kidding me!

I see Bob Chinn's crabhouse made the list - we have just had a active discussion about how not authentic this place is on the Heartland forum.

[wesza]

I feel that this "LIST" is ridiculous !

Since I've actually eaten at 22 of the 100 restaurants on the list it's even stranger.

I'm sure that there are more then 100 Restaurants located in Flushing, NY or Los Angles and San Francisco that are certainly better then almost all the places on this joke of a list.

I can think of Restaurant's in Seattle, Brooklyn and Suburbs of LA and San Francisco that are equal to or better then the majority listed. Some of them listed are actually awful compared to almost many neighborhood operations in my estimation.

I've enjoyed meals at places in Boston, Philadelphia, Kent or Renton, Wa and Honolulu that certainly are better then the majority.

If this list had included service, decor, areas or locations it would still be quite questionable as a realistic best of whatever.

If they had included Vancouver, Canada there wouldn't be room for any Restaurants except Canadian on the list since Canada permit's the majority of ingredients to be imported directly from the source, while in the USA they must make to often. Also there has been more early immigration substantial capitol invested in Western Canada that brought true food service professionals to immigrate.

I and many others feel that some of the best Chinese Food anywhere is offered in Vancouver, but during the last 7/10 years both the East Coast and West Coast of America are slowly catching up.

Contrary to many thoughts the highest earning for competent Chinese Chef's is still Hong Kong and the volume of sales/rents per square foot are higher then anywhere else except maybe the Ginza in Japan.

Does anyone else share my feelings or am I only making noise ?

Irwin

[jhlurie]

The second round involved reviewing candidate restaurants against a set of criteria: minimum 3 years in business, owned by Chinese-Americans, a recipient of a minimum two award of local dining excellence. Thus we narrowed down the list to 1,000 restaurant candidates on the second round, semi-final list. Every candidate on the semi-final list is required to fill in a registration form to participate in the final round of rankings.

Ah yes. Jeffrey Chodorow is obviously an honorary Chinese-American. NOT.

[kellycolorado]

Mr. Chau's fast food in the Bay Area- westernized, yeah, upscale, fine china, um, no! Seeing a "top 100" plaque in there except for fast food would be a travesty.

It seems that how "upscale", fusion style or Westernized the restaurant is has more to do with their selection than their criteria is letting on.  The common thread I see in the restaurants that made their cut is that they are less authentic and more pandering to American palates and ideas of what a "restaurant" looks like inside, with all the trappings like linens, fine china and crystal, etc. that one would expect at a French restaurant.

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[phifly04]

I need to voice how I feel about the nominations.  I am completely puzzled why they took Lee How Fook off the list.

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It seems that how "upscale", fusion style or Westernized the restaurant is has more to do with their selection than their criteria is letting on. The common thread I see in the restaurants that made their cut is that they are less authentic and more pandering to American palates and ideas of what a "restaurant" looks like inside, with all the trappings like linens, fine china and crystal, etc. that one would expect at a French restaurant.

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Seriously disturbed that none of Margaret Kuo,s restaurants made this list-especially the 2 on state street in Media,Delaware county,shit aint right

Dave s p.s. if you have never tried i would highly recommend them

[jschyun]

I for one am extremely pissed off that Portland's Hung Far Low did not make the list. Who are these idiots? They have obviously not had the divine mayonnaise crab puffs, nor the stellar brown chow mein.

One sip of the "Hung Far Lowng Island" and they'll realize their mistake.

[Kevin72]

Hmm. The best Texas can muster according to this list is a buffet and a chain by Phil Romano of Macaroni Grill fame.