Ho Lee Chow

Yesterday, I went to Bundang to meet up with my math teacher friend and his family. We ended up going to the Ho Lee Chow restaurant in his area. I had wanted to try Ho Lee Chow ever since I read about it in other blogger reviews months ago. And, after trying to arrange it so that everyone would be free to get together at the same time, it finally came together yesterday. That took forever to come together it seemed!

Anyways, Ho Lee Chow is an American style Chinese food franchise. In Canada, Ho Lee Chow is nothing more than a takeout counter with virtually no place to sit and eat in. It's just take out there. I've eaten there a few times when I was too lazy, or too time challenged, to make it to Chinatown for the real thing. I don't know what it's like in the USA as I've never been to one there. But, here in South Korea, it looks like a high end restaurant with nice seating and dark romantic interiors. With a price to match, unfortunately. It's ironic because real Chinese food is actually very inexpensive compared to other ethnic foods, and I include North American cuisine in this because real Chinese food is really, really, CHEAP to eat. At least in authentic Chinese restaurants in North America, and Hong Kong.

So, Americanized Chinese food is not quite the real thing, but it's close depending on what one orders. If you order anything "sweet and sour", forget it! That's just stuff made for North American tastes. It's NOT authentic. Trust me on this. Ditto with virtually anything deep fried, too. Sorry! Not the real thing. Anyways, we ordered items that were a mix of real and not so real as most of the menu items are not 100% authentic Chinese dishes. Those are the breaks seeing that this is an American chain. Now, that's not to say the food was not good. Quite the contrary. And, that's also not to say that I don't like some Americanized versions of the food because I do.

So, herewith (and in no particular order other than this is just how the pix uploaded) is a rundown on the day's dishes and their individual verdict:

Lobster in Black Bean sauce has got to me one of my all time favorite Chinese food dishes. Black bean sauce has in recent years taken a back seat for most Chinese people when it comes to lobster as simple ginger and garlic is more in vogue these days. But, Black bean sauce is still my personal choice and the reason is that the taste is so much stronger. The "hit" is amazing when done right. There is nothing close to it. For those who know this taste and the real thing, you know what I mean. Once you've had lobster this way, you'll never want it any other way again. Well, except maybe with drawn butter at some super expensive classy seafood place where you will pay 4x the amount for the same size lobster. Anyways, the lobster here that day was quite good and close to the real thing. It could have been tastier and a better "hit", but it was quite acceptable. About 90% close to the real thing. I enjoyed it and so did my friends.

Recommended

This is their house version of what is usually known as "Yang Chow Fried Rice". Basically, fried rice with everything from chicken bits to shrimp. Usually served at authentic Chinese weddings, this rice was quite good and tasty. The only downer were the mushrooms. They used canned mushrooms instead of fresh ones. But, all in all, quite good. About 90% authentic.

Recommended

This dish is one of the most common Chinese food dishes in most authentic Chinese restaurants you go to. It's simply flat rice noodles stir fried with beef, onions, green onions, and bean sprouts in soy sauce. The wok temperature has to be just right to get that smokey singed taste and texture to it. The mark of a really good chef if done right. This dish was 100% authentic in taste here that day.

Very Highly Recommended

This one is one of my favorite Americanized Chinese food dishes as it's something made at home as well as at restaurant. It's simple and easy to make. Unfortunately, this sample did not turn out quite as good as it should have. The main problem being the broccoli was over cooked and mushy. Broccoli should be crispy and crunchy in this dish, right at the cusp of doneness where it turns from raw to cooked. Anything over that point and it becomes mushy and anything just under that point and the broccoli is too bitter. I had a talent for making "just right" broccoli in the kitchen irregardless of the dish I was making. For those used to the North American cooking style, you will have absolutely no idea what I am talking about here as that type of broccoli is so mushy that it is softer than butter sometimes! And, you wonder why kids hate broccoli?

Anyways, the taste was not bad, close to the real deal. But, was let down by the textures of too soft broccoli and carrots. I'd rate it at 75% close to what it should be, and I'm being generous here.

Not Really Recommended (unless you like mushy broccoli)

Well, there, you have it. All in all an enjoyable meal for both myself and my friends. Albeit expensive for Chinese food, this is what it's like eating in a chain restaurant. But, most importantly, this is as close to real Chinese food as I have ever gotten while here in South Korea. I have tried many so called Chinese restaurants, even in Chinatown, and they have all been disappointing to some extent until this one. I think there is an opportunity here for some one to open the real thing. Hint. Hint.

Note:

All pix from Ho Lee Chow's Korean website. It was too dark to shoot without flash and I hate using flash.