3rd Annual Jewish X-Mas Eve Chinese Dinner

We're going back to Lao Sze Chuan for Christmas Eve. We hope you can join us.

When: Monday, December 24th 2007, 6pm
Where: Lao Sze Chuan, 2nd Floor, 2172 S. Archer (Chinatown Mall, West End), Chicago
RSVP: In this thread, by PM, or by email before the evening of Monday, 12/17. I will be calling the following day to make our reservation.

Frequently asked questions about the Jewish X-Mas Eve dinner

Why is it labeled "Jewish"?
Because many Jews in the US traditionally go out for Chinese food on Christmas night.

So, why is this dinner on Christmas Eve?
The year that we started this, Chanukah and Christmas were synchronized so I was spending Christmas night celebrating Chanukah with my family. We moved the Chinese food dinner a night earlier that year and I've come to like the idea.

Do I have to be Jewish to attend?
No, but you should be comfortable sitting next to someone who is Jewish. (Frankly, that's good advice for any LTHForum event)

How is ordering handled?
We usually break up into ad-hoc tables of 10-12. Each table is responsible for its own ordering and its own bill.

How successful were the past two events?
Read for yourself:
2005
2006

Are children welcome?
Of course.

Is LSC BYO-friendly?
No, they serve alcohol.

What about parking?
Street parking is often available and LSC validates for the Chinatown lot at Archer and Wentworth.

Rockin' good news! There will be five of us, no we didn't discover we had a third child all along, add my sister visiting.

Here comes chicken crack, here comes chicken crack, right down chicken crack lane...

Hi,

You are my hero for arranging this again! I will be there!

Regards,

Running Attendance Tally (I will update this post only):

eatchicago + Cookie (2)
Mike G and clan (5)
Cathy2 (1)
Ann Fisher + guest (2)
JoelF and family (9)
Stagger (1)
Mhays party (3)
dgroo family (3.5)
tarte tatin (1)
Giovanna (1)
leek (2)
gleam + Beth (2)
mhl (1)
jygach (1)
Rena + Robin (2)
Stefani S. (1)
Evil Ronnie and The Lovely Donna (2)


Total: 40
Approx. 4 table(s)

The Chow Poodle and I will be there for Chinese Food on Christmas.

Mike G wrote:Here comes chicken crack, here comes chicken crack, right down chicken crack lane...

Mike, please don't be modest. We must have this as the LTH banner quote. ASAP!

Count us in for 5. JoelF, SueF, Thing1, Thing2, and Shirley

Since the 'spouse is on-shift for Christmas Eve, and my brother is in town, this sounds like a lovely way to sidestep cooking - but I have one major reservation: will Sparky and I (both capsaicin-averse, me less so than him) be able to eat? Obviously, I'm willing to work on my tolerance, but unfortunately Sparky is barely comfortable sitting near a jalapeno.

If y'all think this hurdle can be overcome, I will check in with the relative and get back to you...can't think of a more pleasant way to spend Christmas Eve...

LSC has an enormous menu, full of Chinese food standards which are not hot.

Note that each table orders for itself, so you may want to pick who you dine with based on similar spice-aversion. But it's certainly doable.

Mike G wrote:Note that each table orders for itself, so you may want to pick who you dine with based on similar spice-aversion. But it's certainly doable.

Certainly. If I remember correctly, we had a few people a couple years ago that weren't big spicy eaters.

There's plenty on the menu and the general attitude of this event is to order whatever you want.

I hope you can make it.

Best,
M

MHays,

You and I will share the same table.

Regards,

Here comes chicken crack, here comes chicken crack, right down chicken crack lane...

I can has forum headline?

Maybe we need to set aside tables for spice-averse, and offal-averse?

Two years ago, the other side of the table was as close as I wanted to get to TonyC's pork blood cake and intestine hot pot. But bring on the chicken crack! And I heartily recommend the cold spicy rabbit appetizer.

No problems with guts here! Turned Sparky on to bone marrow this weekend (helps a lot if you use your second language - even though Sparky speaks more Spanish than I, he'll eat médula, lengua, and hígado and may consider sesos or ojos, but won't touch any of them in his native language )

Last year when I suggested, gently, that folks with similar tastes try to sit at tables together (heat vs non-heat, etc) based on our experience with a 1/2 and 1/2 table in 2005 I was roundly excoriated. Glad to see a kinder reception this year.

Roundly excoriated? Wow, last time I was there with a big group and my kids there was no problem splitting the tables into spicy and Cathy2

Back to the op, as much as I owuld love to attend after Thanksgiving's mini debacle, I must go to the family gathering lest the tenderloin be cooked to 175.

Before anyone gets roundly excoriated again, remember, this is a non-menu-planned event. Set up whatever you want with the dining companions you choose or get due to chance, but don't expect Eatchicago to plan a spicy table, a non-spicy table, a peanut allergy table, a non-dairy table, a double no-whip caramel mocha frappucino table, and a no more than $27 table.

If that qualified as round excoriation, allow me to offer square expiation.

Umm... I hope this isn't letting "the more the merrier" get out of hand, but my wife's entire clan thinks this is a grand idea.

If we come as a party of 12 (instead of 5), should we make our own reservation?

I will be there with tatterdemalion (Nab) as it is on his list of "places I must eat at while visiting Chicago".

Octarine wrote:. . . I must go to the family gathering lest the tenderloin be cooked to 175.

This sounds like a blast and I wish I could attend, but I too will be protecting a section of beef from falling into the perilous clutches of my family.

Have a great time!

=R=

OK, thus far the mhays party will be 3 - we may be adding friends.

JoelF wrote:Umm... I hope this isn't letting "the more the merrier" get out of hand, but my wife's entire clan thinks this is a grand idea.

If we come as a party of 12 (instead of 5), should we make our own reservation?

That's really your call. If you want to guarantee that you all sit together and order the food that you want to order (and control costs to your satisfaction), then you're probably best off making your own reservation.

If your group is comfortable with the ad-libbed nature of this event, then I'll happily put you down for 12.

Let me know.

Best,
Michael

We're in! We'll forego our usual Christmas Eve tradition of a movie double-header for our first semi-official LTH event. Two adults, one critter.

--Derek

Mike G wrote:don't expect Eatchicago to plan a spicy table, a non-spicy table, a peanut allergy table, a non-dairy table, a double no-whip caramel mocha frappucino table, and a no more than $27 table.

And here I had been hoping for a "non-sea cucumber" table, after hearing Ronnie Suburban and MHays discuss these "delicacies" at the October Evanston Lunch Group....

Oh, well, you pays your money and you takes your chances.... Please put me down for 1.... Thanks, Eatchicago, for organizing this!

tarte tatin wrote:

Mike G wrote:don't expect Eatchicago to plan a spicy table, a non-spicy table, a peanut allergy table, a non-dairy table, a double no-whip caramel mocha frappucino table, and a no more than $27 table.

And here I had been hoping for a "non-sea cucumber" table, after hearing Ronnie Suburban and MHays discuss these "delicacies" at the October Evanston Lunch Group....

Well, if I ever were going to try it again, this would certainly be the place to do so

=R=

On the topic of being Jewish (I am) and eating Chinese food on Christmas (or Xmas eve) I will pass along this link my daughter sent me to a song on youtube. Please be warned that some may find the video images slightly offensive as they do play to some stereotypes. However if one can take it with several grains of salt or listen only to the lyrics it's quite funny....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1uZ_W7atDE

I hope you enjoy the humor and if you're offended I apologize in advance- I didn't film it nor do I know the fellow....

Loved it, Iris. That is a catchy song and a talented musician. At least to this goy, the most offensive part is that they're eating at a buffet instead of LSC.

irisarbor wrote:On the topic of being Jewish (I am) and eating Chinese food on Christmas (or Xmas eve) I will pass along this link my daughter sent me to a song on youtube. Please be warned that some may find the video images slightly offensive as they do play to some stereotypes. However if one can take it with several grains of salt or listen only to the lyrics it's quite funny....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1uZ_W7atDE

I hope you enjoy the humor and if you're offended I apologize in advance- I didn't film it nor do I know the fellow....

So what was my link, chopped liver?

Iris and I both must have missed it, sorry, Steve!

Sorry SteveZ, I did miss it, and I guess maybe I just sold it more....
you know us Jews are SUCH salespeople