[flickr id=”6931747061″ thumbnail=”medium” overlay=”false” size=”medium” group=”” align=”none”]
A while ago, I posted about going to Cha Chan Tang for their special tea and wanting to go back for food. Well, I did just that with Gary one night when we weren’t able to get into Nom Wah to watch the Knicks game (we’re both Time Warner subscribers, which means we were locked out of the beginning of this basketball season). He ordered a mango drink that came super topped high and was hilarious… while I got an almond milk tea, no bubbles, per my usual preferences. Tasty but standard.
[flickr id=”6785631784″ thumbnail=”medium” overlay=”false” size=”medium” group=”” align=”none”][flickr id=”6931748705″ thumbnail=”medium” overlay=”false” size=”medium” group=”” align=”none”]
I ordered the fairly standard – to me, at these types of HK style cafes (explained briefly here) – baked fish with cheese over rice. Unfortunately, this was HORRIBLE. The fish was very clearly low quality frozen fish (I actually expect frozen fish in this dish at these places; but this was borderline inedible), and the whole dish tasted just bad. I’ve had this many times at other places in Chinatown, so it really was just unfortunate that this place does not do it well, at all.
[flickr id=”6931749681″ thumbnail=”medium” overlay=”false” size=”medium” group=”” align=”none”]
Gary chose the curry beef, which I believe he enjoyed.
Yvo says: There were plenty of people around us thoroughly enjoying their food, so I think it’s safe to say my dish was just poorly chosen – it’s not the most popular dish on HK cafe’s menus, but it’s what I get and definitely makes a difference to me how well they did it… or how poorly. I wouldn’t be against returning but I would definitely not get any of their fish dishes, ugh.
hungry says
There’s something about cheese and seafood that makes me gag.
Feisty Foodie says
It’s a commonly quoted rule to never mix seafood and cheese. If there was cheese in that dish, it was the barest touch, though my favorite dish from this type of restaurant is ‘baked grouper with cheese’ – it’s not really cheese, it’s what I’d describe as a bechamel with the slightest hint of cheese in it. Cheese + seafood doesn’t bother me, it just depends on the cheese and the seafood. (Fish patties with a slice of American cheese fried inside the crust with it – one of two things I ate in our HS cafeteria – was a common lunch for me in HS. The other was the chicken patty; either way, I topped them both with lots of tartar sauce.)
hungry says
Ha! I used to peel the cheese off the fish patty and then eat the fish sandwich only.
Feisty Foodie says
It was inside the breading though! You were the messy lunch kid! Hehehe. Man I used to glop on that yellow tartar sauce, and now, just the thought of it is making my stomach gurgle…
T.C. says
Cheese and ground meats I’d do.
Camille says
Where can I find a good version of this dish, preferably in Queens?
Feisty Foodie says
Unfortunately, I am honestly not sure… I’ve found it hard to find good HK-style cafes in Queens for some reason 🙁
Kelly says
I just came across your website because I plan to try out Cha Chan Tang tonight, but I live in flushing and I love Tasty 18 on Kissena and Cherry or Tea Shop 168 on Main St and 60th Rd. Their dishes vary a bit, but I love both to eat these type of foods (i.e. spaghetti with meat sauce is the best at 168 but beef with egg sauce over rice is great at Tasty 18 while both have very good macaroni soups!). Just a small suggestion because I love these two spots =)
Feisty Foodie says
Thanks Kelly!!! I used to really enjoy Wing Sing on Bowery but they shut down so very long ago, sadface (that’s where I got the baked grouper with cheese over rice dish all the time, sigh). I will definitely try to get to Tasty 18 and/or Tea Shop 168 – sounds fab! I really enjoy these types of cafes but can’t find too many around the city, much less in Queens.