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Tried the new chinese restaurant today on the Avenue de Languedoc near to Espace Polygone Nord.

Le Palais de Chine is a modern building furnished in Chinese style seating about 200 diners. It offers a fairly comprehensive buffet at €12 for lunch and €16 (I think) for dinner.

I don't have a high opinion of chinese restaurants in the region so if I say this one is 'not bad'. I really mean better than any of the others I have tried.

Personally I hate buffets, I much prefer food to be freshly cooked and properly served and hate the concept of piling everything onto the same plate but as I said in comparison with other places around they made a decent effort.

As well as the buffet they also have a fresh food counter where you can gather a collection of ingredients to be Wok fried for you, I didn't try this and didn't see anyone else trying it but it might at least be a way of getting food that is freshly cooked.

They also have a raw meat and fish 'Grillade' counter which seems a bit incongruous in a chinese restaurant.

We arrived at about 1:15 and the place was heaving but by 1:45 it had emptied, had we gone earlier like the majority of their customers then the food might have been fresher.

Would I go back? possibly, as I said it 'wasn't bad' so I might give it another go.

Are they open every day,Allan ?

I know what you mean about " grillades". It always amuses me the concept of "fondue" that you see in pretty much every Chin/Viet place in France,but you have to think of the "steamboat" idea that you see in Malaysia and other Asian countries to get the idea !

I also agree with you totally about buffets. A Chinese place we go to near Norwich has a much better idea: instead of the buffet,they have on certain nights, a "all you can eat" menu at a fixed price,whereby you keep ordering stuff (of your choice) till you are full,and they bring it freshly cooked to your table.

I find the only way to get authentic Chinese (as opposed to Vietnamese) food here is to go to Spain.

Better still do it yourself. It's really very easy. Just prepare everything in advance, the cooking taking a few minutes only for most dishes.

Russell.

We went to Le Dragon on rue des Ecoles in Perpignan. I thought that was pretty good.

russell wrote:I find the only way to get authentic Chinese (as opposed to Vietnamese) food here is to go to Spain.

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Have you any recommendations re Chinese places in Spain,then, Russell ?Virtually all the Chinese places I've been to there have been absolutely DIRE,I'm afraid .

Yes, I'm surprised that Spain would be better. At least France has some colonial connections with the Orient.

john wrote:Are they open every day,Allan ?

I'm not sure about whether or not they are open every day, I'll check next time I pass it.

john wrote:I also agree with you totally about buffets. A Chinese place we go to near Norwich has a much better idea: instead of the buffet,they have on certain nights, a "all you can eat" menu at a fixed price,whereby you keep ordering stuff (of your choice) till you are full,and they bring it freshly cooked to your table.

That sounds a really good idea.

Santiago wrote: We went to Le Dragon on rue des Ecoles in Perpignan. I thought that was pretty good.

We tried is and found it disappointing very much the same as all the other chino/vietnamese places around

Russell wrote: I find the only way to get authentic Chinese (as opposed to Vietnamese) food here is to go to Spain.

I'd also like to hear of any good chinese places in Spain

By the way, those members of staff that I spoke to at the Palais de Chine were chinese rather than vietnamese although the style of serving spring rolls was definitely vietnamese

To be honest my experience of Chinese restaurants in the last 10 years has been almost always with Chinese friends, who chose them for authenticity. They were in the Chinatowns of New York, London and Wellington. So perhaps they are not what Brits generally rate as a "good" Chinese.

Le Dragon is a bit pokey and shabby but I still say the food is good and authentic.

The only other place I've been here is the Vietnamese resto at the lake at Villeneuve de la Raho. It's OK for flavours and service but the portions annoyed some of our more hungry diners. Great place to eat as the sun goes down though

I'm currently having a lot of fun with Oriental cooking at home as it is my final culinary hurdle. I always ended up with soggy stir-fry and rice like Uncle Ben's but a book called "Pleasures of the Vietnamese Table" has taught me a lot of techniques which get it right. I read that Ferran Adria learnt a huge amount from studying Asian cooking techniques.

It's a couple of years since I last went there but there is a good restaurant in LLobregat run by a couple from Hong Kong.

Haven't tried La Dragon. I'll put it on my list.

A bit like ike Santiago, my best experience has been eating in restaurants with Chinese businessmen in Malaysia, Taiwan, China and Hong Kong. This is gourmet Chinese food. It has also been good to eat everyday food from back street restaurants and market stalls in these places.

The secret to good stir fries is plenty of heat. A normal gas ring is insufficient and an electric wok is useless.

Russell.

Sorry,Russell,but I had not realised by "Spain" you were referring to the S End of Barcelona. I was rather hoping you'd found some good Chinese places in Girona or even nearer ! There is a very large China Town at the N Coastal end of Barcelona (as you come in on the road from Mataro),and no doubt there are some good authentic places there.

I'd certainly agree with you about your penultimate paragraph. Like you and Santiago, by far my best experiences have been in Hong Kong,Malaysia, Bangkok etc (never been to Taiwan,but have travelled a fair bit on China Airlines/Eva Air). Sometimes,the most unpromising looking places have turned out to serve the best food.

Post deleted as I unintentionally caused offence by making a joke

I have no intention of joining in with the 'I've eaten the best Oriental food in the Orient (no shit, Sherlock!) with this business man or other' competition

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That's a bit harsh isn't it? It's just a benign thread of people discussing their tastes in Chinese restos!

Well I love our local "Dragon House" Chinese (take away).... worth a visit..Heckington, Lincs. ...but not for long must look out for our new local in the Charente.

No offence taken whatsoever - just making a comment.

To bring it down to earth the best chinese meal I have had was on North Shore Miami. All food was freshly cooked, vegetables were fresh not tinned or frozen and they had a wide variety of vegetarian dishes for my daughter. Not easy to find in eating in the meat eating USA.

thumbelina wrote:Post deleted as I unintentionally caused offence by making a joke

Damn, I missed that post!

Russell.

Nothing offensive about it Russel so nothing exciting missed

Just read my post. Promise I have not been on the wine.

Well get that bottle open gal - it's after midday!! (only joking )

Just back from Chateau Rousillon so may well do that now.

Chateau Roussillon. A rather particular aroma.

Not winery just Feuvert!

I have just been told about a Chinese/Vietnamese place in St Cyprien port area that is operated by a couple who retired from London... apparently mostly only open lunchtimes and near the parking area for camper Homes?

Does anyone know its name and location... friends were raving about it from a visit earlier in the year but could not remember its name.

Owners use to have a place in London in Belgravia. Not sure where though.

Rivesaltes Johnny wrote:I have just been told about a Chinese/Vietnamese place in St Cyprien port area that is operated by a couple who retired from London... apparently mostly only open lunchtimes and near the parking area for camper Homes?

Does anyone know its name and location... friends were raving about it from a visit earlier in the year but could not remember its name.

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Yes,RJ,saw it while there yesterday. It appears to be called the " Bamboo House Wine Bar" (in English) and is in the parade of shops by the port which also contains a launderette and Immo place.

Did not have time to stop,so cannot make any comment,but I have to say that the name is a bit of a put-off as far as I'm concerned......

Thanks John... I knew the font of all knowledge would come up trumps... am in the area next week so will try and check it out.

Rivesaltes Johnny wrote:Thanks John... I knew the font of all knowledge would come up trumps... .

You are too kind RJ. But I wish it were true......

Far from it,I'm afraid!