Bird's Nest Soup

[Moon Pie]

Hey, Hounds!

Any recommendations for where to find good bird's nest soup in Chinatown or elsewhere in town? I've never had it before, so I want the first time to be good. ;-)

Thanks!

[The Chowhound Team]

There were some interesting general comments about what makes a good Bird's Nest that we split over to the General Topics board so that a wide audience would benefit from them: http://www.chow.com/topics/846398

[gourmaniac]

Most of the Cantonese places have it but it needs to be special ordered and can be found in chinese banquets. it is quite expensive ($100 or so) and in my opinion not worth it. It doesn't add a lot of flavor but more texture (a little rubbery) and depends on a good chicken broth.

[Moon Pie]

Ouch! $100 is about $90 out of my price range. Thanks for the advice, Gourmaniac: I'll try it on someone else's dime someday.

[gourmaniac]

It is admittedly a large bowl. get yourself invited to a Chinese wedding.

[Karl S]

It's better to think of it as an expensive form of Chinese medicine (though virtually all food in Chinese culture has a medicinal component; that used to be the case in pre-industrial Western culture, too), rather than as a culinary delight, shall we say.

[Moon Pie]

Thanks, Karl S. Yup, we had our humeral system of food. That would have bummed me right out. "No soup for you!"