LTHNLG = China Chef = 11/30 = 11:30am

I have a hankering for some egg rolls. It's time for a return visit to LTH favorite China Chef in Morton Grove. It's well located that perhaps some of the Evanstonians and others that work/live in the area might be willing to join us for some ordering power.

China Chef
5920 Lincoln Ave.
Morton Grove, IL 60053
(847) 967-6050
https://www.chinachef.org/

Dave148 = Esteemed Coordinator - LTH North Lunch Group
Cynthia
JoelF
SueF
Cathy2 = approved!
GAF + 2
jnm123
irisarbor +1
ekreider

Very much looking forward to joining you for this.

We should be around for this one

Good choice!

I have placed this on my calendar. I enjoy going to China Chef once a year, and I am thinking of inviting a few Chinese graduate students to join us (I will let you know), just so they can learn what Jewish-American Chinese food is all about (Egg Rolls with peanut butter. Yum.) (Recognizing that C.C. is also Filipino.)

GAF wrote:I have placed this on my calendar. I enjoy going to China Chef once a year, and I am thinking of inviting a few Chinese graduate students to join us (I will let you know), just so they can learn what Jewish-American Chinese food is all about (Egg Rolls with peanut butter. Yum.) (Recognizing that C.C. is also Filipino.)

Pancit guisado forever!!

And if weather doesn't delay my return, I'll be there too.

Not too many of these Jewish/American/Chinese joints left, although trust me, not to self-promote but we as Catholics were right there with y'all, just not on Christmas. And although I liked the pomp & circumstance of Xmas with the gifts, I was always secretly jealous of my pals that got to go to a movie, then eat Chinese from...Ah Fong...Lin's Garden...Pine Yard...Bamboo House...Pekin House...Kow Kow.

Those relics are long gone, but there is a common thread with the 'place-that-time-forgot' '60s/'70s decor, and trying to keep quality (and hygiene) up to snuff. In theory they've been able to survive, maybe even thrive, during the pandemic. My hat's off to them!

See youse.

J

jnm123 wrote: I was always secretly jealous of my pals that got to go to a movie, then eat Chinese from...Ah Fong...Lin's Garden...Pine Yard...Bamboo House...Pekin House...Kow Kow.

Don't forget Nankin!

Dave148 wrote:

jnm123 wrote: I was always secretly jealous of my pals that got to go to a movie, then eat Chinese from...Ah Fong...Lin's Garden...Pine Yard...Bamboo House...Pekin House...Kow Kow.

Don't forget Nankin!

Nankin was the poor man's Ah Fong (I worked there for years). A buddy's sister's husband said to me one day in the 1970's about Nankin, 'it's cheap & they give you a lot of it'.

What a ringing endorsement!

jnm123 wrote:Not too many of these Jewish/American/Chinese joints left, although trust me, not to self-promote but we as Catholics were right there with y'all, just not on Christmas.

Those relics are long gone, but there is a common thread with the 'place-that-time-forgot' '60s/'70s decor, and trying to keep quality (and hygiene) up to snuff.

J

Long ago and far away, when Roman Catholics were expected to not consume meat on Friday, my family would frequently get Chinese take-out from a hole-in-the-wall place on Higgins east of Harlem*. To this day, I judge my retro-American Chinese food by how good the egg foo young is. China Chef's is pretty good.

*said hole-in-wall is currently occupied by Fried Rice Express [not recommended]. Old-Man-Bar Ernie's Tap is still next door [also not recommended].

Giovanna

Giovanna wrote:To this day, I judge my retro-American Chinese food by how good the egg foo young is. China Chef's is pretty good.

Giovanna

Uh, Giovanna---

Not to say that you were committing mortal sin on a weekly basis back then, but most Chinese places' default EFY was/is pork. Shrimp was always my favorite. Ah Fong did a deconstructed version called 'Shrimp & Egg Cantonese' that was fabulous. Also something called 'Chinese Greens with Beef', perfectly-chowed bok choy (rare to have baby bok choy then) in an oyster sauce with sirloin.

We always got shrimp on Friday, so nothing to confess.

Giovanna

Add +2 to my reservation. I want to show my graduate students (Yingzhe and Liangying) from Peking University "real" Chinese food. They have never had egg rolls with peanut butter, having led sheltered lives!

At Kevin Pang's book signing recently, I asked him about peanut butter in egg rolls. He admitted that they can be delicious, and it seems to be a Chicago thing, but didn't say anything about how it came about in Chicago.

GAF wrote:Add +2 to my reservation. I want to show my graduate students (Yingzhe and Liangying) from Peking University "real" Chinese food. They have never had egg rolls with peanut butter, having led sheltered lives!

Gary, they'll either be delighted or appalled, probably nothing in between! Looking forward to it.

But I'm always curious about takes on non-indigenous cuisine--like Greek and then sushi in Salerno, Italy; Vietnamese in Paris: Turkish in Florence. Usually never a miss.

jnm123 wrote:But I'm always curious about takes on non-indigenous cuisine--like Greek and then sushi in Salerno, Italy; Vietnamese in Paris: Turkish in Florence. Usually never a miss.

Brussels has an awful lot of sushi, both Brussels and Paris had many Lebanese, Syrian and similar places, usually open windows onto the street.

Count me in!
Maybe Frank

I am in following a little schedule rearrangement. Looking forward to meeting some people I know only as screen names.

ekreider wrote:I am in following a little schedule rearrangement. Looking forward to meeting some people I know only as screen names.

I do look forward to meeting you!

Cathy2

In case anyone needs their China Chef fix on Thanksgiving China Chef will be open that day from 11am till 6pm.

We have a reservation for lunch. Looking forward to it.

Dave148 wrote:We have a reservation for lunch. Looking forward to it.

Will we fit on one round table?

Regards,
Cathy2

Cathy2 wrote:

Dave148 wrote:We have a reservation for lunch. Looking forward to it.

Will we fit on one round table?

Regards,
Cathy2

For a group of 12, it would be a bit tight at a round table. I booked in a long table instead. I can switch it to a round one if the group prefers.

Hi,

If everybody goes for the lunch special, then it does not matter.

If some want to share, then it is another story or they sit at one end of the table.

Regards,
Cathy2

How many do they usually seat at the round table?
if it's close to 12; I'd go that way
Nicer for chatting etc.
If it's usually like 8 then longer is probably better
See you all tomorrow
E

irisarbor wrote:How many do they usually seat at the round table?
if it's close to 12; I'd go that way
Nicer for chatting etc.
If it's usually like 8 then longer is probably better
See you all tomorrow
E

They can fit 12. I will change it to a round one.

***I Do Plan On Dining
With The Group
At China Chef

I still plan to come but Frank can’t make it ☹️

irisarbor wrote:I still plan to come but Frank can’t make it ☹️

So sorry and now Cateme can take his seat! The ying and yang of event planning.

Regards,
Cathy2

Hi,

I am so glad we fit in a round table seating 12. It is nice to see everyone.

The combination of ordering individual lunch specials plus two orders of fried chicken skin and an order of almond pressed duck help satisfy (at least my) curiosity about this well known and rarely seen dish.

I have no idea what impressions the Chinese students walked away. Their professor gamely ordered chicken chow mein to show them how Americans do it. I was impressed when one student scooped up a very generous spoonful of chili oil that was happily consumed. I later heard the Chinese mustard sauce was even hotter.

Good times!

Regards,
Cathy2