"Hyphenated Chinese"

A nice article in today's NY Times about hypenated Chinese restaurants in New York. On Saturday we went to Curry Leaves in Lincoln Park specifically looking for their Indo-Chinese specialities. As it turned out, however, after taking our order the owner came back some time later to say that they couldn't make Gobi Manchurian, and would we please promise to come back another time to try it. Most of us ended up with the buffet instead, which I thought was excellent as Indian buffets go, especially the aloo gobi. The son-in-law, who knows from such things, ordered a dosa and was disappointed to find it downright mediocre. I didn't try it, but even a quick glance indicated that frozen mixed vegetables played a prominent role. With Hema's next door, it's hard to imagine a bright future for Curry Leaves.

Did anyone see the Dining Out section of the NY Times today?
Julia Moskin wrote an article about what she referred to as "second-generation" chinese restaurants--Chinese restaurants operated by immigrants from countries besides China which serve essentially Chinese food influenced by the cuisine in their country of origin.
She also refers to this type of food as "hypenated Chinese" and lists restaurants in New York which serve Chinese-Venezuelan, Chinese-West Indian, Chinese-Indian food, etc. The restaurants mentioned all seemed to be small, family-owned dive-y types.
So, my question is this...Anyone know of similar restaurants in Chicago. I feel like I've passed lots of Chinese-Korean, Chinese-Filipino places, but otherwise I haven't seen a lot of this type of restaurant in Chicago.
Here's the link to the article: http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/21/dining/21chin.html

Yours may be a more appropriate spot for this thread. I'd posted my one attempt at a Chicago Indo-Chinese experience here

There have been long discussions of Korean-Chinese in Chicago. Here's one. And an older one from Chowhound here

Ann Fisher wrote:There have been long discussions of Korean-Chinese in Chicago. Here's one. And an older one from Chowhound here

Ann,

If you like I can merge the two posts.

I commented on chi.eats about Great Sea here back in 2000 and Mr. Tan responded to that thread as well.

Enjoy,
Gary

Ann, sometime ago someone posted on CH that curry leaves had some keralan stuff on the menu - did you see any of that

here's some more about indian chinese (with earlier conversations linked off it) as well as yes, the famous springfield, MO chinese, and St. Louis invention of the St. Paul sandwich

oh, the restaurant that inspired the post is no longer in business, but its sister "hot wok village" is still around in schaumburg

No, sorry, but I can't say I was looking for it--or, to be honest, would have known what I was looking for if I were looking for it. I sure don't recall any mention of Kerala on the menu, but of course that doesn't mean anything.

I think some of it has to do with the owners of different cultures marrying or once living in that region. My cousin (filipino) married a chinese guy and he has a restaurant somewhere in Georgia that is primarily chinese but has somewhat of a filipino touch. There's some chinese-filipino restaurants out in the burbs. Ahhh don't yah just love how cultures marry together in life and in food?

zim wrote:here's some more about indian chinese (with earlier conversations linked off it) as well as yes, the famous springfield, MO chinese, and St. Louis invention of the St. Paul sandwich

oh, the restaurant that inspired the post is no longer in business, but its sister "hot wok village" is still around in schaumburg

Yes, still around, and thriving. Jewel of India on Devon/Western also does Indian
Chinese food.

In general, Indian-Chinese is very popular with the Indian community, and
thus quite a few Indian restaurants have added some Chinese items to
their menu. The 3 locations of Sizzle India are an example.

Also, Ive heard its pretty good at this tiny newish place out in Schaumburg,
called Priya - people who live in the area say its excellent, both the
veggie stuff as well as the chinese (though off the menu, the buffet isnt
supposedly). Ive never eaten at Priya myself, but picked up a menu when
I was in the area (had just eaten at Johnnie's at the time ... its listed as
"Indian and Indo-Chinese cuisine", and has a half-dozen or more Chinese
items on the menu (Manchurian - Veg, Chicken, and Gobi; Dragon - Veg
and Chicken, Chilli- Chicken, and Gobi. Plus 3 kinds of fried rice). And
then they have several varieties of dosas, South Indian Thalis, a few
Andhra dishes I think (Vepudu, Vankaya), plus Chicken Fry, Chicken
Pepper, Curries, Lamb dishes, biryani etc. A real varied kind of place,
obviously

c8w

c8w,

do you get the feeling that indian-chinese is bigger in the south of India? - it seems that all the places that offer chinese also offer andhra/tamil stuff