Job Discussion Forums

[nickpellatt]

I can somewhat understand what Puffy is saying. When I went out with large groups of students we would order one dish each. This could sometimes mean 14-15 dishes coming, and at a guess....I would do well if I liked 4 of them. Likewise, if I let a Chinese girlfriend order food of her choosing...Id be in trouble. And wet noodles in water with a lettuce leaf on top isnt that appealing either.
Add in anything with fatty cuts of meat, and far too many bones...and you have a number of dishes I dont like very much at all. And thats before I even think about the pi dan/black egg dish!

But ... through trial and error when I first went to China in 2006, I found about 10 dishes that I do really like and I can happily survive on them each and every day. They are often dishes that you can find pretty much everywhere I think - yu xiang rou si, gong bao ji ding, tie ban niu rou etc. And I also like jiaozi, baozi, mantou etc.

So generally, I would say the majority of Chinese dishes I dont like, probably not as high as 90% mind, but the ones I do like, I adore and can/do eat them daily!

[rogerwilco]

I enjoy some Chinese foods. But, far too many of them include the skin and bones, and I just do not like having to use my mouth to filter out the meat.
Spitting on the table does not appeal to me either.

Many Chinese dishes have far too much oil, salt, and MSG for me to consider them to be healthy or tasty.

I like vegetables, but most are overcooked, limp, and soaked in oil.

Chinese food can be good, but I do not agree that it is the "most delicious and healthy food in the world".

[Gamecock]

Ok, Puffy...relax. I mentioned an opinion, and you made yours (in multiple posts). Who is really sensitive about the food here?

You are free to eat whatever you want. My point is, I've met many people who come to China and want to live a western lifestyle and then complain about their salary not being enough to cover their expenses! If you are happy with your life here, great. No need to continue hijacking the thread.

[Puffy]

I wouldn't refer to my multiple posts as "hijacking". I'd like to think of them as responding to other peoples posts in reference to mine.


Perhaps other people should relax and not get all bent out of shape because someone disputed their claim.

Have a nice day!

[shuanglu pijiu]

since you don't really say who is "looking down on you" for not liking Chinese food, i can't really say why.

but i can perhaps offer you two items of food for thought (no pun intended):

1. if you're talking about Chinese people getting touchy when you tell them you hate their food, you can't possibly be surprised by that, can you? every country has their own particular types of food, and most people from every country prefer and have a bias toward their native food, or are proud of it. it's what they grew up on. when Chinese people tell me they've been to America and hated the food, it doesn't make me all that happy either. so why should Chinese be any different? you touched on this, but you're forgetting one key difference: you're in China. if they tell you they didn't like the food in your country, while you are in theirs, it's not nearly as touchy as you telling them you hate their food while you're standing on their soil. yeah it may be ridiculous or arbitrary (everyone has their own tastes) but that's just the way things work.

2. if your descriptions in this thread are any indication, i have no doubt you make hordes of Chinese unhappy with your comments about their food. you can simply say something's not for you, rather than go on at length about slimy this or disgusting that. you say to each his own, but then you go on and on about how revolting you find everything. that doesn't sound like "to each his own" to me. saying you don't like something is one thing, but exerting concerted effort to try to portray it in the most disgusting or negative light possible is not only unnecessary, but pretty lame.

don't get me wrong, i don't love every single food in China (but admittedly i love most of it), and there's some i flat-out refuse to eat because i truly find it disgusting, but those are extremely rare. but personally i doubt your claims that you've tried nearly every type of cuisine. tons of it is actually quite fresh and nothing like you describe. you basically sound like you eat in a school cafeteria most days and take that as the national standard.

as far as those complaining about bones, spitting them out, etc. it's how they do it here. no one forced you to come here. but you're here. so you do it their way. heaven forbid you eat a piece of meat with a bone in it or spit it on a table. actually to me it seems a much easier way to do it. someone comes and cleans it up. so what?

you don't have to like everything, or even anything. but i also don't think you need to come off so arrogant and insulting. i don't think you'd be happy if someone used the same terms to describe your philly cheesesteak or oatmeal or whatever - which i'm sure plenty of Chinese people would find equally disgusting.

[kev7161]

[Puffy]

Another person who shares my sentiments. I guess my thoughts are not alone.

Forgive me for not savoring the food here as well as for "hijacking" this thread. Where would it be without me?

Life is a natural progression. Some people's actions affect the flow with a positive progression while most just react, usually negatively, to thoughts contrary to their own. Take a chill pill, dude.

You are wrong. You don't know what you are talking about. I've been "coming" to China for years; I've only lived in China for 2 years, but...

I do know this - I wouldn't feel offended if someone told me that they didn't like pizza or whatever. Some folk are too sensitive.

I do know that it wasn't me that mentioned eating in China first. I think I remember something like this -

"......I've never understood coming to a country where you absolutely never want to eat the food...."

I simply moved the discussion to the next plateau. I apologize if my cooking abilities and other skills have made anyone, anywhere feel inferior.

I love egg rolls, pork fried rice with soy sauce and spare ribs with duck sauce. Can anyone out there recommend a restaurant that sells those "dishes"?

I will continue to post on Dave's as if the people reading my opinions are foreigners teaching English abroad. If any of the local folk read what I've written and have been offended, please explain the China Daily forum to me.

Thanks.

Love, Puffy

[dog backwards]

I guess that it just takes awhile for some folks to like the food. A lot has to do with location and how well you know your local restaurants. I was fortunate during my first job here. The students knew where the good food was. It wasn't in the expensive hoidy toidy places. They were all mom and pop joints. I got used to the bones in the fish and some of the unidentifiable floating objects.

It IS possible to live better than decently in the smaller towns on less than 6-7000 rmb per month. I'm in a third-tier city where I can eat out at a good restaurant with friends a few nights per week, drink several beers throughout the week, and buy a few DVDs every week. I also save better than half of my salary. My apartment and utilities are paid, so that makes a difference.

To the OP: Look for a job board that lists jobs available throughout the country and see what's being offered. My observation and experience (though admittedly limited) is that the salaries offered by public universities will give you a good idea of what is a livable wage in a given locality. It won't necessarily be an an indication of what is a GREAT wage, but it will usually indicate the lowest that you can expect to live on without hardship.

Good luck.

[shuanglu pijiu]

[The Ever-changing Cleric]

shuanglu pijiu

well said. if some individuals cant find anything good in chinese cuisine that's their problem. there's plenty to enjoy if one can open their mind a tiny little bit.

[Zero]

Well, that's the thing, Chinese constantly make a production of how great their food and how it's the best in the world and how other countries' food is inadequate. I am American and I know that we, for one, do not go around doing that. In fact many of us embrace non-American foods. If you ask an American what the good restaurants are in his or her town, he might say oh, there's a great Italian place over on the east side, there's a Mediterranean place I really like on Walnut Street, there's an India restaurant a few blocks away ...

I eat plenty of Chinese food, but seriously, what's so great about bony chunks of meat and soggy, oily vegetables?

[The Ever-changing Cleric]

gee zero, why dont u tell us?

[Puffy]

Thanks Mr. Beer, you helped make my point -

"...'cause that's about as Chinese as Panda Express. ..."

Most people who come to China expect food similar to what they ate at home. When they discover that the "food" here isn't at all like the Chinese food they enjoyed at home they may become dismayed. Bones etc...

Please explain to me why I and most of the other 200+ million USA people don't understand "real" Chinese food?

Perhaps a chain like "Da Niang Dumplings" expanding to the US might dispell the myth. I assume you are familiar with "Da Niang Dumplings".

If McDonald's and KFC can do it, why can't China do it? Oh, excuse me if I struck a nerve.

Try Google if you aren't familiar with "Da Niang Dumplings". Lord help me - I sound like most of the other pathetic fools now on Dave's. 3 cheers to Rattie. Dave's was once a fun website. Now, it is full of pompous idiots.

Please put a few extra fortune cookies in my take-out bag.

Puff the Magic Dragon

[Zero]

[rap60]

talking of Panda Express, that temple of authentic Chinese cuisine. I was on holiday in Florida last month. I went to the washrooms near the food court for a pee. A guy came out of the cubicle after much grunting and toiletry effort, and without washing his hands went back to his Panda Express stand. Similarly a few years back, my wife and I were on a 2 day break on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland. The hotel was FULL of MacDonalds managers from across the country. I happened to hit the loo the same time as they all had a pee break. At least75% of them didn't wash their hands.... and they train their employees. So western food may look more inviting to some and taste 'better' than domestic chinese food, but it's the hidden extras with the western food that are not always so obvious.