Ordering curry/chips/chickenballs at the Chinese: missing the point?

The King of Moo

I've noticed in my local Chinese and from talking to friends that the above seem to be the most popular Chinese takeaway dishes.

Now everyone's entitled to get what they want, but I have to confess to being a little perplexed by this.

They seem to be the least "Chinese" foods you can get there, and the closest to what you can get at your local chipper or make quickly at home.

Now I know that the curry is generally nicer than your chipper one, but you can get chips anywhere and chicken balls seem no different from Birds Eye crispy chicken fillets.
Except they're in ball form.

Not to criticise people who order these things, especially if they order other dishes as well, but it just seems like a bit of a waste when you can get lovely things that the cooks are probably much better at making (though probably not as well as the proper chefs back in China) instead of getting stuff that you can buy in the frozen food aisle or get at your chipper.

What do you think?

Does it say something about our reluctance to experiment with food, or can you convince me that Chinese curry, chickenballs and chips is the food of the gods?

Oranage2

I got a curry in China and it came with potatoes - true story



Edit: Also in china they just call it food.

krudler

General Tso's chicken ftmfw

The King of Moo

Oranage2 wrote: »

I got a curry in China and it came with potatoes - true story

I had a Thai curry once with potatoes: it seems like a really weird mixture but it was really nice and the textures go well together.

MagicSean

I have a mate who used to order a dry breast of chicken and chips. Then he would smother it in ketchup. Not very oriental.

But if you want to talk about missing the point. I used to work in a Wimpy Burger. The amount of people that would order massive meals and then look for a diet coke was mental. Like the diet drink would somehow make it a healthy meal.

Wolflikeme

Chinese food is fcukin' rank (here and China!)

Indian ftw!

Lord Trollington

No one can do an Omelette and chips quite like the chinese.

smurgen

so you're telling me they don't eat 3 in 1's or chicken balls in Shanghai? Pull the other one!

The King of Moo

smurgen wrote: »

so you're telling me they don't eat 3 in 1's or chicken balls in Shanghai? Pull the other one!

They usually have a number 34 (coddle) with either a 47 (stew) or a 53 (bacon and cabbage), with a side order of a 12 (boiled shpuds).

Joey32

era sure, ya cant bait the old bodice.

jimthemental

MagicSean wrote: »

I have a mate who used to order a dry breast of chicken and chips. Then he would smother it in ketchup. Not very oriental.

But if you want to talk about missing the point. I used to work in a Wimpy Burger. The amount of people that would order massive meals and then look for a diet coke was mental. Like the diet drink would somehow make it a healthy meal.

Used to serve this weirdo in the local who didn't drink (not the reason I consider him weird by the way!). About 17 stone weight and he got two bags of tayto and a can of diet coke, then a snack bar for the road. No point to it unless it tastes nicer. Which it doesn't.

getz

Wolflikeme wrote: »

Chinese food is fcukin' rank (here and China!)

Indian ftw!

funny thing is,that curry was first invented by the portuguese,and as far as chips

Wertz

Chicken balls...there's a f*ckin' misnomer. Batter balls more like.
Personally I don't eat takeaways here but on the very odd occasion I'd go to a Chinese restuarant it's some proper beef in black bean sauce, those sezchuan pork spare ribs or something...if you want a feckin' curry go to an Indian.

Jaxxy

MagicSean wrote: »

I have a mate who used to order a dry breast of chicken and chips. Then he would smother it in ketchup. Not very oriental.

But if you want to talk about missing the point. I used to work in a Wimpy Burger. The amount of people that would order massive meals and then look for a diet coke was mental. Like the diet drink would somehow make it a healthy meal.

Some people prefer the taste of diet coke. I know I do!

But back OT, sometimes if you're ordering in a group from one particular establishment (for convenience) there might be one or two individuals who aren't big Chinese food fans, so they'll probably order the least exotic options.

Lord Trollington

jimthemental wrote: »

Used to serve this weirdo in the local who didn't drink (not the reason I consider him weird by the way!). About 17 stone weight and he got two bags of tayto and a can of diet coke, then a snack bar for the road. No point to it unless it tastes nicer. Which it doesn't.

Some people prefer the taste of Diet Coke. With some it genuinely has nothing to do with it being "healthier".

candy-gal1

id have to agree there op, most of my friends would get the non chinese sounding menu items.
im not extremely experimentitive with my chinese orders myself, but il at least get a chicken curry or sweet and sour.

stephen_k

Feed of beer.... followed by a 3in1 with chicken balls.... Guaranteed heartburn for the night.... And still I do it!!! The pot noodle of the take away world.... So wrong but so very very right

old hippy

My mother in law takes us to the local curry house every time we go back to Japan.

megaten

Lord Trollington wrote: »

Some people prefer the taste of Diet Coke. With some it genuinely has nothing to do with it being "healthier".

This basically. Also I get a 4 in 1 from the Chinese because the chippers to far away from my house. What's the point of fast food if you have to put effort into getting it?

Wolflikeme

getz wrote: »

funny thing is,that curry was first invented by the portuguese,and as far as chips

Yeah we were hell bent on conquering the world at one stage. Probably robbed that idea!

Duckworth_Luas

MagicSean wrote: »

But if you want to talk about missing the point. I used to work in a Wimpy Burger. The amount of people that would order massive meals and then look for a diet coke was mental. Like the diet drink would somehow make it a healthy meal.

It's based on the idea that regular Coke is much worse for your teeth than Diet Coke.

Even though Diet Coke contains less sugar it also contains loads of acids that are damaging to your teeth. However, the food getting caught between your teeth actually does more damage than the fizzy drinks.

The King of Moo

smurgen wrote: »

so you're telling me they don't eat 3 in 1's or chicken balls in Shanghai? Pull the other one!

stephen_k wrote: »

Feed of beer.... followed by a 3in1 with chicken balls.... Guaranteed heartburn for the night.... And still I do it!!! The pot noodle of the take away world.... So wrong but so very very right

Out of curiosity, what exactly is a 3 in 1?

My usual Chinese doesn't list it, but I hear people talk about it a lot.

Lord Trollington

Siam Thai in Dundrum was the nicest restaurant I've been in for Asian cuisine food.

The thing with Chinese restaurants is that they lace the food with MSG.

Irish Slaves for Europe

The King of Moo wrote: »

Out of curiosity, what exactly is a 3 in 1?

My usual Chinese doesn't list it, but I hear people talk about it a lot.

Forget 3 in 1, its all about the 4 in 1, chips, curry sauce, fried rice and chicken balls. Nicest meal in the world.

frag420

Lord Trollington wrote: »

Some people prefer the taste of Diet Coke. With some it genuinely has nothing to do with it being "healthier".

Why is it always fat people that prefer the taste of diet coke??

Anyways I always get noodles, shredded chilli chicken and curry sauce. Place the noodles on a plate, add the chicken, pour on the curry sauce and then............. cover in Heinz ketchup!!! Food of the gods!!

frAg

FortuneChip

Meh, I make a super curry myself, no need to order one from a Chinese.
But I do love the Salt & Chilli Chicken!

smash

The King of Moo wrote: »

and the closest to what you can get at your local chipper or make quickly at home.

I've never made chicken balls at home...

But I understand where you're coming from because people that go to an Italian and order a pasta dish might as well just throw their money away. What a waste!

My name is URL

A great bunch of ingredients

stephen_k

The King of Moo wrote: »

Out of curiosity, what exactly is a 3 in 1?

My usual Chinese doesn't list it, but I hear people talk about it a lot.

Irish Slaves for Europe wrote: »

Forget 3 in 1, its all about the 4 in 1, chips, curry sauce, fried rice and chicken balls. Nicest meal in the world.

What he said..... Chips, fried rice, curry sauce in a large tray, you have no business eating it if you are not píssed drunk....

The King of Moo

frag420 wrote: »

Why is it always fat people that prefer the taste of diet coke??

Anyways I always get noodles, shredded chilli chicken and curry sauce. Place the noodles on a plate, add the chicken, pour on the curry sauce and then............. cover in Heinz ketchup!!! Food of the gods!!

frAg

I was with you right up till you poured on the ketchup!

Jaxxy

frag420 wrote: »

Why is it always fat people that prefer the taste of diet coke??

Not always.

Wertz

Lord Trollington wrote: »

The thing with Chinese restaurants is that they lace the food with MSG.

I have nothing against some MSG...some food needs falvour enhancement. But yeah it's not so good for you...

One my mother told me years ago (she was a restauranteur) was the Chinese places (and probably loads of others) use a product called TVP
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Textured_vegetable_protein
as a meat substitute/extender...it's cheap and is often indistinguisable from chicken/pork/beef in a sauce dish
Lots of people otut there thinking they're having a nice chicken chow mein and they're eating thermoplastic soya foam.

The King of Moo

smash wrote: »

I've never made chicken balls at home...

But I understand where you're coming from because people that go to an Italian and order a pasta dish might as well just throw their money away. What a waste!

Well not make from scratch, but you could buy frozen crispy chicken fillets and they'd taste pretty much the same as any chickenballs I've had.

Anyway, I wouldn't equate getting curry and chips at the Chinese all the time with getting pasta in an Italian restaurant. Not in a good Italian restaurant anyway.

However, I would equate it with going to an Italian restaurant and always getting the spaghetti bolognese and lasagne and never trying anything else.

Oranage2

The King of Moo wrote: »

Well not make from scratch, but you could buy frozen crispy chicken fillets and they'd taste pretty much the same as any chickenballs I've had.

Anyway, I wouldn't equate getting curry and chips at the Chinese all the time with getting pasta in an Italian restaurant. Not in a good Italian restaurant anyway.

However, I would equate it with going to an Italian restaurant and always getting the spaghetti bolognese and lasagne and never trying anything else.

LOL

spaghetti bolognese is as tradionally Italian as Dominoes pizza!

phasers

All I ever order is chips, rice, chicken balls and sesame prawn toast. (The frozen chicken fillets don't taste anything like chicken balls, pfft.)


When I'm getting it to take away it doesn't bother me because I just want something quick and tasty, but I feel like a knob if I order it in a restaurant for some reason.

old hippy

There's a lovely Chinese restaurant on George's St - I've had frogs legs there and shark lips. Mmmm.

zie

I wonder if there's countries in the world that serve irish food but get it completely wrong, and still ends up being insanely popular.

The King of Moo

zie wrote: »

I wonder if there's countries in the world that serve irish food but get it completely wrong, and still ends up being insanely popular.

A lot of Irish Americans (that I've met) seem to be convinced that we all eat corned beef and cabbage, as Irish immigrants apparently had to use corned beef instead of bacon because it's cheaper, and it's considered a traditional Irish dish in America.

Oranage2

zie wrote: »

I wonder if there's countries in the world that serve irish food but get it completely wrong, and still ends up being insanely popular.

Emm isn't that place called Dublin?

stevenmu

The King of Moo wrote: »

Out of curiosity, what exactly is a 3 in 1?

My usual Chinese doesn't list it, but I hear people talk about it a lot.

2 in 1 = Chips and curry sauce in a tray.
3 in 1 = Chips and rice and curry sauce.
4 in 1 = Chips and rice and chicken balls in curry sauce.

Bascially they're what used to be called a short/long tray in the pre-celtic tiger days.

stephen_k

Wertz wrote: »

thermoplastic soya foam.

Mmmmmmmmm thermopastic soya foam

zie

If the corned beef dish is what came about because it's what immigrants used to eat then that's understandable. but what reason do we have for having chinese dishes so wrong?

Ash.J.Williams

if i wanted to "Not" miss the point and have an authentic chinese dinner i probably wouldn't go to a "chinese".

smash

Alternative 4 in 1 = Chips and rice and prawn balls in curry sauce.

Funglegunk

Wolflikeme wrote: »

Chinese food is fcukin' rank (here and China!)

Indian ftw!

Pfft. Chinese food in China is the best food I have ever tasted.

Put that in your pipe and smoke it.

WindSock

This reminds me of a delightful episode of Eastendies I watched last night when Shirley Carter said to Heather Trott and the gay Mitchell (upon her return from Benidorm, I know this as she had an I Benidorm printed tee on) anyways, she says 'I miss English food....lets get Chinese!'

Heather Trott then squeeled with delight and informed all how much she would quite enjoy some Pork Balls. One would guess these are the British equivalent to Chicken Balls.

Wertz

stephen_k wrote: »

Mmmmmmmmm thermopastic soya foam

lol
Don't worry vegetarians have been eating it for years.
Great for soaking up the beer too.

The King of Moo

zie wrote: »

If the corned beef dish is what came about because it's what immigrants used to eat then that's understandable. but what reason do we have for having chinese dishes so wrong?

That's a good question.

It might be due to people not be willing to try something very different from they were used to, or a Chinese dish with all the correct, fresh ingredients wouldn't hit the spot in terms of fast food.

I know if it's Saturday night takeaway food I'm after, I want my MSG-laden satay from the takeaway, though I do like going to "proper" Chinese restaurants as well.

zie

The King of Moo wrote: »

That's a good question.

It might be due to people not be willing to try something very different from they were used to, or a Chinese dish with all the correct, fresh ingredients wouldn't hit the spot in terms of fast food.

I know if it's Saturday night takeaway food I'm after, I want my MSG-laden satay from the takeaway, though I do like going to "proper" Chinese restaurants as well.

What's a 'proper' chinese restaurant then?

The King of Moo

zie wrote: »

What's a 'proper' chinese restaurant then?

One where you sit at a nice table in a nicely-decorated place, and the food's more expensive but there's a better selection, and it's more likely to be higher quality food cooked with more care.

As opposed to a counter with an occasional tiny glimpse of the cooks slaving away in horrible conditions when they pass out food through the little window .

WindSock

'Proper' Chinese restaurants usually have Chinese people dining in them. The likes of the ones around Parnell St and whatnot.