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NFT: Talked to a visiting New Yorker in Portland, Me

Jalapeno : 10/23/2021 9:01 pm
today up for a few days from the city and he asked me a good place to get Chinese food.

This is an FYI to anyone who comes to Maine to visit and decides they want Chinese food.

Don't.

Every Chinese place North of Boston (or maybe Manchester) tastes like they cook their food in the dishwasher and even if you don't order some kind of fish your meal still tastes like it.

We have excellent Mexican restaurants though so go figure.

Portland has an amazing variety of restaurants.

I was gunna deep dive the conversation into the depths of the current state of Hell for the New York Giants but his Uber arrived to bring him to the local Dish Washer Wok and he said he was an Eagles fan as he got into his ride and I suddenly wished I knew the name of the worst Chinese place in town so I could have sent him there.

At least the weather was cool and partly sunny and I got the kids outside for a walk in the "city".

They wanted McDonalds for dinner but settled for B& M Beans and Fenway Frank's from Kayem as we mourned the Red Sox season and I debated whether to spend another day outside tomorrow or watch the Giants get smuckered again.

Anyways.

I dunno.




We're from NY and had been  
Bill in UT : 10/23/2021 9:05 pm : link
everywhere in the Northeast except Maine. We went back there to Portland for a few days vacation when we were still in UT. Basically, every meal was seafood, mostly lobster. Why anyone would go to Portland and eat Chinese food is beyond me. It's like going to Italy and asking for a good burger place
RE: We're from NY and had been  
Jalapeno : 10/23/2021 9:10 pm : link
In comment 15426016 Bill in UT said:
Quote:
everywhere in the Northeast except Maine. We went back there to Portland for a few days vacation when we were still in UT. Basically, every meal was seafood, mostly lobster. Why anyone would go to Portland and eat Chinese food is beyond me. It's like going to Italy and asking for a good burger place


You gutta search for the places that don't do seafood and lobster. Haha. They DO exist, I promise you.

Are you implying Naples doesn't have any good burger joints? ;-)
RE: We're from NY and had been  
BigBlueShock : 10/23/2021 9:19 pm : link
In comment 15426016 Bill in UT said:
Quote:
everywhere in the Northeast except Maine. We went back there to Portland for a few days vacation when we were still in UT. Basically, every meal was seafood, mostly lobster. Why anyone would go to Portland and eat Chinese food is beyond me. It's like going to Italy and asking for a good burger place

I know I’m in the minority on this but IMO seafood is insanely overrated. I mean, it’s ok every now and then but I personally wouldn’t want to eat seafood every single day of the week just because I’m in Maine or anywhere else. Variety is the spice of life.
Maines economy survives on tourism  
Jalapeno : 10/23/2021 9:32 pm : link
and seafood joints are the ultimate tourist traps.

I eat seafood maybe once a month and lobster maybe once every two years only when we have out of state guests.

Many Mainers survive of off lobstering but very few eat it more than once a summer.

That being said if you want to eat the freshest local seafood to cook yourself Harbor Fish Market on Wharf St is the place to go.

Keep your windows closed when driving down Commercial St. though haha. The aroma of the day is potent.
Spent a week in OOB  
Scooter185 : 10/23/2021 9:42 pm : link
Back in August, and we did a day trip up to Portland. We did not go looking for Chinese lol.
Second  
I am Ninja : 10/23/2021 9:46 pm : link
Root for the patriots and fuck off.
Had a layover in PWM lat month  
DC Gmen Fan : 10/23/2021 9:50 pm : link
and went to some taco joint downtown which was really good. Taco Escobarr I think it wa
Outside of SF and NY, is there any good Chinese food in America?  
trueblueinpw : 10/23/2021 9:51 pm : link
It’s almost like the rest of the country has another definition of what Chinese food is supposed to be. Maybe this is why PF Chang does so well. And I think PF Chang is actually pretty okay in terms of Chinese food. Obviously not great but it’s better than most of the crap you get around the country.
Boston's  
pjcas18 : 10/23/2021 10:10 pm : link
Chinatown has some incredible Chinese food.

I'll be in Portland in two weeks (Casco Bay actually) for a hockey tournament.

I go to Portland a few times a year, mostly for hockey, but also occasionally for work.

I like it. but no, I would not intentionally seek out Chinese food there unless a local suggested it.
RE: Boston's  
Jalapeno : 10/23/2021 10:31 pm : link
In comment 15426035 pjcas18 said:
Quote:
Chinatown has some incredible Chinese food.

I'll be in Portland in two weeks (Casco Bay actually) for a hockey tournament.

I go to Portland a few times a year, mostly for hockey, but also occasionally for work.

I like it. but no, I would not intentionally seek out Chinese food there unless a local suggested it.


Junior hockey? The hockey scene has exploded up here lately with young junior hockey kids coming from all over even as far as North Carolina. Some damn rugged kids holy shit. They looked 19 years old but man were they rugged. I don't even have to ask anymore, the hair alone tells me why they are here haha.
RE: RE: Boston's  
pjcas18 : 10/23/2021 10:42 pm : link
In comment 15426040 Jalapeno said:
Quote:
In comment 15426035 pjcas18 said:


Quote:


Chinatown has some incredible Chinese food.

I'll be in Portland in two weeks (Casco Bay actually) for a hockey tournament.

I go to Portland a few times a year, mostly for hockey, but also occasionally for work.

I like it. but no, I would not intentionally seek out Chinese food there unless a local suggested it.



Junior hockey? The hockey scene has exploded up here lately with young junior hockey kids coming from all over even as far as North Carolina. Some damn rugged kids holy shit. They looked 19 years old but man were they rugged. I don't even have to ask anymore, the hair alone tells me why they are here haha.


youth hockey.

it's funny you say that though, my daughter plays in the rink where the Worcester Railers (ECHL) practice and the Jr. Railers club teams play there too. I was watching one of the high school age teams practice and I don't remember kids this young being this good.

There is actually a fantastic Chinese place in Portland  
rasbutant : 10/23/2021 11:03 pm : link
Not only that but it has a lively nightlife with live music with real artist not just cover band stuff.

Now I haven’t been in at least 10 years but I just googled it and it appears to be still going strong.


I knew it first as “The Empire” and didn’t even know they served Chinese food. But it was a fun place to hangout.

I give you the Empire Chinese Kitchen……
Link - ( New Window )
RE: There is actually a fantastic Chinese place in Portland  
rasbutant : 10/23/2021 11:06 pm : link
In comment 15426044 rasbutant said:
Quote:
Not only that but it has a lively nightlife with live music with real artist not just cover band stuff.

Now I haven’t been in at least 10 years but I just googled it and it appears to be still going strong.


I knew it first as “The Empire” and didn’t even know they served Chinese food. But it was a fun place to hangout.

I give you the Empire Chinese Kitchen…… Link - ( New Window )


Ah crap. Looks like the are closed for COVID and only doing take-out.
And if you want Thai  
rasbutant : 10/23/2021 11:15 pm : link
This place is great. Not in Portland but isn’t far and if you are heading to OOB it’s on the way.

Chaba Thai Cuisine
(207) 396-5382
Link - ( New Window )
RE: RE: We're from NY and had been  
Bill in UT : 10/24/2021 12:38 am : link
In comment 15426020 BigBlueShock said:
Quote:
In comment 15426016 Bill in UT said:


Quote:


everywhere in the Northeast except Maine. We went back there to Portland for a few days vacation when we were still in UT. Basically, every meal was seafood, mostly lobster. Why anyone would go to Portland and eat Chinese food is beyond me. It's like going to Italy and asking for a good burger place


I know I’m in the minority on this but IMO seafood is insanely overrated. I mean, it’s ok every now and then but I personally wouldn’t want to eat seafood every single day of the week just because I’m in Maine or anywhere else. Variety is the spice of life.


Well, if you averaged out the 3-4 times I had lobster in Portland over the time since I left NY, it would come to about once every 3 years. And every time I go to NY or FL I have a real bagel every day. When I travel, I make plans around food. When I went to Santa Fe a couple of weeks ago, I skipped 3 of the best restaurants because they weren't Mexican. I guess I'm strange, but I'm ok with it, and my wife tolerates me :)
A  
thomasa510 : 10/24/2021 8:21 am : link
One of the main reasons to get Chinese food while on vacation is for the vegetables.

Lobster rolls don’t keep one regular.

I'm a Chinese American new yorker  
penkap75 : 10/24/2021 8:43 am : link
Why the fuck would you want Chinese food in ME? Especially if you are alreday from NY where there is plenty of opportunities to eat Chinese food here?
I could eat seafood  
pjcas18 : 10/24/2021 9:12 am : link
every day and not get bored.

I consider myself local and if I'm at the Cape or Maine, or Newport or Narragansett, etc. I will almost only ever get seafood.

occasionally if I'm in the North End (Boston) I'd get a frutti di mare or zuppa de pesce or shrimp, lobster, scallops, fra diavolo - something like that, but fresh fish, lobster, raw shellfish, steamed clams, lobster rolls, etc (even on occasion fried), is so good.
I’m not sure about that  
mattlawson : 10/24/2021 9:26 am : link
But I’ve had great Indian and Thai north of Portland
Maine  
JohnG in Albany : 10/24/2021 9:56 am : link
We've vacationed in Ogunquit many times over the years.

One year, many years ago, my daughter wanted Chinese food for lunch so we got takeout from a place on Rt. 1.

It wasn't even recognizable to me. And it was so greasy, I couldn't believe it.

Similar experience with pizza one year. Did a takeout pizza and it didn't even look like pizza, let alone taste like it.

I remember saying to my wife, "Couldn't they even go to a grocery store and look at the picture on a box of a frozen pizza to see what it's supposed to look like?"

It was basically odd cheese on bread.

Other than that, we love Maine!
Was in Portland  
BNY Giants Club : 10/24/2021 11:24 am : link
for a few days 2 weeks ago and went to Sichuan Kitchen. Thought it was very good.
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