Recent comments in /f/todayilearned

kappakai t1_jdjy749 wrote

Maaaaan I went to Chongqing years ago. Got in late and wandered out my hotel to find something to eat. Found this dark dirty grimy hole in the wall a block away and got some chicken. It was cooked in chili oil, smothered with chili sauce, covered with chilis and then another layer of peppercorns. I managed, but it was to my surprise. I think Thai spicy still beats it.

The peppercorns are really annoying. But I kind of miss them now.

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john510runner t1_jdjx5b2 wrote

Not sure if this is still true... in the statement made in this Ted Talk...

There are more Chinese restaurants in the US than McDonald's, Burger King, KFC and Wendy's combined.

https://youtu.be/U6MhV5Rn63M?t=15

Can't find it but Yelp put something out (prior to Covid shut downs) saying the number of Chinese restaurants are on the decline even though the over all number of restaurants are at all time highs.

One of the explanations offered is the kids of the parents who own restaurants have choices to not be self employed.

Also in southern California I've noticed Vietnamese people running Chinese restaurants. Might also have something to do with more paths to being middle class in China that new waves of Chinese immigrants not taking up restaurant work in the US.

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stickyWithWhiskey t1_jdju39m wrote

>Even Sichuan food in Shanghai is watered down.

That doesn't surprise me. I've only had mostly authentic Sichuan once in my life and it was something else. A guy I used to work with was a first gen immigrant who once gave me some leftovers his mom cooked and it was no joke. I love me some spicy food, but that was a little much for an every day kinda meal. On the bright side, my house is still vampire proof.

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awfullotofocelots t1_jdjs74g wrote

You know I had to scroll all the way down to you to even make the connection between the actual event of the towers falling and bob happily singing about building. It really drives for me how 9/11 occupies a symbolically larger space in my mind than the actual event of the towers falling... at least for us who were still kids when it happened.

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