As a general rule I seldom eat Chinese food when I go out, despite being Chinese. Sounds peverse, but it seems that it's the case for many people with an ethnic heritage. The food is usually anglicised, over-priced and you're often left with the feeling that you could have done better. The only exception is when my parents take me out to dinner. They are a couple of very dedicated taste detectives. Any Chinese restaurant they approve of is usually authentic and value for money and I conveniently leave the scouting work to them.
So what possessed me to try a Chinese restaurant in Echuca, a Victorian town on the Murray where I have only seen one other Chinese person? Well you can blame my friend Lindee. I'm doing this for her.
As I walked in to order my takeaway laksa, I realised that this is where they keep the Chinese people. Granted a laksa isn't technically Chinese, but I'm in Echuca I was not going to argue with anyone. I carefully walked home with my bowl of soup egg and spoon race style as I couldn't wait to try it.
Lid off, the soup looked thick and full of coconut, as a whiff of the familiar laksa smell filled the air. Thank god, I thought to myself, I'm not going to go hungry tonight. I'd like to tell you that as I put the noodles in my mouth, my taste buds had a moment of zen and that when the soup hit my throat, the world was at peace. But all was not to be. In reality, the soup was thin, the noodles strangely sour, and just generally lacking in seasoning. It tastes a carefully diluted laksa in a factor of about 1:100. Alas, looking the part just isn't enough when it comes to food.
Lid off, the soup looked thick and full of coconut, as a whiff of the familiar laksa smell filled the air. Thank god, I thought to myself, I'm not going to go hungry tonight. I'd like to tell you that as I put the noodles in my mouth, my taste buds had a moment of zen and that when the soup hit my throat, the world was at peace. But all was not to be. In reality, the soup was thin, the noodles strangely sour, and just generally lacking in seasoning. It tastes a carefully diluted laksa in a factor of about 1:100. Alas, looking the part just isn't enough when it comes to food.
Lucky I can eat anything when I'm hungry.
There's a really good fish and chips shop in Echuca called fish in a flash. It's damned good.
ReplyDeleteHi Robin,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tip. I did have fish and chips the first night here. Not sure if it was at Fish in the Flash, is it the one that does sushi as well?