2008/09/09
The Best Chinese. Part A
We all love Chinese food! I believe this is a world phenomenon.
We all have our favourite Chinese dish: spring rolls, fried wonton, chow mein, lo mein, saday beef, special fried rice, etc., etc., etc....
These strange words have even permeated our vocabulary and here in Jamaica their use is as current as patties and salt fish.
I recently went with a couple of friends to a fairly new restaurant at the Liguanea Post Office Mall. We really enjoy going there, because, out of the different Chinese places that I have visited in Kingston, this one really has a cozy and friendly atmosphere.
All the dishes that we have tried at Shan Hai are up to par. Well, I have to say that Chinese flavours are something that cannot be altered enormously.
Without any intention of being rude, I compare the local Chinese culinary experience with going to the local supermarkets. You may find some good prices at Loshusan, which are completely different from the good prices that you could find at the Sovereign or even at John R. Wong. No pun intended, if you know what I mean.
Coming back to Shan Hai...
Sitting there with my friends, I gave myself the task to find the BEST Chinese restaurant and when I say BEST, I mean one that has a large variety of GOOD dishes, which will certainly avoid the jumping from one Chinese restaurant to another to get a decent dining experience.
并且, this experience ought to be a complete one: a good selection of dishes + quality food + excellent service.
Shan Hai has the vast selection, like all Chinese restaurants, and up until last time, the quality of their food had always been fair. But there was something in my last meal there that will keep me from going back.
I tasted everyone's dish and it was the same flavour ALL OVER. The shrimp and the beef were the SAME. If I had to make a blind tasting, I would have failed at recognizing the flavours.
Shame on them... I was so happy with their performance until then.
On top of that, the cozy became noisy and the poor pianist suddenly drowned in the uncontrolled screaming of a big party of 10 sitting at a distant table... the irony of this is that they were Chinese... and among them, the OWNERS!
BAD experience... and BAD food. What a lethal combination!
I might consider to give Shan Hai another chance, because I remember the good times and food. But I will leave it for last.
拜拜
Keep on eating.... WELL!
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3 comments:
I have been to Shan Hai Restaurant a few times, and the food has been just Ok, nothing amazing. The service has never been good. But then again, it looks like bad service is a common factor on most of Jamaica's Restaurants (at least in Kingston)...
This place, yet again, has lots of potential - a lovely place to go on a Sunday evening as it is normally quiet. Food here tends to be better than the Chinese restaurant at Market Place, and is also more reasonably priced, but as other reviewers have said, service can be appalling here! I think they close at 10.30ish, but don't arrive after 9.30 as the servers there will be quite disgruntled - they like to leave at 10.30 on the dot! I arrived at 10ish one night and felt really uncomfortable as our meal lasted more than the half hour - lets just say the evil stares were flying at us!
Oh yes, J G's comments are very true - all sauces tend to taste the same, a shame really.....
Please give this place a try however, as I have been pleasantly surprised on many occasions there. I recommend the garlic shrimps, or Beef in Oyster sauce.
I agree with Phillip. My experience was good, the food different and tastee from others Chinese restaurants in Kingston, but the same problem: the service is bad.
The place has potential....maybe a good manager
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