Welcome to City-Data.com Forum!
U.S. CitiesCity-Data Forum Index
Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > Texas > San Antonio
 [Register]
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
View detailed profile (Advanced) or search
site with Google Custom Search

Search Forums  (Advanced)
Reply Start New Thread
 
Old 02-09-2014, 08:05 PM
 
Location: San Antonio TX
169 posts, read 391,809 times
Reputation: 253

Advertisements

Having moved here from the SF Bay Area where good Chinese food is in abundance, I'm having a very hard time finding a place that measures up to SF standards. Can anyone recommend a great place in San Antonio? Preferably as close to Alamo Ranch as possible, but I am willing to drive if it's necessary.

Things I've noticed about the San Antonio Chinese restaurants I've checked out so far:

1) None offer Chow Mein or Chow Fun. It seems Lo Mein is the only option for noodles.

2) Nobody sells entrees a la carte. Every dish comes with rice/egg roll/soup/etc. This drives me crazy. All we want to do is order three meat dishes, one noodle dish, some spring rolls, and some pot stickers. I don't need three orders of rice and soup that I'm going to throw away.

3) Does anyone cook their S&S, Orange or Lemon Chicken IN THE SAUCE? Can't stand getting a bunch of dry fried chicken pieces and a small cup of sauce that won't even cover all the meat. Yes, I know it won't be as crispy but that's the way it's supposed to be prepared.

4) Where's the meat, egg and veggies in my fried rice??? Three different places have served us "fried rice" that is basically yellowish rice with nothing in it. What's that all about?

Okay people...help me out here. And if you're a Bay Area transplant, I would definitely love to hear what you think compares. And if anyone wishes to not be publicly ridiculed, please refrain from mentioning PF Chang's or Panda Express
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message

 
Old 02-09-2014, 08:11 PM
 
Location: Brentwood
838 posts, read 1,210,414 times
Reputation: 1459
How about you mention the places you've been to help narrow it down?

I am betting you aren't going to find specifically what you're looking for in San Antonio. Some of the more popular places in town, that aren't chains, are Mencius, Tai Pei and Formosa Garden. I think all three are pretty good, you will probably find them lacking.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 02-09-2014, 08:28 PM
 
Location: San Antonio. Tx 78209
2,649 posts, read 7,437,451 times
Reputation: 1764
Most Chinese restaurants, that aren't PF changs or Kentucky fried panda aren't going to be in new suburban areas. That being said Hsiu Yu has chow mein and is ala carte. It's on broadway inside 410.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 02-09-2014, 08:38 PM
 
Location: San Antonio TX
169 posts, read 391,809 times
Reputation: 253
Quote:
Originally Posted by bspray View Post
How about you mention the places you've been to help narrow it down?

I am betting you aren't going to find specifically what you're looking for in San Antonio. Some of the more popular places in town, that aren't chains, are Mencius, Tai Pei and Formosa Garden. I think all three are pretty good, you will probably find them lacking.
We tried Oolong (based on rave reviews) and were not impressed at all, House of China, and one other who delivered but who's name escapes me.

Thank you for the recommendations. At this point I'm willing to give any place a shot. Finding great Chinese and sushi in San Antonio is starting to feel like searching for great BBQ in California
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 02-09-2014, 08:40 PM
 
Location: San Antonio TX
169 posts, read 391,809 times
Reputation: 253
Quote:
Originally Posted by smuboy86 View Post
Most Chinese restaurants, that aren't PF changs or Kentucky fried panda aren't going to be in new suburban areas. That being said Hsiu Yu has chow mein and is ala carte. It's on broadway inside 410.
I'll drive across town if need be. Thanks for the suggestion!
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 02-09-2014, 08:52 PM
 
218 posts, read 501,382 times
Reputation: 135
I hear Kim Wah on Bandera is good for close to authentic, but I have yet to go.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 02-09-2014, 09:10 PM
 
Location: Grey Gardens
336 posts, read 483,902 times
Reputation: 322
Authentic Asian in this city is nearly non-existent. Locals who haven't been anywhere with a strong Asian community think that buffet and sweet & sour anything is the 'real deal.' For a city this size, the lack of true multiculturalism is staggering to me.

Coming from SFO, I think you're going to have to hit Austin or, more ideally, Houston, for true Chinese

Last edited by staunchcharacter; 02-09-2014 at 09:18 PM..
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 02-09-2014, 09:16 PM
 
Location: San Antonio, TX - Displaced Michigander
2,068 posts, read 5,965,179 times
Reputation: 839
I haven't found a fav Chinese place yet, but continue to look. I just want a place with really good chicken fried rice.

As for sushi, I don't eat it myself, but based on urbanspoon reviews and the proximity to where I was living at the time, I gave my sil a gift cert. for Godai on West Rd. and he said it was excellent.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 02-09-2014, 09:17 PM
 
Location: San Antonio, TX - Displaced Michigander
2,068 posts, read 5,965,179 times
Reputation: 839
Oh, and if anyone knows of any place that serves Indonesian food locally, please let me know! I know there are a couple of places in Austin, but haven't heard of one here.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 02-09-2014, 09:17 PM
 
14,637 posts, read 35,019,120 times
Reputation: 6683
Kim Wah on Bandera is pretty good. Also the Phoenix Cafe at Blanco and West....they have an authentic Chinese menu in addition to the Americanized
one. Wok Inn ( the original old place on Grissom NOT the new place) is tasty although it has rice and egg roll included. Its been a while...they may have ala carte. Good luck. ...There truly is nothing like SF's Chinatown food in San Antonio.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.

Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.


Reply
Please update this thread with any new information or opinions. This open thread is still read by thousands of people, so we encourage all additional points of view.

Quick Reply
Message:


Settings
X
Data:
Loading data...
Based on 2000-2020 data
Loading data...

123
Hide US histogram

Over $104,000 in prizes was already given out to active posters on our forum and additional giveaways are planned!

Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > Texas > San Antonio
Similar Threads

All times are GMT -6.

© 2005-2024, Advameg, Inc. · Please obey Forum Rules · Terms of Use and Privacy Policy · Bug Bounty

City-Data.com - Contact Us - Archive 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 - Top