Charlies Chinese Restaurants - Dublin

imme

There used to be 4 or more Charlies Chinese restaurants/take away's around the centre of Dublin a few years ago.

The original was near the Olympia, which closed about 10 years ago.

They were on Essex St, South Great Georges St. and Westmoreland St.

The only one left seems to be Westmoreland St.

Anyone know what happened to them.

Chucky the tree

One Georges still open isn't it? There's one on Camden street as well.

Sugar Free

imme wrote: »

There used to be 4 or more Charlies Chinese restaurants/take away's around the centre of Dublin a few years ago.

The original was near the Olympia, which closed about 10 years ago.

Dame St. one is still there.

cunnifferous

imme wrote: »

There used to be 4 or more Charlies Chinese restaurants/take away's around the centre of Dublin a few years ago.

The original was near the Olympia, which closed about 10 years ago.

They were on Essex St, South Great Georges St. and Westmoreland St.

The only one left seems to be Westmoreland St.

Anyone know what happened to them.

People got sick of their luminous semi-toxic food?

Sulla Felix

Is the one in Templebar gone?

Maldesu

Sugar Free wrote: »

Dame St. one is still there.

I thought that one was gone. That it became a Chicken place for a while and now is for rent...

Sugar Free

Maldesu wrote: »

I thought that one was gone. That it became a Chicken place for a while and now is for rent...

I was last there towards the end of 2013, so I guess I could be wrong.

Tabnabs

King Charlies and a couple of other "proper" restaurants are owned by the same people. They simply went upmarket.

Hootanany

Charlies & upmarket LOL

Simply Red

Was in the camden street one last weekend, night out isnt complete without a charlies. Went in sober once, disgusting. After 8+ pints, amazing

porsche959

cunnifferous wrote: »

People got sick of their luminous semi-toxic food?

Lol. I developed gluten intolerance a few years back. One of the upsides is I am never tempted to head in to a place like that no matter how hungry I am.

dfx-

George's St still open beside The Globe. Enormous difference in quality between it and the Camden St one

L1011

The ones I was aware of still being open were Georges St, Westmoreland St, one in Temple Bar, and Kingcharlies (former Kingsland) on Dame St. Which if any have closed?

Sulla Felix

Now that I think of it, isn't there one on Wexford St?

markjbloggs

There are a lot up near Parnell Square, but I have never been - any reccomendations?

spurious

markjbloggs wrote: »

There are a lot up near Parnell Square, but I have never been - any reccomendations?

They're not 'Charlies' quality - they are proper Chinese restaurants.

If you want real Chinese food (as served in China) try Mandarin House, 179 Parnell Street or M&L, which is on Cathedral Street, beside Burgerking on O'Connell Street if you are coming from the bridge. Ask for the Chinese menus.

Hootanany

spurious wrote: »

They're not 'Charlies' quality - they are proper Chinese restaurants.

If you want real Chinese food (as served in China) try Mandarin House, 179 Parnell Street or M&L, which is on Cathedral Street, beside Burgerking on O'Connell Street if you are coming from the bridge. Ask for the Chinese menus.

May I ask what is the difference?

spurious

Hootanany wrote:

May I ask what is the difference?

The Chinese menu doesn't have things like chicken curry and other Irish takeaway standards. They serve a great deal of pork and fish cooked in all sorts of delicious ways. Some more unusual offal dishes too, which may not be to everyone's taste, but more like what you would get in China.

Bluefoam

porsche959 wrote: »

Lol. I developed gluten intolerance a few years back. One of the upsides is I am never tempted to head in to a place like that no matter how hungry I am.

A gluten intolerance... please do tell me more...

What happens when you eat the glutens?

yoginindublin

spurious wrote: »

The Chinese menu doesn't have things like chicken curry and other Irish takeaway standards. They serve a great deal of pork and fish cooked in all sorts of delicious ways. Some more unusual offal dishes too, which may not be to everyone's taste, but more like what you would get in China.

isnt the chinese menu written in chinese? Do they have a chinese menu with english translation?

ongarboy

Bluefoam wrote: »

A gluten intolerance... please do tell me more...

What happens when you eat the glutens?

Have you never heard of coeliacs? Gluten free options are on nearly most menus these days due to the large numbers of gluten intolerant customers. The problem these days is that some waiters confuse people who are not coeliacs but are on a gluten free diet for diet/fad purposes and still throw the gluten into the dish thus making coeliacs who state they they need gluten free options very ill.

Agreed that there is a marked difference between authentic Chinese and Westernised Chinese dishes. The standard fare over here tends to go more for the sauces ( monosodium glutamate MSG) which you'd never see if you ate dishes in China. Also, a lot of dishes that would make Westerners stomachs turn (chicken heads, offal, tripe etc)

Howard the Duck

When i used to live in town and go out regularly i would always get a Charlies on the way home, but i got it for breakfast the next day...amazing stuff when you're hung over.

JohnBee

ongarboy wrote: »

Have you never heard of coeliacs?

I think the previous poster assumed because you said gluten intolerance that you were not a coeliac.

testaccount123

ongarboy wrote: »

Agreed that there is a marked difference between authentic Chinese and Westernised Chinese dishes. The standard fare over here tends to go more for the sauces ( monosodium glutamate MSG) which you'd never see if you ate dishes in China. Also, a lot of dishes that would make Westerners stomachs turn (chicken heads, offal, tripe etc)

Hmm, last time I was in Hong Kong they had MSG in everything everywhere I went. (Which is fine with me, I love the stuff). Is this no-MSG a mainland thing?

AsianDub

yoginindublin wrote: »

isnt the chinese menu written in chinese? Do they have a chinese menu with english translation?

Try Lee Kee and Sichuan Chilli King. They are next to each other on Parnell St.
The single menu is in English and Chinese. Sichuan and Xiang cuisine.

spurious

yoginindublin wrote: »

isnt the chinese menu written in chinese? Do they have a chinese menu with english translation?

Yes they have, the translations themselves can be a great source of amusement. One I think says something like 'covered in Mrs. Wong's special juice' - unmissable, I'm sure.
The staff are very helpful in explaining what the often very flowery descriptions actually mean. The portion sizes are very big - easily to feed two.
I'm not sure they (Mandarin House) still have it, but they used to have a cold beef salad that was unreal.

JTL

Had one in George St. last night/early this morning. Really good after a night out. Packed out the door too.

suicide_circus

spurious wrote: »

Yes they have, the translations themselves can be a great source of amusement. One I think says something like 'covered in Mrs. Wong's special juice' - unmissable, I'm sure.

Ugh, that's just so wong.



I'll get my coat.

salmocab

Ah Charlies after a rake of pints truly awful stuff but a very regular occurrence. As someone already said M&L on Cathedral street is really worth a visit, although go sober the food is worth remembering.

dd972

Their jumbo bowls of Hot and Sour soup are good though.