A Globetrotter's Guide to Unusual Chinese Restaurants
(photo by Jean-François Chénier)
The frequent travelers among us know that Chinese restaurants are everywhere. Once upon a time you could have visited Dublin or Dubai without seeing an Empress Garden Panda Palace or some variation, but those days are long gone. Like when writer Daisann McLane stumbled upon the Hong Kong Café in icebergian Greenland. A recent commenter on this blog put it best: "It's weird, but I always try to find the 'Chinatown' when I'm international too. I feel comfortable and at home there."
I'm a huge fan of using Flickr for research, and months ago became addicted to this fascinating Flickr pool of Chinese restaurants around the world. Here are 7 favorites:
(photo by historyanorak)
1. "Wokmania", old church in Derby, England. The decor sure beats that of any Chinese buffet I've been to.
(photo by Jon Vincent Ong)
2. Jubail, Saudi Arabia. Enormous barge, and very "sheik"!
(photo by pesql )
3. "World's First Elvis Chinese Restaurant", London, England. It's a real Chinese restaurant, with a real Chinese man impersonating Elvis every night.
(photo by Sebastian Betancourt)
4. Outside San Pedro de la Paz, Chile. This is the best use for an abandoned railroad car.
(photo by Billy Plant)
5. Baghdad, Iraq. The lone lantern on the barbed wire says it all.
(photo by Jean-François Chénier)
6. Whittier, Alaska. Confucian totem pole!
(photo by lostfate13)
7. Renaissance Festival, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Goes to show, you shouldn't visit Renaissance faires for historical accuracy.
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Related posts:
When Chinese Food was Glamorous in America
Top 5 Movies Starring Chinese Food
Orange Sesame Chicken; or, Remembrance of Kosher Chinese Past