Chinese, please!

So I definitely have not updated for like a year, but absence makes the heart grow fonder, no? As promised, I will write about the Chinese "restaurants" that call KC home.

Since I am Asian, and from California, I have very strict criteria for "good" chinese food. The dish I usually hold up to comparison is Kung Pao Chicken. Now, really good kung pao chicken is very spicy, has the thickest brown sauce ever, and has a lot of peanuts and dried chilis. My favorite in Orange County is from a place called Capital Seafood, look it up if you're ever in the area (best chinese food ever, no joke), they have amazing house fillet fish and clams in black bean sauce. .95, and comes with soup and dessert. Awesome. Also, each of those dishes at lunch is less than And no, PF Chang's does not count, but Panda Express does, so awesome.

Bo Ling's: A Kansas City favorite, I don't mind Bo Ling's, but it's not my favorite. Authentic by no means, their a la carte menu is decent, especially the lo mein. I recently had Dim Sum there, and was pleasantly surprised at number of dishes offered. You can get your chicken feet on, noodles, shu mai, dumplings of all types, shrimp balls, egg and spring rolls, turnip cakes, taro cakes, almond jelly, dau hu (sweet tofu in honey sauce, my favorite dessert), etc. The only bad thing about it is that it is hella expensive. Like, four things of dim sum was $34, apparently every plate is a "large" one. Not that impressed but it's like one of the only dim sum offerings in the plaza/midtown/downtown area, plus there are three other locations.

Kin Lin: A long time favorite of UMKC students from the Volker Campus across the street, this place is your hole in the wall Chinese takeout place. I didn't eat there for like three years, but recently have found my way back. Very affordable, offers a lunch special menu (entree, fried or steamed rice, crab rangoon or spring roll) with a different entree each day for $4.25. Their beef lo mein is outstanding too, and the portion size is HUGE (that's what she said). I definitely split my regular sized takeout order into two meals. Now, I'm not crazy for the kung pao chicken, not up to the standards set above.

China Feast: this twin drive thru take out place is ghetto, straight up. It's on Linwood between Main and Gillham by the Costco. I've only had the kung pao chicken, and while not authentic like that above, it wasn't half bad. There were dried chilis, and a lot of peanuts, just the sauce wasn't thick and dark enough for my liking. Also, I was afraid I was going to get shot there, while in the drive thru. But, not terrible.

New Peking: another pretty expensive Chinese restaurant, in Westport, near the Chili's. The food is okay, the beef with broccoli is sufficient. Nothing to write home about, so I'll just leave it as that.

Blue Koi: I've had two bad experiences here, but one didn't have anything to do with the restaurant itself, so I won't hold it against them. The other time, the duck noodles became my intestines adversary. The dumplings are good, the china moon is good, duck wrap is okay for getting duck with hoisin sauce in a tortilla, noodles are subpar (they just come with too salty soy broth). Ants on a log is one of my friend's favorites. The restaurant is cute, and so if you were looking to go to a nice place with date, this would be sufficient. Also overpriced. On 39th street's collection of small ethnic-ish eateries.

Po's Dumpling Bar: Now this is what I'm talking about. It's a super hip space with these plastic futurisitic looking chairs and the Decemberists playing in the background. I assume it's Po and his wife's childrens' musical selection, and that they are left to the fantastic cooking. I had the Kung Pao chicken there, and it was at its truest form. The sauce was rich and thick and the spice blend was really good. The dumplings were also very good, it is a dumpling bar, so go figure. The price was a bit much, around $13 for a plate of chicken, but it was delicious, and the portion was large. If you're looking for a nice little indulgence, this would be the place.

Red Snapper: Ward Parkway near the Ward Parkway Mall. Very upscale-ish type of place, or at least they'd like to think so, where the suburbanites go for a date night. Off the beaten track, which I think is a good thing. The calamari appetizer was very good, I believe they use Panko for the breading. My tofu dish was good, nice thick brown sauce. I would have to describe the overall experience as "tasty." It would be a nice place to go on a date, but be prepared to put down at least $40 for two people.

Honorable mention: BD's Mongolian BBQ and Genghis Khan. I love Mongolian BBQ. Try some noodles, bean sprouts, water chestnuts, tomatoes, broccoli, onions, spinach, KC strip or plain old steak, egg, soy sauce, oyster sauce, rice vinegar, garlic water, ginger water, salt and pepper, lemon pepper, chili paste. Best!