Latest news with #AmericanChinese
Eater
19 hours ago
- Business
- Eater
At Xi'an Famous Foods, Hand-Ripped Noodles Helped Build an Empire
Jason Wang and his father, David Shi, combine their father-son dynamic into beautiful form at Xi'an Foods, one of the first major businesses to offer hand-pulled noodles in New York City. Pulling inspiration from the family's ancestral home of Xi'an, the New York duo opened the first location in Flushing, Queens, to the gratitude of numerous Asian American immigrant families missing the flavors of home. Today, guests from all backgrounds are among the businesses' millions of customers, who pile into more than 15 locations now spread across New York City. Xi'an Famous Foods is very casual. It's simple dishes, and the presentation is simple. On the one hand, it's like that type of food, but on the other hand, it's also not the easiest to make, especially things such as cold-skin or hand-pulled noodles. We're from Xi'an, the capital of Shaanxi Province in China. So as immigrants, we really do miss the food from home. Before 2005, my father, David Shi, was working in various American Chinese restaurants, mostly along the East Coast. I was getting started in college, and at this point, my dad thought, 'Well, Jason's in college. He's off to take care of himself. I'm going to do something that's personal to me, something I always wanted to do,' and that was to start an eatery. He wasn't sure how the food was going to be received. [The year] 2005 was an interesting time for Chinese cuisine, because that was around the time when people were emigrating from regions of China that were new to many New Yorkers. When we started, there were no [pantry products on] Amazon, no delivery service for Asian products or ingredients, even [for] things as simple as black rice vinegar. But at the same time, a lot of people were coming from places like coastal China, Fujian, and Wenzhou. There were more Northern Chinese folks from Northeastern parts of China. There were more Shanghainese speakers and folks from the Shanghai region, and regions of the country that previously didn't see as much immigration to the U.S. That drove a lot of the growth in places like Flushing in Queens and in Chinatown in Manhattan. David Shi (left) and Jason Wang in the restaurant's early days. XI'an Famous Foods I was away in my fall semester at Washington University in St. Louis, and my father decided to start selling bubble tea; he offered food on the side. He was doing hand-pulled noodles and hand-ripped noodles, Liang Pi cold-skin noodles, and spicy cumin lamb burgers. The food started selling better than the bubble tea. The first location was pretty much sort of a hole-in-the-wall type of area in Queens, a bunch of food stalls that came out of the establishment restaurants. My dad didn't really think about going outside of that area. But eventually he looked at his second location, in Flushing. That was how our expansion started. He eventually opened a spot in the Golden Shopping Mall, that basement food court in Flushing. It was a hole-in-the-wall type of place during that time, too. It still exists, but it got renovated around 2017 or 2018, so it's a very different place now than it was before. The menu at Xi'an Famous's first location inside the Golden Shopping Mall in Flushing. The business got so popular, and eventually I started to help him. No one really gave us the guidelines. There was no playbook for this. I officially joined the company in 2009 after I graduated from college. Anthony Bourdain came in 2011. We expanded to where we are now because we've stuck to that tradition. We don't have investments — we have zero investors right now. I think it's a testament to the continued popularity of our food. As we started opening more locations, we started thinking about a central kitchen. I looked at the Starbucks model, in which the company got a roasting plant early on. By our fourth or fifth location, in 2011, we opened our first central kitchen. We started operating out of that central kitchen, which was about 5,000 square feet, and that helped grow our number of stores in the city. Our first location in the city was actually in Chinatown, then the East Village. Who would've thought we would need a ghost kitchen in 2005? We were there for 10 years, right up to when the pandemic started, and our lease was up. It's a place where I learned the ropes, and when we began to really recognize that there's just so much demand from folks who aren't in Chinatown, too. We were really encouraged by that, and Xi'an grew, eventually opening a Midtown location in 2013. The current menu board at the TK of location Xi'an — now digital — features signatures that been available since the early days, including the Liang Pi cold noodles and cumin lamb noodle soup. Clay Williams/Eater The spicy cumin lamb burger and beef hand-ripped noodles. Clay Williams/Eater Some of our first write-ups in the food world were Chinese media saying, 'Hey, you know, they're serving these noodles that a lot of people who are from the region go over to eat because they want to taste their home.' That was like the theme back then. Fast-forward to now: Flushing has changed. All across New York right now, there are a lot of big brands. There's a Fendi over there now. It's different. We currently operate 16 locations — 15 Xi'an Famous Food institutions and one ghost kitchen. And even though the business has expanded, the drive and heart we started with still remain. It's a lot of new businesses doing similar cuisine now, corporate places that try to do similar things. It's great to have selections, but things have become much more homogenized. I miss the creativity back in the day. The focus of the business has remained the same. The mission has always been to do a good job, to serve good food, and to serve food that we would eat ourselves. This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
Axios
07-07-2025
- Axios
Yummy Spicy's Sichuan dishes will have you coming back for more
If you're looking for a go-to Chinese restaurant on Buford Highway, then you should add Yummy Spicy to your rotation. Why it matters: This no-nonsense restaurant has a large menu filled with Sichuan dishes as well as classic American Chinese options. Zoom in: I went with two friends after a recent rock climbing session to load up on some protein and veggies. My friends had been to Yummy Spicy before, and were excited because the restaurant had reopened after closing for a few weeks so the owners could travel overseas. The vibe: The restaurant, which has been open since 2017, doesn't have the bells and whistles you would see in more trendy spots. It gives off the kind of vibe where you're just there to enjoy good food and get on with your day. The staff was also attentive and friendly. What to try: The Yummy Spicy Chicken! The pieces were lightly battered, deep fried to crispy perfection and tossed with chopped red chilis, cumin, onions and other seasonings. You will want to eat the entire plate in one go. We also got the Sliced Beef Yummy Spicy Hot Pot (a dry hot pot with vegetables tossed with the signature Sichuan spicy and numbing flavors) and pork dumplings in a chili oil sauce, both of which were very good. Their mapo tofu is next on my list of things to try. If you go: Yummy Spicy's address is 5164 Buford Highway, Doraville, Ga. 30340. They are closed Tuesday, but are open 11:30am to 9:30pm Monday and Wednesday through Sunday.
Edinburgh Live
09-06-2025
- General
- Edinburgh Live
British couple try Chinese takeaway in America and spot one big difference
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info A British couple, James and Siana, recently tried Chinese takeaway in America for the first time and noticed a significant difference. In the UK, ordering 'a Chinese' is a beloved tradition, with favourites such as egg fried rice, chow mein, and sweet and sour chicken. Chinese takeaways are dotted all over the UK and are a popular choice for relaxed get-togethers with family or friends. For some families, getting a Chinese takeaway for dinner is a treat, while for others it's a convenient option when they don't feel like cooking. Americans also enjoy Chinese takeaways, and this British couple decided to document their experience of trying one in the US on TikTok. James mentioned that a Chinese takeaway "is normally very good in Britain", so they were "intrigued" to see how it compares in the US. Siana started by opening a "stunning" container of broccoli beef, noting that it "actually smells really good," reports the Mirror. Next up was orange chicken. James confessed that he had never tried this dish before in the UK, and Siana admitted she hadn't heard of it either but knew it's a "big thing" in the US. Upon opening the container, James took a whiff of the chicken and exclaimed: "Oh it smells amazing." Siana excitedly chimed in: "Ooh yum, that smells like sweet and sour chicken." They also ordered some chicken fried rice. The next dish left them puzzled. They explained that the item was labelled as egg rolls, but the couple thought they looked more like spring rolls. In their exploration of different Chinese takeaway options between the US and the UK, Siana questioned whether 'egg rolls' were simply a stateside term for 'spring rolls', imploring her viewers to weigh in. She also pointed out one key item missing from American Chinese takeaways: "The one thing that we're missing is prawn crackers." James chimed in, remarking on how they didn't receive the customary prawn crackers but instead got complimentary white rice: "They usually just put them in for free but it seems like they've just added some white rice for free. Maybe that's something they do here instead." Despite the lack of prawn crackers, they were pleased to find fortune cookies included. Tasting the egg rolls, Siana immediately noted their resemblance to chunkier spring rolls: "That's a spring roll but thicker." She expressed enjoyment at the heartiness of the roll, finding it "actually really nice." When they delved into the orange chicken, James declared it "really good" with both agreeing it bore a similarity to the sweet and sour chicken back home in UK takeaways. Their verdict on the broccoli beef was less enthusiastic, branding it "average" and somewhat uninspired in flavour. Siana however found its subtlety ="still quite nice." Digging into the chicken fried rice, the pair were unanimous in their approval, with Siana commenting it was "just your typical fried rice" and akin to that served in the UK. To clear up confusion over egg rolls versus spring rolls, The Food Network has differentiated the two on its website, noting that egg rolls are an American invention, while spring rolls have their origins in China. Egg rolls are known for their thicker skin, utilising a "wonton or thick, yeast dough wrapper", in contrast to spring rolls which boast a "more delicate, thin skin and use a spring roll wrapper." When it comes to what's inside, egg rolls are usually packed with "typically contain cabbage and meat", whereas spring rolls tend to be "traditionally vegetarian or vegan", although there are versions that feature meat or seafood.
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Panda Express part of new improvements made at HNL
HONOLULU (KHON2) — Brand new restaurants and improvements are coming to the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport. The Hawai'i Department of Transportation highlighted new improvements to Terminal 1 as part of a continuing effort to enhance the passenger experience for the traveling public. HNL takes off: Upgrades to modernize Honolulu's aging airport HDOT partnered with Hawaiian Airlines to unveil new restroom facilities and a breakroom for TSA employees. 'This project is more than just a construction milestone, it's a testament to the power of partnership,' said Monica Kobayashi, managing director for airport operations, Hawaiian Airlines. 'By working together, Hawaiian Airlines and the HDOT were able to pool resources, share expertise and deliver a project that benefits everyone who passes through this terminal. It's a model of collaboration that allows us to move faster, work smarter and achieve more than we could alone.' Check out more news from around Hawaii Hawaiian Airlines' total investment in this project was $14 million. Kobayashi also added, 'Everybody here knows that our budget is focused on our runways and taxiways. We wanna make sure those areas are safe first before we start pushing money in different areas. But everybody's been seeing those small improvements that we've been making to the terminals to make sure the visitor experience is highlighted as well.' Additionally, HDOT and its food and beverage concessionaire partner, HMSHost, celebrated the opening of the first of two new Panda Express restaurants at HNL, with the second to be located in the food court in Terminal 2. The second location is set to open in August. HMSHost is also upgrading furniture at its food and beverage outlets in Terminal 1 and expects to open Waialua Café and Bar in the Mauka Terminal by the end of this year. 'We are extremely excited to bring our travelers a well-recognized and sought-after brand in Panda Express, delivering flavors that are a combination of Chinese roots with an American taste, serving dishes that are authentically American Chinese,' said Chris Kadohiro, director of operations for HMSHost. 'The addition of Panda Express in the interisland terminal, as well as the Terminal 2 location coming in August, will allow us to increase passenger satisfaction and provide them great comfort food as they travel.' Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news Along with these improvements, additional dining experiences are also on the way. Details for the new restaurants will be provided at a later date. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- Yahoo
That's all, yolks! Asian egg dishes delight around Orlando
I just crushed about a quarter of this vegetable egg foo young, which according to my brief research has more than a few acceptable spellings and a tremendous number of fans. It is my favorite American-Chinese takeout staple. Done perfectly, it's wok-fried in a generous pool of oil, soft and tender inside with a crispy, wispy exterior and heavy with vegetables — all of them. Broccoli and carrot, water chestnuts, bean sprouts, mushrooms, cabbage, rough-chopped hunks of baby corn. Every restaurant does it differently and I'll often pass on the gravy (some are too heavy on thickening agents, too light on the soy or oyster sauce umami), but I love it, with or without. Orlando's first Kyuramen location is ready for its close-up | Review I'd just finished up at the gym. And the salty protein-carbohydrate bomb was just what my body wanted. I could feel it replenishing me, in fact, like it was going directly into my cells. It was fabulous. I might have heard myself say 'mmm' a few times. Folks in foodie online circles can be pretentious about American-Chinese food. I've seen people joyfully post their glistening containers of General Tso's only to have some troll call it inauthentic, which frankly, I don't get. How? It's an iteration of Chinese food, invented by Chinese immigrants, as they forged new lives in a new place. There is Tahitian Chinese food. Caribbean Chinese food. Indian Chinese food. Peruvian Chifa. Same story, different countries. None are 'traditional.' All are examples of Chinese people using the ingredients available to them to create something familiar, but uniquely Chinese-plus. Happily, zero trolls responded when I posted an open question on the Orlando Sentinel's food-centric Facebook page, Let's Eat, Orlando. Best Korean: 2025 Orlando Sentinel Foodie Awards 'I love American Chinese food,' wrote group member Alana Conel. 'There's something about the comfort of it that I crave at least once every two weeks. I love authentic Chinese food no doubt, but take-out Chinese food … literally is making my mouth water right now.' Raised in China, Janet Zhang noted that American Chinese cuisine's flavor and presentation feel foreign, but she still likes it. 'I think the American Chinese restaurants have some of the best chicken wings I have ever had, and the twice-cooked pork made with cabbage and charsiu, though (they) bare [sic] little resemblance to the dish I was familiar with, (are) still delicious.' Chefs, too, weighed in. 'If you say you don't like [American Chinese food], you're lying,' said Boku, Soseki and Uncle Dendog's alum Denni Cha, whose favorites include moo shu. 'Egg drop soup is my everything.' Vegetable egg foo young is mine. I'm not apologizing. And as we say goodbye to both Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month and National Egg Month, I can't think of a better dish to go out on. That's all, yolks! Well, that and this round-up of some other Asian egg dishes you might want to try. Though not technically an omelet, this eggy-battered pancake of Japanese origin, in particular the chonky kind where the goodies are studded within instead of layered on top, has definite egg foo young feels. In Japan, you might find grill-top tables where you can cook your own, but at chef Lewis Lin's Orlando-local izakayas, Susuru and Juju, you can sip fine whiskey or whimsical cocktails while the pros in the kitchen do the work. Here, they churn out thick, Osaka-style okonomiyaki that's studded with cabbage and slathered in kewpie and where you can add on pork chashu or bacon. It's quite popular with the regulars, says Lin. Go. Be one. Susuru: 8548 Palm Parkway in Orlando, 407-778-4813; Juju: 700 Maguire Blvd. in Orlando, 407-412-6678; I couldn't post the wild video I have of my server, deftly slicing open this trendy, Yoshoku-style omelet, at Kyuramen's location just outside the UCF campus on University Boulevard, but Google Kyoto's famed Kichi Kichi restaurant (or check out Phil Rosenthal meeting chef Motokichi Yukimura on the Kyoto episode of 'Somebody Feed Phil' on Netflix) and you'll know what to expect when you show up for your own taste of this gorgeous dish, wherein a delicate, thin-skinned purse of eggs is layered over chicken fried rice, flayed open theatrically, then doused with sauce. At Kyuramen, the choice is curry or demiglace. You can add on pork tonkatsu, as well. Kyuramen: 3402 Technological Ave. in Orlando, 407-668-4088; This steamed egg custard is one of the most popular dishes on the menu at Pocha 93, where Korean street food takes center stage and the eggs are a light, silky and fluffy bar snack, topped with scallion and ideal for enjoying alongside something saltier and, of course, happy hour sips. Pocha 93: 7379 W. Colonial Drive in Orlando, 407-420-0157; A recent add to Domu Chibi Ramen's fast-casual menu in Waterford Lakes, and a protein-packed steal at $3.50. These thin, delicately rolled omelets, says chef/owner and 2025 James Beard Award Semifinalist for Best Chef: South, Sean 'Sonny' Nguyen, are something every chef specializing in Japanese cuisine aspires to do well. 'The more you make it over time, the better you get,' he says. 'I make a very amateur tamagoyaki at home for my kids for breakfast and they love it.' It was a natural add to Chibi's menu, he says 'because we were focusing a little more on Japanese street foods for our fast-casual outpost. One of the most memorable bites I had at the Tsujiki Market was tamagoyaki on a skewer, made fresh at a corner storefront. It was cheap, simple and delicious.' It takes those who try it on a trip to Japan without booking a ticket, he says. 'If you're into eggs, it's worth a try.' Domu Chibi Ramen: 869 N. Alafaya Trail in Orlando, Find me on Facebook, TikTok, Twitter or Instagram @amydroo or on the OSFoodie Instagram account @ Email: amthompson@ For more foodie fun, join the Let's Eat, Orlando Facebook group. Our 2025 Foodie Award winners list revealed — see who won
