257371 Thu Jan 31 18:02:26 -0800 2002 22 21 The Best 0 1362150 For my mater's thesis, I'm exploring the long and intimate relationship between Jews and Chinese food. While I'd appreciate any input on the topic, I'm specifically seeking the name of a Chinese restaurant that has long been a Jewish favorite. Are there any restaurants left where your bubbe ate chop suey? Thanks so much. Thu Jan 31 18:02:26 -0800 2002 0 Hanna 1 1362151 there is a popular kosher chinese restaurant in teaneck, nj--off queen anne road in the biz district--can't remember name, but it is always packed w/ jewish customers Thu Jan 31 21:32:49 -0800 2002 1362150 0 frances 1 1362152 If you're seeking a restaurant that may not be kosher, and yet is frequented by Jewish people, the easiest thing would be to look up Chinese restaurants located in areas of the city that have a large Jewish community (e.g. Forest Hills, Kew Gardens, Midwood). From my youth, I remember going to King Yum on Union Turnpike quite a bit, where we could have the delicious spare ribs that were never allowed in our kosher home. Fri Feb 01 10:25:18 -0800 2002 1362150 0 Abrocadabro 1 1362153 Definitely King Yum on Union Tpke. My family, and all my friends went there regularly - meaning, of course, Sunday night with all the other Jewish families. The big deal, however, for my family, in the Chinese restaurant dept. was House of Chan. No longer exists, but it was near Radio City. Seems to me that a little bit of the tradition of Jewish people and Chinese food has to do with Christian traditions and holidays. On Sunday, and Xmas they went to church, had a big, special meal, and everything used to be closed - especially on Xmas. I think Chinese food was the choice in part because the restaurants were open, and it was exotic and special. Fri Feb 01 13:34:33 -0800 2002 1362150 0 chumley 2 1362168 Ah, yes . . . many a bittersweet memory of my Mom driving around on Christmas Eve looking for the one open Chinese restaurant and being the only ones in there with the waiters standing there waiting for us to finish so they could close up. Yep. Straight out of "A Christmas Story," except we're Jewish. Tue Feb 05 01:00:08 -0800 2002 1362153 0 Nomi Lubin 1 1362154 There used to be a restaurant in Cherry Hill NJ called "Ginsberg and Wong's"(the truth). Fri Feb 01 13:53:20 -0800 2002 1362150 0 gourmound 2 1362826 message Fri Jul 26 12:18:09 -0700 2002 1362154 0 chi shi bung gi 1 1362156 there is a kosher chinese restaurant on 108th St in Forest Hills called Chozen (get it, choosen) It's been there forever and they just redid their awning (which was not in bad shape anyhow) Can't vouch for the food. The post regarding chinese being open on christian holidays was interesting. Also check out kosher chinese restaurants in boro park and the five towns area of LI. Sun Feb 03 01:18:13 -0800 2002 1362150 0 tigerwoman 1 1362158 Try the awful "King Yum" on Union Turnpike in Jamaica estates/Fresh Meadows Queens. It s in mu old neighborhood and relatives actually used to travel in from Longg Guyland to eat! Oh the pain. Sun Feb 03 09:55:49 -0800 2002 1362150 0 Ivan Stoler 2 1362175 King Yum is not Kosher. There is a kosher chinese takeout joint on Queens blvd in Rego Park (Queens) but I can't remember the name. I've never eaten there. Mon Feb 11 15:56:12 -0800 2002 1362158 0 Jayask 3 1362176 I don't think the original request was for kosher restaurants, just ones frequented by Jewish people. Mon Feb 11 16:05:47 -0800 2002 1362175 0 Abrocadabro 3 1362210 As to the observation that the posting was to discover Chinese restaurants with a large Jewish following, as opposed to kosher restaurants... that's what makes Jews in Chinese restaurants such a great sociological topic to examine, because so many Jews who keep kosher and/or would at least never eat the most flagrant traife (i.e. pork and shellfish) give themselves special dispensation in Chinese restaurants, where they will eat traife. But only in Chinese restaurants. It's an amazing phenomenon -- one I used to be part of until I really did cut out all pork and shellfish years ago, though otherwise I don't keep kosher. Fri Feb 22 23:03:38 -0800 2002 1362175 0 Steven 2 1362209 I'm a nice Jewish boy who grew up near King Yum in Queens, and it's true - King Yum is EXACTLY the kind of prototype restaurant you're looking for. In a majority Jewish nabe and its patrons are at least 50 percent Jewish -- that's a low estimate. The food is not great, indeed - but it fits your sociological bill. Fri Feb 22 22:58:29 -0800 2002 1362158 0 Steven 2 1362984 always laughed at the spectable of King Yum, but I'm sure it's what you're looking for . . . there are a few chinese restaurants on Union Tpke. that fit the bill, I think a takeout on 190th Street that says on the awning "Glatt Kosher Chinese Takeout." maybe you can also correlate Mah Jongg with Chinese and Jews . . . . Wed Sep 04 15:28:18 -0700 2002 1362158 0 bigjeff 1 1362159 I know what you are talking about, even though I grew up out of town, where there was only one Chinese restaurant. My family took out from time to time -- always shrimp chow mein and I can't remember what else, but you can be sure it was the blandest "Chinese-American" stuff on the menu. One day, my Brownie troop went to the restaurant for some occasion and our leader ordered a wide variety of dishes for us, including sweet and pungent pork. I had never had sweet and pungent anything, much less pork! Not exactly the most authentic or interesting Chinese food, but still the most exotic thing I had ever eaten. I didn't know food could taste like that. Thus began a lifelong appreciation of Chinese food. Sun Feb 03 13:55:38 -0800 2002 1362150 0 Sandra Levine 1 1362162 I've got to say that I think this is just the greatest idea for a thesis that I've heard in a long time. Brings back memories of going w/ my grandparents to Bernstein's on Essex. Thanks Sun Feb 03 20:00:11 -0800 2002 1362150 0 SharonA 1 1362165 I find this to be an interesting topic, and i would be intrigued to see your results. I do recall seeing some articles (in particular one in New York Magazine ) several years ago on the nexus of Jews and Chinese food. In my mind, I have always associated Jews and Chinese food as a New York Metropolitan area thing (along with many things considered typically "Jewish"). I am curious to see if this same affinity is applicable accross all of North America and beyond. I can say in my own experience, I found this not to be true. Either due to the lack of Chinese restaurants or the fact that most Chinese food isn't kosher, in most cases, the Jews that I know who are into chinese food are either First or Second generation New Yorkers. Or, New Yorkers from the "classic" brooklyn/bronx era (as celebrated in Neil Simon plays and nostalgia for the Catskills) Do later generation of Jews immigrants also follow this pattern? Post your results, post-thesis! Food and foodways is an increasing interesting topic area of study. If anything, this seems to be the sort of thing to appear the new Heeb Magazine. Mon Feb 04 18:30:32 -0800 2002 1362150 0 DL_Ressel 2 1362178 Well, my Jewish grandfather used to take the family out for Chinese food, and he was from Texas via Chicago. By the time he was taking us he'd lived in California for 20 years, so I don't know what metro area his affinity for Chinese food was born in -- just not New York (although he was born in New York: his immigrant parents were just passing through; in 1899, I doubt strict Kosher-keeping Jews were eating Chinese yet, even in New York). Mon Feb 11 18:56:08 -0800 2002 1362165 0 Ruth Lafler 1 1362173 Is China Shalom still in business (NYC)? Sun Feb 10 14:46:56 -0800 2002 1362150 0 Loeb 1 1362203 I just returned from Asia and there are lots of jewish restaurants and synogogues around china, india and SE Asia. I can't vouch for NY Jews eating kosher chop suey but can tell you as a 1/2 jew married to a chinese man that there are many, many similar traditions in their cultures. Thu Feb 21 11:59:11 -0800 2002 1362150 0 dianorama 1 1362222 If your looking for a name in New York, it's gotta be Bernsteins on Essex (now on Grand below Essex). Tue Feb 26 06:46:14 -0800 2002 1362150 0 annoy_ken 1 1362227 Sorry for the late reply. You might be interested in an interesting article on this topic which appeared a few years ago in a Brandeis publication. The URL used to be http://www.brandeis.edu/news/review/safe.html ("Safe Treyf," I think it was called). That link no longer works but I wrote an email to Brandeis when it disappeared and they (snail-)mailed me a reprint of it. Another URL that might interest is http://www.bpe.com/food/dining_directory/middle_east/eilat.htm . Sorry, can't provide much in the way of restaurant names -- The Teapot Vegetarian House, and the Bamboo Garden are kosher Chinese restaurants here in Seattle. Good luck! Tue Feb 26 13:15:24 -0800 2002 1362150 0 Richard 2 1362232 Here's a link to a longer (and more complete) version of that article: Link: http://www.hereinstead.com/sys-tmpl/newyorkjewsandchinesefood/ Wed Feb 27 11:36:35 -0800 2002 1362227 0 Nancy Berry