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10 Course Food Adventure at North China

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Crab Rangoon and Honey Teriyaki Chicken Wings

We don’t monkey around.  Everyone who knows us, know we do things original and right.

Today, we announce one of the biggest and boldest Food Adventure dinners yet…. and it just happens to be at one of our favorite spots.  North China Restaurant in Centerville will host the “Year of the Monkey” Celebration dinner, with 10 courses of food !

Since 1987, North China Restaurant has been pleasing Dayton area foodies, with tastes of Mandarin and Szechuan cuisine.  May 19th they team up with our crew for an epic eating extravaganza!  From appetizers to entrees, this “Year of the Monkey Dinner” promises to be a throwback to 80’s Chinese American restaurants, with a touch of family style dining.

Tickets are PRE-PAY only and can only be bought online at this link —> CLICK HERE.   There is limited seating, so get your tickets before we sell out.

Just what kind of Food Adventure have we come up with?  Let’s get the scoop…

 

HERE’S THE SKINNY:

Mongolian Chicken

— WHAT: 10 Course Food Adventure Dinner Event at North China Restaurant

— WHERE: 6090 Far Hills Ave, Centerville, OH 45459, next to Woodbourne Library.

— WHEN: 6:30pm THURSDAY MAY 19th

— WHY:  Celebrating “The Year of the Monkey” … and a chance to eat some good food!

— COST $29 per person & includes tip.  Water and Hot Tea included.  Alcohol and Soft Drinks, additional cost.

TICKETS CAN ONLY BE BOUGHT ONLINE—> CLICK HERE TO GET YOURS

 

How are your chopstick skills?  It doesn’t matter, because you will get forks and spoons too… so get ready here are the 10 courses of MUST EATS during the Year of the Monkey !

 

TEN COURSES OF MUST EATS AT NORTH CHINA: (sorry, no substitutions)

Top of the Entrance to a Dayton Original

1)  SIZZLING RICE SOUP:  A light brothed soup with vegetables, rice and chicken.  A perfect start to awaken your taste buds and senses.

2) EGG ROLL: The best in Dayton, bar none.  Handmade, hand rolled, and stuffed with pork, cabbage and a touch of peanut dust.

3) CRAB RANGOON: Handmade, on site, this cheesey goodness should be dipped in sweet and sour sauce with a dash of soy sauce.

4) HONEY TERIYAKI GLAZED CHICKEN WING: The delicate sweetness, the savory deep fried morsels…. ’nuff said

5) MU SHU PORK:  A wrapped “Chinese burrito,” The wrapper is rubbed with a plum and hoisin sauce, and pork and vegetables are added, and the “tortilla” is gently wrapped and served.  One of the most special delicacy attractions at North China.

Crispy Shrimp Entree

6) MONGOLIAN CHICKEN ENTREE: North China’s best selling dish.  Prepare to become addicted.

7) CRISPY SHRIMP ENTREE:  Deep Fried Shrimp, in a sweet and spicy, yellowish, brown sauce.

8) PEPPER STEAK ENTREE: Sauteed beef slices with onions and green peppers

9) KUNG PAO CHICKEN ENTREE: Cubed, stir fried chicken in a slightly spicy brown sauce

10) SHRIMP WITH VEGETABLE ENTREE: A lighter dish, served with broccoli, snow peas, water chestnuts and bamboo shoots.

Entrees will be served with STEAMED WHITE RICE and shared family style.

Dinner will end with the all familiar fortune cookie… which will probably say “you just ate too much on a Food Adventure.”

 

Chef House, Hungry Jax and The Big Ragu will be passing out door prizes, t-shirts, gift certificates and more.

Please join us for this epic Food Adventure celebrating “The Year of the Monkey” at North China Restaurant.

Join the 6,200 Foodies in the Dayton area following Food Adventures on Facebook, “like” us HERE.

“We are not food critics, we are just three people who love to eat at Dayton’s best spots.  No Rules!”

Soy, Sweet N Sour, Hot Mustard, & Tea – your accessories!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sizzling Rice Soup

2016 : The Year of the Monkey

Pot Sticker.. pot steeeeka !

The greatest egg rolls in the world

Hand Made Crab Rangoon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mu shu Pork

Sign of good things coming

Pot Stickers – so good

North China never dissapoints

Mongolian Chicken

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Entrance to Food Adventure Bliss

Shrimp and Lobster Sauce

Crab Rangoon

Chicken and Broccoli

Happy Family Dish

Hot Tea

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Second Helping of … North China Restaurant

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Mu-Shu Pork before it goes into the "burrito wrapper"

Mu-Shu Pork before it goes into the “burrito wrapper”

The best deserves a second mention.  Our feature article spinoffs, called “A second helping of “ are made for such occasions.  You may recall our article over 3 years ago where Food Adventures proclaimed to the world that “North China Restaurant has the best damn egg rolls ever!”  We decided North China is worthy of our “Second Helping” feature.  So hop on on our Food Adventure and grab some chopsticks, as we break through the Great Wall.  Let’s dive into a second helping of one of our favorite places in the Miami Valley, NORTH CHINA !

 

HERE’S THE SKINNY:

— Things have not changed a at North China a bit since our 2011 article, and that’s how we like it.  We have visited North China dozens of times since the last article.  Whether carryout or dine-in, we are never disappointed.  The food quality is still amazing and so is the consistency.

— The service remains top notch.  Your water glass is never empty, and you will never have that “where is our server” look on your face.

— This Centerville eatery is closed every Monday.  Also, every year during July, they take a family vacation and close the restaurant for about 10 days.

— Family owned for almost 30 years, you get to know the family when you come here.   They are friendly and the place is full of regulars who have been visiting for decades.

The Big Ragu happens to be one of those regulars, and we have eaten almost every item on their extensive menu since 1987.

So now, it is time to list the one-of-a-kind, earth shattering, ground breaking… MUST EATS for North China !

 

MUST EATS:

— MU-SHU PORK:  Like little crepes from the heavens.  These delicacies are made table side and are the Chinese version of burritos.  First, the tortilla like wrapper is primed with a plum sauce.  Then, a stirfry mix of pork, cabbage and veggies are loaded and wrapped.  Be careful eating these.  The burrito wrapper can also double as a water slide, shooting soy sauce and goodness down your shirt.  Big Ragu has a closet full of stained shirts that have been”touched” by his North China Mu-Shu Pork adventures.

— ZHA JIANG MIAN:  Say what?  We just call this #7 on the Korean Menu.  It is “lo mein” type noodles served with a sauce of black bean paste and stir fried pork.  This is a special dish that you must ask for.  One of the “secret tips” at North China is that they have a Korean Menu by request only.  In the mood for an exotic and authentic Food Adventure?  Get the Zha Jiang Mian, but make sure you ask them for hot sauce and the dry hot pepper too.  Being authentic, it is a little bland but a couple of spoonfuls of hot sauce brings this dish alive !

— THE EGG ROLLS:  Handmade, freshly made, every day.  The killer ingredient is the peanut dust or peanut paste used in these egg rolls.  Dip them in a mixture of soy sauce and sweet and sour, or mustard sauce.   The Big Ragu has such a strong addiction to these that we have written letters to Dr. Phil about it.

Mongolian chicken - omg good

The Mongolian Chicken is beyond amazing.

— MONGOLIAN CHICKEN: A honey-like glaze sauce on shavings of white meat chicken, over a bed of crispy noodles.  You can ask for it “spicy” like the Big Ragu does.  It is a perfect mixture of sweet and heat.

— ORANGE BEEF: Lightly fried strips of beef that curl when cooked.  This mouth watering dish is made with fresh orange peels, and a homemade brown sauce.  The incredible taste of this entree, makes it a favorite.

— CRISPY SHRIMP:  A deep fried dish that Big Ragu dreams about every other night.  This sweet concoction has a sauce with a yellow tint, and a tiny hot pepper kick.  If you wanna play naughty, get this offering over some white rice and go downtown to China Town.

— CRAB RANGOONS or CRAB ANGLE: Hand made every day by the owners.  If you order them, you will be fighting over the last one.

Honorable Mention:

Chicken Wings – Those damn chicken wings they serve you at lunch are so deliciously sticky, but you only get one served with a small crab rangoon.  Don’t fear friends, you can actually order a plate of these tremendous, sweet wings.  Or you just be a pain in the azz and ask for two wings and no crab rangoon with your lunch.

Pot Stickers – Yet another incredible appetizer from scratch.  They are steamed, then pan fried for that brown crisp edge.  The special soy sauce served with them is the secret to bringing out the pork flavor.

Hello noodles - the Korean Menu is good - tip: It needs some hot sauce

North China’s Korean Menu is by Request Only. Our favorite is this dish, #7 Pork Noodles with Black Bean Sauce (tip: add hot sauce to this dish to enhance flavor)

House Noodle Soup – We have been enjoying this masterpiece since the late 1980’s.  It is a huge portion at a cheap cost.  The big soup bowl is filled with noodles, shrimp, beef, scallops and a few veggies.  Such a large serving that The Big Ragu always takes about half of it home.  We suggest you get the “spicy” version, but you have to ask for it.

Szechuan Chicken or Shrimp – The best in Dayton, hands down.  Deep fried and a comforting mix of hot and sweet tastes.

Sizzling Rice Soup – The only kind like it in Dayton.  Been serving it since 1987.  Chicken, broth, light veggies and rice.  Makes you feel warm inside.

It was hard for us to just name a few of the menu items, because everything is so good here.  But we gave you a decent map to the dishes “you gotta try.”  Explore the menu, we have for almost 30 years!  So please, head to North China and as we always say .. “Wok dont run.”

 

A little note on what makes Food Adventures unique:

As our fans know, we don’t go to a place, get a couple of entrees and an appetizer, then write an article.  No, no, no.. we are different, we are Food Adventurers.  That means we visit a restaurant many times, different days, different times and eat practically everything on the menu before it becomes a feature story on Dayton Most Metro.  That’s what’s needed to get a feel for a restaurant.  That’s the difference when you are reading Food Adventures.  No drive-by visits or shared photo from a restaurant’s Facebook page.  Fanatical foodies appreciate the little known secrets and the inside scoop.  We do things you won’t see anywhere else: original stories, original events, and original ideas.  No stock photos here.  This philosophy isn’t something we ripped off or started yesterday. We have been doing this since 2008.  Food Adventures isn’t our job, it is our hobby and passion, so there is no agenda.  We can be honest about what restaurants we love without worrying about advertising or if they belong to a local club.  We are independent and free to write about whatever foodstuffs we want. That being said, please LIKE US ON FACEBOOK if you haven’t already !

Also, check out our photo gallery below of all things good at NORTH CHINA restaurant in Centerville.

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The Greatest Potato Salad in the World *** Win 2 lbs & Cabbage Rolls ***

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John Mott with his great potato salad

Third Generation Owner John Mott with his Famous Belmont Catering Potato Salad

Are you aware that the greatest potato salad in the world is in Dayton, Ohio? The Big Ragu knows…

YES, it is true!  But many Daytonians already knew that Belmont Catering is the potato salad mecca of the Midwest.  If you are like us, their potato salad has been a special treat at your family functions and holidays for decades.

We will have many foaming at the mouth for this giveaway:

****Comment on the story below and one winner will be chosen at random.  The prize is 2 pounds of Belmont Catering’s famous potato salad and 6 of their cabbage rolls !!

 

HERE’S THE SKINNY:

— Belmont Catering has been providing the best potato salad you have ever eaten for over 35 years.  It is a Food Adventure in a container….

— Family owned for 3 generations, today’s owner John Mott still sticks to the basics that made the company a success.

— Located on 730 Watervliet Rd. near the intersection of Smithville, you may sometimes see a line out the door. 

— The potato salad is such a cult classic that former Dayton residents have it shipped overnight all over the USA.  One person even overnighted a huge cooler of the stuff to Manhattan in New York City and paid $100 in shipping!  Who does that, unless it is the best potato salad in the world.

Freshly peeled by hand

On busy weekends, Belmont Catering Hand Peels 2,000lbs of Potatoes. Yep, a TON of Potatoes

— Belmont Catering goes through about 500 pounds of potatoes a week, and on holiday weekends they go through 1,500 – 2,000 pounds of potatoes.  Yes, that is a ton of potatoes.   The staff told us that 50 pounds of potatoes makes about 65 pounds of Potato Salad.

— Our biggest tip is CALL AHEAD.  It is best to call in your order 1 or 2 days ahead of time.  If you just stop in, it will be rare for you to find what you need because everything is usually sold out since items are made to order.  You can thank the Food Adventures Crew later for this advice.

 

MUST EATS:  

— THE POTATO SALAD:  OBVIOUSLY .. at $4.25 a pound, there are lines out the door for this stuff.  but why is it so good?  Is it the pimentos?  The Mustard? The Mayonnaise? NOOOO !

Here is the secret to the world’s best potato salad:

1) The potatoes are peeled, rinsed, then SHREDDED like hash browns.  This gives a distinct, one-of-a-kind texture and no hard chunks.

2) No chunks of eggs in the salad.  This is potato salad, not egg salad.  Eggs may or may be in the recipe, but you won’t see any ….

3)  Cleanliness.  The kitchen is immaculate.  The Montgomery County Health Inspectors have given Belmont Catering the highest marks over their last 19 visits to the kitchen.

4) Third Generation Owner, John Mott is still using his Grandmother’s recipe.  And by the way, her recipe will blow your mom’s potato salad out of the water.  It is reminiscent of the movie “What’s Up tiger Lily” where they hunted down a similar recipe, “a salad so delicious you could pltoz.”

 

Storefront on Watervliet

Storefront on 730 Watervliet Ave., Inside is the World’s Greatest Potato Salad

Oh but that’s not all.   Belmont Catering did not build its business on potato salad alone.

There are more, MUST EATS such as:

— CABBAGE ROLLS:  $6.80 for 6 of them, they are also a cult favorite.

— THE BBQ PULLED PORK: Outstanding flavor, and sold at $6.90 a pound

There are many more items, but these are our top favorites.   You can find a list of pick up items HERE, we cannot stress enough the need to call ahead..

And then there is the CATERING aspect of their business.  If you need an event catered, breakfasts, cookouts, or boxed lunches, these are your go to guys.  They pretty much deliver a Food Adventure to your event.   Belmont Catering has built this business for decades with great food and service.

With Labor Day Weekend right around the corner, now is a perfect time to treat yourself to some of the World’s Best Potato Salad !!

Cabbage Rolls - frozen to go, or made fresh to order

Cabbage Rolls – Frozen or Made Fresh to Order

Get down to Belmont Catering on Watervliet, and pick up a taste of great potato salad, but call ahead!  No cookout, picnic, holiday or family event is complete without it!

 

****Who wants to win some of their great food?  Comment below for your chance to win ! ****

Food Adventures is going to giveaway 2 pounds of their famous potato salad and 6 cabbage rolls to one lucky reader!!

To enter, all you have to do is leave a comment below on this story, telling us why you want the goods.  One winner will be picked at RANDOM next week.

There is another way you can be a winner in general, like  Food Adventures on Facebook by CLICKING HERE !  Anything else is just a generic copy..

Check out our photo gallery from our visits to Belmont Catering, below.

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Yaffa Grill: Our New Favorite Spot

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Marinated Chicken on the Yaffa Grill

If Fred Flintstone  was on Colonel Glenn Highway, he would say “Yaffa Gotta Do !” …and guess what, he would be right.

Yaffa Grill can be summed up as “simply exotic.”   It has worldly tastes of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine that are as authentic as they are delicious.  At the same time they serve the food on paper or styrofoam plates.  You see?  Simple and exotic.  Food Adventures have tagged this as our new favorite eatery, and have been visiting the 2 Yaffa locations with some frequency.

Want an authentic, unique Food Adventure that is affordable and fun?  Then look no further than Yaffa Grill.

 

HERE’S THE SKINNY:

— They have two locations, one at 2844 Colonel Glenn Hwy (across from Wright State), and the other at 21 Alex Rd in West Carrollton which features a Middle Eastern Market.  A local family from Palestine, owns both businesses.

 

— The food is Middle Eastern/ Mediterranean.  It is unique and exotic, but delicious!  You will see spindles of meat and flaming shish kebabs.  Yaffa Grill is a great place to experiment and try some new dishes out of your comfort zone.  You will be happy you did!

 

— The prices are right.  The most expensive thing on the menu is a whole grilled chicken for $15, and we know you cant eat that by yourself.

Click to enlarge this incredible appetizer called “Musabaha” which is much like hummus

— Very casual atmosphere.  The dining area is almost like a “to go” deli.  Warning: the drink selection is very limited  (cans of pop and bottled water).

 

Don’t know what to order or where to start on such a diverse menu with possibly unfamiliar choices?  No problem, The Big Ragu, Chef House and Hungry Jax have a list of “must eats” that wont disappoint you.  There are various spellings out there of the dishes below, but we will use the spellings on the Yaffa menu.

 

MUST EATS:

—MUSABAHA : The hardest thing about ordering it, is pronouncing it.  It is a crushed chickpea puree, much like a hummus, with olive oil, lemon juice and spices mixed in.  One of our favorite appetizers for sure.  Dipping the pita bread served into this appetizer is one of life’s golden pleasures.

 

—EGGPLANT SALAD:  The Big Ragu has seen his fair share of eggplant dishes.  This was one of the most unique and delicious ones we have come across.  Served cold, it is perfectly mixed with roasted peppers, tomatoes and vegetables.  Excellent pairing with the pita bread, it is a meal in itself.

 

— YAFFA MIX GRILL: A sampling of 3 of the best shish kebabs in Dayton.  The plate consists of a chicken shish kebab, steak kebab, and a beef/lamb mixed kebab.  It is fun to watch the cooks prepare the kebabs on the huge skewers, over the open flame.  We loved this dish.  The grilled meat and vegetables make it a heart healthy choice.

 

Kufta Kebabs. Get the Mixed Grill and sample all 3 types of Kebabs

— THE HALF GRILLED CHICKEN:  We don’t know how, but Yaffa Grill made a delicious chicken like we have never tasted before.  The Mediterranean spices were marinated and infused into the chicken in some sort of delicious sauce/rub.  The result was a lip smacking, moist, melt-in-your mouth experience.  A definite ‘must eat.’

 

— BEEF SHAWERMA:  Flame cooked lamb and beef, sliced from the meat rotesserie.   We especially love dishes that are carved off of rotating spindles of meat.   It is a tasty treat that explodes with flavor.   When served in a wrap, it is a “Food Adventure on the go.”

 

Honorable Mention:  Fatayer: a delicious bread stuffed with your choice of spices.  Lentil Soup:  Yeah, we never thought we would ever write this, but the lentil soup is amazing.

 

With so many great choices on the menu, it was hard to limit our ‘must eats.’  Even the “Baba Ghanouj” dip was some of the best we’ve had.  If you like hummus, try it.

 

Dates, and other produce at Yaffi Market in West Carrollton

Yaffa Grill is a perfect place to experience a new culture and have your very own Food Adventure.  It is a fascinating place for true foodies, and a sampling ground for those with an open mind, who are tired of the “same old thing.”  Vegetarians love this place for the flavorful entrees!  They even have a kids menu with hot dog, burger and chicken nuggets option.

Yaffa Grill does not have a website yet, or a Facebook page, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get some delicious food.  Don’t forget that the West Carrollton location has a market  with various hard to find imported groceries from far away lands.  Canned goods, baked items, meats, nuts and even dairy products line the shelves.  It is definitely worth a visit.

Make sure you get some grub at Yaffa Grill,  The Food Adventure Crew cherish it as one of their favorite places in Dayton.  We are addicted, and we think you will be too.

Here is something you wont see anywhere else online, the Yaffa Grill Menu —> PAGE 1   PAGE2   PAGE3   PAGE 4

Some of our best photos of the year are in the picture gallery below, so make sure you scroll through them to see all of the dishes that Yaffa Grill has to offer.

What’s almost as good as a freshly grilled Yaffa Kebab?   The answer is “liking” Food Adventures on Facebook, by clicking HERE.

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Food Adventures gets Shish-Faced + ** $20 GIFT CERTIFICATE GIVEAWAY**

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Click to Enlarge: The Mother of all Shish Wraps

You ain’t gonna believe this shish.  WANT A $20 GIFT CARD TO SHISH WRAPS??  THEN COMMENT BELOW ON THIS STORY.  A WINNER WILL BE CHOSEN AT RANDOM !

When you think of Brown Street, you often think of people who are sh%# faced.   But alas, we aren’t talking about those people.  We are talking about people who are literally Shish Faced.  These people are stuffing wraps in their mouths and can’t get enough of the great flavor.  Want to get Shish Faced too?  Then head to 1200 Brown Street, the home of a locally owned eatery called Shish Wraps.   This family owned business has capitalized on the assembly line technique.  Think of it as a Mediterranean version of Chipotle, and better too !   What you can expect is affordable, savory food, with a Lebanese influence.

HERE’S THE SKINNY:

— Opened 8 months ago by first generation Lebanese-American brothers Simon and Tony Abboud who are both University of Dayton Graduates and Centerville grads.

— The focus is a healthy, fresh, tasty twist on Lebanese and Mediterranean food.  Their motto is: “Live Long. Eat Healthy. Eat Shish.”

All meat is cooked over a rotisserie flame: You think you’re Hot Shish ?

— Menu items come from family recipes, a love of cooking, and results of experiments over the years.

— The main attraction are burrito like wraps featuring one of 3 meats: Chicken, Beef or Kafta (beef links blended with onions and spices)

— The meat is cooked over fire, on rotating kabob skewers for a char-grilled taste.  No buttery, oily soaked meat on a flat grilling surface means HEALTHIER for you !

— Vegetarian? No problem.  The falafel (fried chickpea fritters) and vegetable wraps are great meatless alternatives.

 

Big Ragu loves Shish Wraps, so this isn’t his first rodeo.   He told Chef House and Huongry Jax about it and now they are Shish heads too !   Now we’re gonna tell you some shish …

 

MUST EATS:

— CHIPS & HUMMUS :  The creamy, garlic goodness of this hummus is amazing.  This is seriously one of the most flavorful hummus plates in town, and it is homemade on site!

— SHISH FRIES:  The Big Ragu will go on record as saying these are the best fries he has ever eaten.  The fries are dusted with garlic, olive oil and a generous heap of feta cheese.

Kafta Bowl

Kafta Bowl – spicy beef links over hummus, lettuce, pickles and tomatoes. MUST EAT !

— SHISH BOWL: You can choose chicken, or falafel but Jax says GET THE KAFTA BOWL !  Kafta is ground beef mixed with parsley and spices and it is some good shish.  Served with hummus, Mediterranean pickles, tomatoes and lettuce, this is a healthy dish that tastes damn good.  Be warned, you will be craving future visits for this stuff.

— SHISH WRAP:    We love these.  The menu says build your own, but may Big Ragu suggest the Chicken Shish Wrap?  It comes with an incredible cabbage mix and load it up with your favorite veggies! Get Shish sauce or Tzatziki sauce on it which are must eats in themselves.  An added bonus is that the pitas are lower calorie than other wrap places.  You can choose your own meat, sauces and veggies so style it your way.

Honorable Mention: The Tabouli – a healthy choice that is freshly chopped in-house.  It is seasoned with the perfect amount of lemon juice and served with pita slices.

Make sure you check out our gallery below with some incredible photos from our many visits to SHISH WRAPS… Our fans know we never post a story on a one time visit, this is not a “drive by.”  You deserve better.

Now is a perfect time to get some of this good food as the UD Basketball season gets into swing.  If you are downtown or near the U.D. campus, visit SHISH WRAPS, for a quick bite. This place is definitely “the shish.”

We realize everyone needs to get a little Shish faced now and then.  For more info on menu and hours, visit the Shish website HERE.   Visit 3 Shish Heads, Food Adventures, on Facebook and like them HERE !

HOLY SHISH !  We got a $20 GIFT CARD GIVEAWAY TO SHISH WRAPS !   Comment below on this article, tell us why you deserve the Shish, and fill out the entry form and  we will choose someone at random ![form 55 “DMM Contest Entry – Generic”]

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Chop Suey Carryout: The Oldest Chinese Restaurant in Dayton

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Something is to be said for a restaurant that has been serving dishes for over 40 years.   Chop Suey Carryout at 1465 E. Dorothy Lane in Kettering has quietly done just that.  In fact, this eatery is the first place we ever tasted Chinese food.  They don’t have a website or even a Facebook page, but they have been cranking out Asian classics and we have been having Food Adventures here since Gerald Ford was President.   How has this place stayed in business for so long?  The answer is consistently good food and good prices.  Their recipes remain identical since the 70’s, and the result is generations of loyal followers.

HERE’S THE SKINNY:

— Chop Suey Carryout was opened in 1973 by a family who had moved to the U.S. from Taiwan.  The same family owns the restaurant today, and have kept the location on E. Dorothy Lane for the entire run.

— As the name suggests, it is a great place for carryout.  If you must dine-in be prepared for the retro dining room.  We voted it “Best Dining Room for filming a scene from Kojak.”

— The prices are reasonable and all dishes come in size Regular or Large.  Do yourself a favor, get the regular, it is a good sized portion and will save you some cash.

— All the meals are served in those “little Chinese to-go boxes,” even if you dine-in.  It makes for a fun Food Adventure, just grab some chop sticks and go to town.

— Chop Suey Carryout is closed on Sundays, so make sure you hit them up Monday through Saturday til about 9pm.

Shrimp Chop Suey – The Best Chop Suey in Dayton

— Drink selection is very limited.  They have a couple of soda brands and maybe a tea.

 

Now, get ready to wok and roll as FOOD ADVENTURES gives you our…

****MUST EATS !!!****

— CHOP SUEY:  Of course !  How can you write an article about this place and not mention their specialty namesake?   Answer: YOU CANT !  Unless your a food critic who doesn’t know what they are doing.  Our favorite is the Shrimp Chop Suey, but you can get vegetable, pork, chicken or beef varieties.  This creamy mixture of cabbage and vegetables is the best chop suey in Dayton.  It is served over steamed rice and is very filling.

— CHOW MEIN:  This dish is identical to Chop Suey, except it is served over hard Chinese noodles.  Again you have vegetable or various meat options.   However, we have been eating this dish since we played t-ball and we say go for the Shrimp Chow Mein option (or Chicken if you need a substitute)!   The clear sauce on this dish has an amazing flavor and is how we remember it as kids.  It is the best chow mein in Dayton and never disappoints.

Fantastic Hot n Sour Soup – be careful, it is always Scalding Hot !

— HOT & SOUR SOUP:  Addicting, flavorful ..and SCALDING HOT !  Beware: this is served hot enough to burn your mouth for 20 minutes.  The 20 minute wait is worth it, as this hot and sour soup rivals the big name restaurants in town.

— SWEET & SOUR SHRIMP:  An old classic served up right by an old restaurant.  We don’t know why it is so good, but Big Ragu says it is the best Sweet & Sour dish in the Miami Valley.  Maybe it is the lightly crispy, deep fried batter on the shrimp.   Or maybe it is the classic, deep red, sweet and sour sauce unlike any other.  Secret:  we think it is the combination when the two mix.  Again, if you are a land lubber and hate seafood.. try the sweet & sour chicken option.

— SESAME CHICKEN:  A good flavored sauce covering deep fried, white meat chicken.  The sesame sprinkles are the finishing touch.  Pour over white rice for sheer heaven.

Sesame Shrimp & all entrees are served in Chinese “to-go” boxes. Easy Chopstick eatin’

Honorable Mention:  Egg Foo Young – Chop Suey Carryout is one of the few places in town that serves this dish and does it justice.  The same can be said for their Moo Goo Gai Pan.  Again, we have been ordering and eating this stuff before anyone twirled a rubix cube, so trust us.   Also, the Kung Pao Chicken is  great in a pinch.   Most recently we tried a dish we have only seen at Chop Suey Carryout called Wor Shue Gai.  It is a deep fried chicken dish, with a curious yellow sauce.  It needs some spiciness, so we say stick with the ‘Must Eat’ classics !

Some things like disco music and Laverne & Shirley didn’t survive the 70’s.   Chop Suey Carryout survived and is still stir frying and high flying today.   Wok, don’t run, to this Kettering icon, and try some of our favorites.  Discover why after four decades, Daytonians still stand in line for this takeout Food Adventure.

What is your opinion of Chop Suey Carryout?  Comment below and tell us your thoughts or menu recommendations.

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Browse through photos of numerous specialties we have sampled over the years.  Sorry, no smellivision included…

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