I enjoyed a quick bowl of noodles at the new Pacific BBQ Cafe on Lonsdale St in the city last week.
After reading Mellies post and enjoying the food at both the Victoria St and Toorak Road restaurants, I popped in for some noodles and duck. But this is not the significant part of my experience, - yes the duck was great - but I was given a fork and spoon to eat my noodle soup and duck with... no chopsticks. What the?
At first I thought it was a mistake or at the least a 'round eye' gesture, but as I looked around the busy dining room, I noticed that most of the Asian guests were also using the said mentioned fork and spoon. What is this, I questioned to myself, some kind of western mimicking trend?
I've been using chopsticks in Chinese restaurants in Australia since my Dad made my 'trainee' pair with a rubber band and some folded napkin, way before I new that special fried rice is not that special.
I'm not sure what the story is here, but after spying some chopsticks on a close by waiters station I asked for a pair and then could eat my soupy noodles. I know the fork would have been a disaster, just too hard.
As I pondered my noodles, I thoroughly read the menu on display through the glass top table, I noticed a few other irregularities about the Pacific BBQ Cafe, how does this take your fancy...
Grilled cheese with seafood on rice or spaghetti $14
At first, I assumed this was a case of 'chinlish' but as I read on I realised to my horror it wasn't and yes, you can also order either stir fried spaghetti with chicken, bacon in cream sauce or a hamburger (I saw the sesame seeded bun go past to another table!).
Not your thing, then what about a spam sandwich?
I suddenly felt like I was in a strange backpacker friendly, Chinese restaurant in Asia.
I came to Pacific BBQ for the duck and that's what I got and it was brilliant but I question a kitchen that seriously serves hamburger buns and stir fried spaghetti next to it's traditional Chinese fair, or tell me, is it my fault for not 'getting it'?
Any insights into the 'no chopstick' thing? Please do share...!
Let's face it Jackie, yours are the roundest eyes with the longest lashes, lol... Vida x
ReplyDeleteHi Jackie,
ReplyDeleteReally interesting post!
I have no idea what was going on with the chopsticks; that sounds totally odd.
Weird westernised foods are very common at cheep and cheerful Hong-Kong run Chinese cafes, especially in Box Hill, Springvale or Glen Waverley. So, the menu will usually be absolutely massive, with heaps of Chinese dishes, a few Thai or Malaysian thrown in, a big drinks list (avocado milkshake, iced coffees, sometimes bubble tea), as well as the Western-style stuff - toast and butter, spaghetti, grilled cheese with seafood or whatever.
I think these places are catering for Asian students (particularly from Hong Kong), rather than to Westerners, as the students seem to be the main group of customers. I've noticed that very few non-Asians go to those places. And I wouldn't normally think of these places as being of particularly high quality. I'm surprised to hear that Pacific House is taking this route!
Good to hear that the duck was brilliant, though.
xox Sarah
Hi Jack,
ReplyDeleteMy thoughts were similar to Sarah. I have seen this before at a Taiwanese in Kingsford (I think). Again, a cheap and cheerful place frequented predominantly by students.
Perhaps this is authentic for them? Perhaps this is the kind of place the patrons would seek out at home - a cafe serving a variety of foods with their own spin.
Many cafes around australia offer a hokkien noodle, for cheaper take away places it's in the bain marie next to the deep fried dimmie, spring rolls, spicy mini drumsticks and a chicken "curry" of some sort.
???
just a thought...
Thanks Sarah and Grocer.
ReplyDeleteThe student fuel idea works in my mind, even if I'm happy to stay with the duck not the spaghetti! Just the chopstick on request thing is still strange. Perhaps just bad service but it doesn't explain seeing others eating Chinese food with forks and spoons.
Jack
[...] next to it's traditional Chinese fair [...]
ReplyDeleteSo you're not happy they're not traditional enough.
How about then you trying the traditional way of using the possessional form and sticking with "its"?
Let me cite: "The confusion between it's and its occurs because on virtually every other word 's indicates possession, so English speakers naturally want to use it's to mean "something belonging to it." But it's is only used when it's a contraction of it is or it has.
The ironclad rule - no exceptions - is that if you can replace the word with "it is" or "it has," use it's. Otherwise, it's always its."
again my thoughts are around how this kind of eatery might be perceived in their home culture. If they are students perhaps they see eating with cutlery as an upwardly mobile thing???
ReplyDeleteIn another life I recall an international seminar (in denmark) and meeting people that had never eaten with anything but chopsticks...
so thinking laterally perhaps it's part of the advent of the global village? I mean, chopsticks were a big deal for lots of people in Australia 10 - 20 years ago - I have taught many a friend (and husband) how to use them!
Now, about your grammar...
LOL! gotta love the anonymous pedantic!
Jack, What you're seeing there is Cha Chaan Teng, Western-Cantonese style food which originated in Hong Kong but has gradually become popular throughout Asia. We even saw evidence of it in Vietnam last year.
ReplyDeleteThe root of this kind of fusion cuisine lies in making western food more appetizing to the Asian palate. Also, expat British in HK(FILTH - Failed In London Try Hong Kong) generally had local servants to cook for them there. Most were not au fait with Cantonese food nor their servants of British meals. So a Hybrid was created which probably more suited the locals.
My father speaks of it being considered quite 'high brow' in HK during the nineteen forties and fifties.
As Hong Kong people have grown accustomed to more sophisticated forms of Western food, this type of quaint and fun food has been relegated to the kind of cheap, fast food venues that 'Honkies' use to have breakfast, supper, a plate of rice with roast meat and snack sized meals. No Chopsticks are ever deployed in these venues.
My favourite exponent of this cuisine is Star East in Glen Waverley, where along with good Cantonese food, you will find French Toast, Mixed Grills with crinkle cut chips, pastas made with Campbells condensed soups and Oxtail Stew, to name a few items.
It is not uncommon to see customers with a mix of these dishes and popular traditional dishes on the table at one time. It's a good cheap venue to take a group when there is a sprinkling of non-epicureans in the mix as everyone leaves happy. You will however be offered chopsticks there due to the diverse nature of the offering.
Jack, what Sarah, Grocer and Sticky have said is spot on. This type of Western-Eastern food is prevelant in Hong Kong. At every corner cafe, you could get a ham and cheese sandwich as well as a noodle soup. It has been around in Australia for quite some time now and in places like Glen Waverley and Box Hill, most Chinese cafe serve this type of "Honky" food.
ReplyDeleteI don't mind it personally. When I was in Hong Kong for holiday, I would sometimes order something traditionally Chinese, while other times I would get Spaghetti with Pork Chops.
As for the chopsticks thing, that is very very strange. Usually at cheap and cheerful Chinese cafes, it probably the opposite. They would offer you chopsticks even if you are "round eyes". Only when you ask would they give you a spoon. Only more considerate places may offer "round eyes" a spoon to start off with.
Star East in Glenny!!!!!!!!!!!! Hell yeah! I only discovered Glenny last year with my uni mates, lol.
ReplyDeleteClaypot with eggplant and minced pork. Then a hot ball at Pancake Parlour! Yum yum.
xox Sarah
The Victoria St Pacific used to have a dish on its menu Beef with Coca Cola and Coffee I never had the courage to order it but have spoken to others who said it was pretty good.
ReplyDeleteHi Jack! I concur with Sticky and others. In fact just returned from a working trip to Hong Kong. A 'brunch' at one of these teahouse/cafes (cha chaan teng) was minute-steak with ketchup and a fried egg sunnyside up on rice, which my local Cantonese colleague translated as 'ngau pa faan'. Hey, I was craving a steak! And my instruments were fork and spoon (used to 'cut' the steak), would have struggled with chopsticks! And to wash it down was milk tea (ngai cha), which was prepared with a Lipton teabag steeped in 3/4hot water and 1/4 Nestle sweetened condensed milk...syrupy. Somehow it works.
ReplyDeleteOh god, I am from Hong Kong and I know of the fare you speak of. I don't think I ever liked it growing up, and I never will. My sister on the other hand...
ReplyDeleteAs with the forks and spoons, I can't eat noodles or rice with them either, it isn't in my blood. I believe it is for the HK Cafe food (don't really know how else to translate it). I went there the other day, and got soup noodles and the appeard to have brought out the chopsticks and soup spoon with the meal. Maybe you're just getting authentic Asian service; non existent.
I'm asian, and they still give me fork and spoon when i order roast duck on rice :p
ReplyDelete