Finding Chinese Food Near You
If you're new to the area or just visiting, you might be wondering which places to eat nearby you are good. That can be an especially daunting task when you want Chinese food largely because there are more Chinese restaurants in America than there are McDonald's. With so many Chinese restaurants around, how do you choose the right one? Here are some tips.
Choose crowded
A place that is busy and full of patrons is likely that way for a reason. If there's a wait for a table, even better. When people are clamoring to get in, you know the food has got to be good.
Look for Chinese people
Among that crowd, take a look for Chinese people. When Chinese people travel away from China, they want the food that tastes like home-cooked Chinese. They will seek it out and choose the Chinese restaurants that have the most authentic tastes. Bonus move: see what they order and do the same. You won't be disappointed.
The right amount of seating
A cavernous place with too many tables and no guests means that the food is probably not as fresh as you're hoping for. Likewise, a place with no tables that offers takeout likely isn't creating authentic Chinese dishes.
Cleanliness
It's a safe bet in any restaurant, Chinese or otherwise, that if it doesn't look clean it's probably a place you need to stay far away from. If the floors and tables don't look like they've been kept up, keep looking.
Stay away from the buffet
Chinese buffet restaurants offer a lot of food for a low price. Typically though, the freshness of the items on the buffet tends to suffer after sitting under the heat lamps for so long. There is one exception to this rule and that is if it looks clean and it is packed with Chinese people, it is worth a try.
Ask a local
Whether you're new in town or just passing through, ask the local folks you run into where they like to eat Chinese food. The best recommendations of course will come from other Chinese people so be sure to ask them where they like to go out for Chinese food when they're not cooking at home.
By using these tips, you will be better able to find a good Chinese restaurant wherever you may find yourself. And knowing a good Chinese restaurant to go to when the mood for Chinese food strikes is absolutely priceless.
