Recently a Food channel appeared among our digital choices here in New
Zealand. It has some great items and good cooks from the UK, the USA
and Canada and Australia. Such a lot of choice!

When I go online, however, to locate a recipe I would like to copy, I
find that I have to go to Foodtv.com for US programs, and the
BBC website for UK programs. Do viewers in the US and the UK get both
(and even other countries' shows) on their food channel?


Daisy

Carthage demands an explanation for this insolence!

Daisy wrote:
> Recently a Food channel appeared among our digital choices here in New
> Zealand. It has some great items and good cooks from the UK, the USA
> and Canada and Australia. Such a lot of choice!
>
> When I go online, however, to locate a recipe I would like to copy, I
> find that I have to go to Foodtv.com for US programs, and the
> BBC website for UK programs. Do viewers in the US and the UK get both
> (and even other countries' shows) on their food channel?
>
>


That's a hard question to answer because all of the U.S. Food network
programs are available on Foodtv.com but many of the British food
programs are shown on our PBS stations (Public Broadcasting/educational
networks). The PBS program recipes are not available to us on Foodtv,
but sometimes on the local PBS websites. I never thought to check for
them on the BBC site.

gloria p

On Tue, 27 Dec 2005 11:20:36 +1300, Daisy >
wrote:

>Recently a Food channel appeared among our digital choices here in New
>Zealand. It has some great items and good cooks from the UK, the USA
>and Canada and Australia. Such a lot of choice!
>
>When I go online, however, to locate a recipe I would like to copy, I
>find that I have to go to Foodtv.com for US programs, and the
>BBC website for UK programs. Do viewers in the US and the UK get both
>(and even other countries' shows) on their food channel?

Far as I know, The Food Network (foodtv.com) doesn't have any current
UK or other non-US programs. (they are still showing Iron Chef--I'll
be very annoyed if they drop it)

--
-denny-
"Do your thoughts call ahead or do they just arrive at your mouth unannounced?"

"It's come as you are, baby."

-over the hedge

Daisy wrote:
>
> Recently a Food channel appeared among our digital choices here in New
> Zealand. It has some great items and good cooks from the UK, the USA
> and Canada and Australia. Such a lot of choice!
>
> When I go online, however, to locate a recipe I would like to copy, I
> find that I have to go to Foodtv.com for US programs, and the
> BBC website for UK programs. Do viewers in the US and the UK get both
> (and even other countries' shows) on their food channel?
>
> Daisy
>
> Carthage demands an explanation for this insolence!


Here in Canada it's Foodnetwork.ca We get different shows at
different times than the US.....Sharon

On Tue, 27 Dec 2005 02:19:46 GMT, Puester >
wrote:

>Daisy wrote:
>> Recently a Food channel appeared among our digital choices here in New
>> Zealand. It has some great items and good cooks from the UK, the USA
>> and Canada and Australia. Such a lot of choice!
>>
>> When I go online, however, to locate a recipe I would like to copy, I
>> find that I have to go to Foodtv.com for US programs, and the
>> BBC website for UK programs. Do viewers in the US and the UK get both
>> (and even other countries' shows) on their food channel?
>>
>>
>
>
>That's a hard question to answer because all of the U.S. Food network
>programs are available on Foodtv.com but many of the British food
>programs are shown on our PBS stations (Public Broadcasting/educational
>networks). The PBS program recipes are not available to us on Foodtv,
>but sometimes on the local PBS websites. I never thought to check for
>them on the BBC site.
>
>gloria p

Hi Gloria - I wondered about that as well. I wanted a Jamie Oliver
fish pie recipe that I had watched him do but didn't write down the
ingredients - so I discovered the BBC tv food site (I found it by
using his name on Google) and there I found all the other UK shows we
get on our Food channel. I then tried Foodtv.com and found some of
the US ones we get also, but not all.

As I am in New Zealand and we have such a tiny population - but
wonderful fresh foodstuffs - I realise just how fortunate we are to
get all these fabulous programs. I have learned so much more just by
WATCHING good chefs and cooks prepare the dishes.

In any one week we get US programs that I like such as Barefoot
Contessa, Ciao Italia in Tuscany, Cook Like a Chef, How to Boil Water,
Wolfgang Puck. And UK cooking programs like Nigela Bites, Jamie
Oliver (2 of these weekly both different styles), Dinner in a Box,
Saturday Kitchen (Antony Worrall-Thompson), Rick Stein and - best of
all - Antonio Carluccio's Southern Italian - and some Australian
programs also: Food Lovers Guide to Australia, Huey's Cooking
Adventures.

Some of these programs alternate monthly - and all are repeated
overnight.


Daisy

Carthage demands an explanation for this insolence!

"Daisy" > wrote in message
...
> On Tue, 27 Dec 2005 02:19:46 GMT, Puester >
> wrote:
>
>>Daisy wrote:
>>> Recently a Food channel appeared among our digital choices here in New
>>> Zealand. It has some great items and good cooks from the UK, the USA
>>> and Canada and Australia. Such a lot of choice!
>>>
>>> When I go online, however, to locate a recipe I would like to copy, I
>>> find that I have to go to Foodtv.com for US programs, and the
>>> BBC website for UK programs. Do viewers in the US and the UK get both
>>> (and even other countries' shows) on their food channel?
>>>

On my food channel network, I don't get Nigella or Jamie. I only get Jamie
on BBC, but hesitantly as not to offend, his personality and menu selection
is not to my liking. I would like to get Nigella's programs.

There used to be a plethora of cooking shows on PBS, now I only see three
that are of interest to me, out of only a few that are left; those are
Bittman & America's Test Kitchen, Rick Bayliss' Mexican food.

On Cable PBS, there are still re-runs of Julia's Master Chef Series and
Baking with Julia (Julia Child). I've particularly enjoyed the breadmaking
shows with a couple of my favorite breadmakers: Ortiz, Field and Silverman.

I would love to get more programs on Indian, Persian, Asian etc. cooking.
Bland foods are OK, but not my preference when I want to learn something
new.

I do use food network to learn. My last dish was a fusion of a recipe of
cioppino from Giada's and Rachel Ray's. Rachel's recipe because I'd never
cooked with anchovies before and she is the only person I've seen that made
that possible for me to try. After going the route of buying salted
anchovies and them molding (of all things) before I could pull myself
together to use them, then I found anchovies in the jar as she was
demonstrating using on her program (in olive oil) and so because of food
network, I was able to use anchovies in cooking. Viva la food network.
Dee Dee

On Wed, 28 Dec 2005 08:05:48 -0500, "Dee Randall"
> wrote:

(snip)


>On my food channel network, I don't get Nigella or Jamie. I only get Jamie
>on BBC, but hesitantly as not to offend, his personality and menu selection
>is not to my liking. I would like to get Nigella's programs.

I can quite understand Americans not really liking Jamie Oliver's
style. He is a wonderful cook, though, and some of his cooking
techniques have really opened my eyes!

Nigella is very easy on the eyes and is so British plummy! She's a
real treat. Did you know her father was a cabinet minister in the
last Tory government in the UK? Filthy rich the lot of them!
>
>There used to be a plethora of cooking shows on PBS, now I only see three
>that are of interest to me, out of only a few that are left; those are
>Bittman & America's Test Kitchen, Rick Bayliss' Mexican food.

Not to offend, but I am unable to deal with Mexican food - it seems to
be at the cheap end - like what you do when the money runs out. I
find Emilio's recipes sometimes quite good, but the program itself is
not to my taste - all that applause and leaping about!
>
>On Cable PBS, there are still re-runs of Julia's Master Chef Series and
>Baking with Julia (Julia Child). I've particularly enjoyed the breadmaking
>shows with a couple of my favorite breadmakers: Ortiz, Field and Silverman.
>
>I would love to get more programs on Indian, Persian, Asian etc. cooking.
>Bland foods are OK, but not my preference when I want to learn something
>new.

There is a Delhi Belly program on UK TV - we get this as well here in
New Zealand - it's done by a guy called Kumar who used to be in some
English comedy program. The BBC site is quite good and you can find
lovely recipes there.

I'm personally not into Persian or much Middle Eastern food - I quite
like couscous but not chickpeas. I wouldnt be much use in that part
of the world I fear!
>
>I do use food network to learn. My last dish was a fusion of a recipe of
>cioppino from Giada's and Rachel Ray's. Rachel's recipe because I'd never
>cooked with anchovies before and she is the only person I've seen that made
>that possible for me to try.

I wonder if this is the Rachel we get who is English and seems to only
do small TV bites. They are quite informative though and she's easy
to follow.

>After going the route of buying salted
>anchovies and them molding (of all things) before I could pull myself
>together to use them, then I found anchovies in the jar as she was
>demonstrating using on her program (in olive oil) and so because of food
>network, I was able to use anchovies in cooking. Viva la food network.

I dont know anything about salted anchovies at all. I've only ever
seen them in tins or bottles. I usually buy them in oil in a little
bottle and keep the bottle. Because I don't like leaving leftover
things in tins in the refrigerator, I tend to transfer anyleftover
anchovies from tins into one of the tiny bottles I keep for the
purpose. I've kept them for over a week. We love them and tend to
use them up within that time, some way or another.

How about this recipe for a quick and easy tasty pasta dish that I use
all the time:

1 clove garlic finely sliced. 2 anchovies crushed.
Good quality Extra Virgin olive oil.
Enough pasta for 2 people.
Salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Shake of dried chilli flakes (optional)

While the pasta is cooking, heat the oil to medium only. Add the
garlic and stir once, then add the anchovies and stir again. Add the
chilli flakes if you are using them. Cook for about 2 minutes or so
on a medium to low heat. I find garlic is awful if it cooks fast and
goes too brown.

Drain the pasta and return to the pot. Mix in the oil, garlic and
anchovies.

Sometimes I add some leftover tomato puree or pasta sauce I happen to
have over.

Freshly grate parmesan cheese over the top and serve immediately.

It's just so easy and so nice. Quick too.

Cheers Dee

Daisy

Carthage demands an explanation for this insolence!

Daisy wrote:
> On Wed, 28 Dec 2005 08:05:48 -0500, "Dee Randall"
> > wrote:
>
> (snip)
>
>
>
>>On my food channel network, I don't get Nigella or Jamie. I only get Jamie
>>on BBC, but hesitantly as not to offend, his personality and menu selection
>>is not to my liking. I would like to get Nigella's programs.
>
>
> I can quite understand Americans not really liking Jamie Oliver's
> style. He is a wonderful cook, though, and some of his cooking
> techniques have really opened my eyes!
>
> Nigella is very easy on the eyes and is so British plummy! She's a
> real treat. Did you know her father was a cabinet minister in the
> last Tory government in the UK? Filthy rich the lot of them!
>
>>There used to be a plethora of cooking shows on PBS, now I only see three
>>that are of interest to me, out of only a few that are left; those are
>>Bittman & America's Test Kitchen, Rick Bayliss' Mexican food.
>
>
> Not to offend, but I am unable to deal with Mexican food - it seems to
> be at the cheap end - like what you do when the money runs out.

What's wrong with that? My most creative and tasty meals have come out
of necessity




--

saerah

http://anisaerah.blogspot.com/

"Peace is not an absence of war, it is a virtue, a state of mind, a
disposition for benevolence, confidence, justice."
-Baruch Spinoza

"There is a theory which states that if ever anybody discovers exactly
what the Universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear
and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable. There
is another theory which states that this has already happened."
-Douglas Adams

>
> Nigella is very easy on the eyes and is so British plummy!

What is British plummy? "Upper crust? Monied? Aristocracy?

> Not to offend, but I am unable to deal with Mexican food - it seems to
> be at the cheap end - like what you do when the money runs out.

Some people don't like Mexican food. Others have a misconception of it.
There are a few cook books that might change your mind about preparation,
technique and ingredients. I also find Central American and South American
cooking quite diverse, and not within my expertise. Yum, Yum!

>
> There is a Delhi Belly program on UK TV - we get this as well here in
> New Zealand - it's done by a guy called Kumar who used to be in some
> English comedy program. The BBC site is quite good and you can find
> lovely recipes there.

I've seen Kumar on an English comedy program, although I don't watch BBC
situation comedies as a rule. Now "Fawlty Towers" is another story!


>
> I wonder if this is the Rachel we get who is English and seems to only
> do small TV bites. They are quite informative though and she's easy
> to follow.

If you distinguish between American and English -- well, Rachel Ray is
American. No doubt about it.



>
> How about this recipe for a quick and easy tasty pasta dish that I use
> all the time:
>
> 1 clove garlic finely sliced. 2 anchovies crushed.
> Good quality Extra Virgin olive oil.
> Enough pasta for 2 people.
> Salt and freshly ground black pepper.
> Shake of dried chilli flakes (optional)
>
> While the pasta is cooking, heat the oil to medium only. Add the
> garlic and stir once, then add the anchovies and stir again. Add the
> chilli flakes if you are using them. Cook for about 2 minutes or so
> on a medium to low heat. I find garlic is awful if it cooks fast and
> goes too brown.
>
> Drain the pasta and return to the pot. Mix in the oil, garlic and
> anchovies.
>
> Freshly grate parmesan cheese over the top and serve immediately.
>
> Cheers Dee

Yep, thanks, I think I'll have this soon. With a little fresh spinach. Yum
Yum!
Dee Dee

On Wed, 28 Dec 2005 21:44:09 -0500, "Dee Randall"
> wrote:

>
>>
>> Nigella is very easy on the eyes and is so British plummy!
>
>What is British plummy? "Upper crust? Monied? Aristocracy?

Oh no, plummy is not monied or upper crust or aristocracy - it's the
voice darling - it's so so upper class! Like the Queen doncha know?
Very very top drawer English with all those rounded vowels!
>
>> Not to offend, but I am unable to deal with Mexican food - it seems to
>> be at the cheap end - like what you do when the money runs out.
>
>Some people don't like Mexican food. Others have a misconception of it.
>There are a few cook books that might change your mind about preparation,
>technique and ingredients. I also find Central American and South American
>cooking quite diverse, and not within my expertise. Yum, Yum!

For me it's quite personal. I don't like refried beans. I don't
particularly like tortilas or buritos, and (in New Zealand anyway)
Mexican restaurants - few and far between as they are - are known for
very cheap food. However, I had some wonderful quesadilles (sp?)
somewhere in Southern California once that were to die for. What a
contradiction I am!! LOL
>
>>
>> There is a Delhi Belly program on UK TV - we get this as well here in
>> New Zealand - it's done by a guy called Kumar who used to be in some
>> English comedy program. The BBC site is quite good and you can find
>> lovely recipes there.
>
>I've seen Kumar on an English comedy program, although I don't watch BBC
>situation comedies as a rule. Now "Fawlty Towers" is another story!

You would absolutely hate "At Home with the Kumars" believe me! And
yes Fawlty Towers is something else isnt it? They only did 12 of
them did you know? Tragic!
>>
>> I wonder if this is the Rachel we get who is English and seems to only
>> do small TV bites. They are quite informative though and she's easy
>> to follow.
>
>If you distinguish between American and English -- well, Rachel Ray is
>American. No doubt about it.
>
>> How about this recipe for a quick and easy tasty pasta dish that I use
>> all the time:
>>
>> 1 clove garlic finely sliced. 2 anchovies crushed.
>> Good quality Extra Virgin olive oil.
>> Enough pasta for 2 people.
>> Salt and freshly ground black pepper.
>> Shake of dried chilli flakes (optional)
>>
>> While the pasta is cooking, heat the oil to medium only. Add the
>> garlic and stir once, then add the anchovies and stir again. Add the
>> chilli flakes if you are using them. Cook for about 2 minutes or so
>> on a medium to low heat. I find garlic is awful if it cooks fast and
>> goes too brown.
>>
>> Drain the pasta and return to the pot. Mix in the oil, garlic and
>> anchovies.
>>
>> Freshly grate parmesan cheese over the top and serve immediately.
>>
>> Cheers Dee
>
>Yep, thanks, I think I'll have this soon. With a little fresh spinach. Yum
>Yum!
>Dee Dee
>
I hope you do Dee - and enjoy!

Cheers
Daisy

Carthage demands an explanation for this insolence!

In article >,
Daisy > wrote:

> On Wed, 28 Dec 2005 21:44:09 -0500, "Dee Randall"
> > wrote:

> >Some people don't like Mexican food. Others have a misconception of it.
> >There are a few cook books that might change your mind about preparation,
> >technique and ingredients. I also find Central American and South American
> >cooking quite diverse, and not within my expertise. Yum, Yum!
>
> For me it's quite personal. I don't like refried beans. I don't
> particularly like tortilas or buritos, and (in New Zealand anyway)
> Mexican restaurants - few and far between as they are - are known for
> very cheap food. However, I had some wonderful quesadilles (sp?)
> somewhere in Southern California once that were to die for. What a
> contradiction I am!! LOL

I haven't eaten at this place, but I've never read a bad review:

http://www.guaymas.com/menu2.htm

Prices run US$20-40 per person, without drinks, tax or tips.

I don't see any refried beans or burritos on the menu. The tortillas
are made in the restaurant.

--
Dan Abel

Petaluma, California, USA

Daisy wrote:
> [snip]
> For me it's quite personal. I don't like refried beans. I don't
> particularly like tortilas or buritos, and (in New Zealand anyway)
> Mexican restaurants - few and far between as they are - are known for
> very cheap food. However, I had some wonderful quesadilles (sp?)
> somewhere in Southern California once that were to die for. What a
> contradiction I am!! LOL [snips]

Lucky you, you have yet to discover what real Mexican food is! Refried
beans and burritos are to Mexican food as Big Macs and fries are to
American food: to be found everywhere but in no way representative of
the whole cuisine. Find a book by Diane Kennedy or Rick Bayless and
just thumb through the pages. Take a good look at what they do with
seafood, and examine the mole sauces. You'll find a new world highly
worthy of exploration. -aem

Dan replied to Daisy:

>> For me it's quite personal. I don't like refried beans. I don't
>> particularly like tortilas or buritos, and (in New Zealand anyway)
>> Mexican restaurants - few and far between as they are - are known for
>> very cheap food. However, I had some wonderful quesadilles (sp?)
>> somewhere in Southern California once that were to die for. What a
>> contradiction I am!! LOL
>
> I haven't eaten at this place, but I've never read a bad review:
>
> http://www.guaymas.com/menu2.htm
>
> Prices run US$20-40 per person, without drinks, tax or tips.
>
> I don't see any refried beans or burritos on the menu. The tortillas
> are made in the restaurant.

I believe Daisy was looking for good Mexican restaurants in New Zealand.
Providing a web site to a restaurant in Northern California probably doesn't
help her much.

Helps *me*, though!

Bob

"Bob Terwilliger" > wrote in message
...
> Dan replied to Daisy:
>
>>> For me it's quite personal. I don't like refried beans. I don't
>>> particularly like tortilas or buritos, and (in New Zealand anyway)
>>> Mexican restaurants - few and far between as they are - are known for
>>> very cheap food. However, I had some wonderful quesadilles (sp?)
>>> somewhere in Southern California once that were to die for. What a
>>> contradiction I am!! LOL
>>
>> I haven't eaten at this place, but I've never read a bad review:
>>
>> http://www.guaymas.com/menu2.htm
>>
>> Prices run US$20-40 per person, without drinks, tax or tips.
>>
>> I don't see any refried beans or burritos on the menu. The tortillas
>> are made in the restaurant.
>
> I believe Daisy was looking for good Mexican restaurants in New Zealand.
> Providing a web site to a restaurant in Northern California probably
> doesn't
> help her much.
>
> Helps *me*, though!
>
> Bob
I think maybe he was illustrating the fact that there are other things than
beans and rice on Mexican restaurant menus; I don't think he was
recommending a place to eat.
Yeah, I'd like to eat in that restaurant, too.
There's a Mexican restaurant here that opened up a few years ago that the
parking lot is always full-up. I wouldn't take my dog to eat there. Once was
enough.
DeeDee

In article >,
"Bob Terwilliger" > wrote:

> Dan replied to Daisy:
>
> >> For me it's quite personal. I don't like refried beans. I don't
> >> particularly like tortilas or buritos, and (in New Zealand anyway)
> >> Mexican restaurants - few and far between as they are - are known for
> >> very cheap food. However, I had some wonderful quesadilles (sp?)
> >> somewhere in Southern California once that were to die for. What a
> >> contradiction I am!! LOL
> >
> > I haven't eaten at this place, but I've never read a bad review:
> >
> > http://www.guaymas.com/menu2.htm
> >
> > Prices run US$20-40 per person, without drinks, tax or tips.
> >
> > I don't see any refried beans or burritos on the menu. The tortillas
> > are made in the restaurant.
>
> I believe Daisy was looking for good Mexican restaurants in New Zealand.
> Providing a web site to a restaurant in Northern California probably doesn't
> help her much.


I don't believe she was. She said she didn't like them because she
didn't like refried beans, tortillas, burritos or very cheap food. I
was just providing an example of a restaurant that didn't appear to have
refried beans or burritos, and definitely wasn't cheap. The tortillas
are house made, which might be a surprise for her if she could ever find
them, plus there are a ton of items that don't use tortillas, and for
the ones that have them on the side, you don't have to eat them.

I know that there are wonderful foods in New Zealand that you either
can't get here, or maybe aren't good.

--
Dan Abel

Petaluma, California, USA

Dee wrote:

> I think maybe he was illustrating the fact that there are other things
> than beans and rice on Mexican restaurant menus; I don't think he was
> recommending a place to eat.
> Yeah, I'd like to eat in that restaurant, too.

For the San Diego folks, here's what I think is the best Mexican place in
town:

www.candelas-sd.com

I didn't search all the menus, but I don't think refried beans or burritos
appear in any of them, either.

(SOME benighted people think that downtown San Diego has nothing worthwhile
to offer. I think this is a fairly convincing refutation. And it's
conveniently located near a favorite hotel of mine, www.hotelsolamar.com/.)


> There's a Mexican restaurant here that opened up a few years ago that the
> parking lot is always full-up. I wouldn't take my dog to eat there. Once
> was enough.

It's sad to reflect on how some of the WORST places can enjoy immense and
undeserved popularity, while some fantastic places flounder and die.

Bob

On 30 Dec 2005 01:08:07 -0600, "Bob Terwilliger"
> wrote:

>Dee wrote:
>
>> I think maybe he was illustrating the fact that there are other things
>> than beans and rice on Mexican restaurant menus; I don't think he was
>> recommending a place to eat.
>> Yeah, I'd like to eat in that restaurant, too.
>
>For the San Diego folks, here's what I think is the best Mexican place in
>town:
>
>www.candelas-sd.com

I love Pokez. Definitely low-brow, but I love it. Funky vibe, vegan
options, yummy food, cheapcheapcheap.

>
>I didn't search all the menus, but I don't think refried beans or burritos
>appear in any of them, either.
>
>(SOME benighted people think that downtown San Diego has nothing worthwhile
>to offer. I think this is a fairly convincing refutation. And it's
>conveniently located near a favorite hotel of mine, www.hotelsolamar.com/.)

Other downtown San Diego offerings (not Mexican) that I've liked:
Bandar, lots of the places in Golden Hill whose names escape me (close
to downtown, but not quite), Panda Something on top of Horton Plaza,
with white-chocolate-dipped fortune cookies, and, believe it or not,
the hole-in-the-wall Greek place in Seaport Village, whose combo
platter I highly recommend, along with the honey custard, which tastes
like baklava, but has the consistency of flan.

serene

On Thu, 29 Dec 2005 23:18:21 -0800, serene wrote:

> Panda Something on top of Horton Plaza,
> with white-chocolate-dipped fortune cookies

Please don't tell me Panda Express is fine dining in San Diego.
--

Practice safe eating. Always use condiments.

On Fri, 30 Dec 2005 10:40:45 -0800, sf >
wrote:

>On Thu, 29 Dec 2005 23:18:21 -0800, serene wrote:
>
>> Panda Something on top of Horton Plaza,
>> with white-chocolate-dipped fortune cookies
>
>Please don't tell me Panda Express is fine dining in San Diego.

No, it's not. But the Panda Inn, I think it's called, is not fast
food. It's a lovely sit-down restaurant with jasmine tea at the table
and cloth tablecloths. I loved it the couple of times I took my mom,
who requested it any time she was going to be downtown.

Seared scallops in lemon-and-ginger sauce with shredded scallions as a
garnish. Heaven.

serene

On Fri, 30 Dec 2005 10:54:20 -0800, serene >
wrote:

>On Fri, 30 Dec 2005 10:40:45 -0800, sf >
>wrote:
>
>>On Thu, 29 Dec 2005 23:18:21 -0800, serene wrote:
>>
>>> Panda Something on top of Horton Plaza,
>>> with white-chocolate-dipped fortune cookies
>>
>>Please don't tell me Panda Express is fine dining in San Diego.
>
>No, it's not. But the Panda Inn, I think it's called, is not fast
>food. It's a lovely sit-down restaurant with jasmine tea at the table
>and cloth tablecloths.

Yes, it's called the Panda Inn:
http://cityguide.aol.com/sandiego/en...e.adp?vid=5782

serene

serene wrote:
> On Fri, 30 Dec 2005 10:54:20 -0800, serene >
> wrote:
>
> >On Fri, 30 Dec 2005 10:40:45 -0800, sf >
> >wrote:
> >
> >>On Thu, 29 Dec 2005 23:18:21 -0800, serene wrote:
> >>
> >>> Panda Something on top of Horton Plaza,
> >>> with white-chocolate-dipped fortune cookies
> >>
> >>Please don't tell me Panda Express is fine dining in San Diego.
> >
> >No, it's not. But the Panda Inn, I think it's called, is not fast
> >food. It's a lovely sit-down restaurant with jasmine tea at the table
> >and cloth tablecloths.
>
It's one of those immigrant success stories, don't you know....The
first Panda Inn was a mom and pop family operation in Pasadena or
Arcadia. When they started, the widespread Chinese restaurants were
nearly all the old-fashioned, bland, cheap Cantonese diner type. Panda
Inn instead served dishes from northern China with one or two spicy
Szechuan style. And they were very good cooks. The combination of an
improved menu and high quality food let them charge higher prices, they
made a good reputation, did really good business.

Now the next generation came along, all assimilated into American ways,
which meant they wanted to expand. So they opened another location and
it prospered as well. After a few years the family members were not
just Americans, they were capitalists (!) so they saw the opportunity
to create the fast-food buffet joints. They figured if they controlled
the menu they could still achieve a decent quality. It worked and the
Panda Restaurant Group now has several upscale nice restaurants in
SoCal with good menus and high quality. And a whole bunch of the small
Panda Express buffets with mediocre food that is still better than most
of the other joints. Sales are in the high hundreds of millions of
dollars.

Some of them still speak with an accent, though.

I don't claim that all of this is exactly accurate, but you get the
idea. <g> -aem

On 30 Dec 2005 01:08:07 -0600, "Bob Terwilliger"
> wrote:

>Dee wrote:
>
>> I think maybe he was illustrating the fact that there are other things
>> than beans and rice on Mexican restaurant menus; I don't think he was
>> recommending a place to eat.
>> Yeah, I'd like to eat in that restaurant, too.
>
>For the San Diego folks, here's what I think is the best Mexican place in
>town:
>
>www.candelas-sd.com
>
>I didn't search all the menus, but I don't think refried beans or burritos
>appear in any of them, either.

I thought it was much ado about almost nothing and not very much bang
for the buck. It is "yuppified" Mexican.

Now, yesterday, I had some very good ceviche at the Farmer's Market
(Mariscos Dorados) in Tijuana and a couple of very nice shrimp tacos.
Total food cost was about $6.


jim