Mission Chinese Food

[Lex]

For better or worse, one of those conclusions is going to get you a job on a daily paper.

 

I've started carrying around a half eaten Shackburger in my pocket. I figure that ought to get me an interview.

[Wilfrid]

Actually, the contrast between those conclusions makes a difference, given the relative effort required to eat at the place. Whether you stand in line for an hour might depend on whether you believe Wells or Lau.

 

(Let me stipulate that I am sure people have gotten in easier too).

[Steve R.]

Actually, the contrast between those conclusions makes a difference, given the relative effort required to eat at the place. Whether you stand in line for an hour might depend on whether you believe Wells or Lau.

 

(Let me stipulate that I am sure people have gotten in easier too).

 

I've had one dinner there and 2 lunches without Ginny. Ginny's had 2 lunches without me. No wait at any. The dinner had enough folks for a reservation. The lunches had no waits.

[Lex]

I will observe that as total master of your schedule you have a lot more flexibility than some of us.

[joethefoodie]

WE GIVE TO CHARITY!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Is that a bad thing? Or does it make the cooking so much less authentic, that we should all snicker at the white boy Asian guy cooking it?

 

I find it crass to advertise that on the menu and idiotic to give a restaurant brownie points for advertising its charitable activities this way. But regardless of what you think about that aspect, it's a very sad state of affairs when the nyt critic considers MCF to be the year's most important/interesting/exciting/whatever opening.

 

I was recommending Bistro Benoit to someone this morning, and saw this on their menu...

 

Conviviality with a Cause

Benoit pledges $1 from every check as well as $10

from each of Alain Ducasse’s J’aime New York books

sold at the restaurant, to Robin Hood’s Relief Fund.

Now through December 31st.

[Orik]

As I'm sure you know from talmud class, charity only really counts if given in secret and, preferably, even the ones receiving it do not realize it is charity.

[Lex]

Benoit pledges $1 from every check as well as $10

from each of Alain Ducasse’s J’aime New York books

sold at the restaurant, to Robin Hood’s Relief Fund.

Now through December 31st.

 

Ahem.

[joethefoodie]

As I'm sure you know from talmud class, charity only really counts if given in secret and, preferably, even the ones receiving it do not realize it is charity.

It's a long time ago, but of course!

[Jesikka]

Not to flog this to death, but let's say Restaurant Daniel suddenly decided to donate a percentage of its receipts to charity.

 

Would everybody here suddenly start liking it?

 

One of us already likes it.

[Robert Brown]

It's way too early to chose my worst meal of the year, but I can guarantee you that 50 weeks from now Misson Chinese will still hold the honor. I feel tonight that I have cheated and brutalized. There is nothing even medicore here. The ingredients are cheap, the conceptions heavy-handed and lost in space, and the choice of '70s disco music to blast the clientele is as tasteless as the food. The room is depressing and the waiters jam up your table with dishes they deposit in no sequential order.. If this is the best new restaurant of 2011, where does that leave New York as "the restaurant capital of the world"?.

[joethefoodie]

If this is the best new restaurant of 2011, where does that leave New York as "the restaurant capital of the world"?.

 

I think it was the best new restaurant of 2012.

 

Maybe you ordered wrong.

[Lex]

It's way too early to chose my worst meal of the year, but I can guarantee you that 50 weeks from now Misson Chinese will still hold the honor. I feel tonight that I have cheated and brutalized. There is nothing even medicore here. The ingredients are cheap, the conceptions heavy-handed and lost in space, and the choice of '70s disco music to blast the clientele is as tasteless as the food. The room is depressing and the waiters jam up your table with dishes they deposit in no sequential order.. If this is the best new restaurant of 2011, where does that leave New York as "the restaurant capital of the world"?.

 

I'm not saying you were wrong not to like this place but honestly, there was plenty of information here and on other sites about how the food is prepared and served. The ambiance (or lack of it) was covered as well. If you read any of that you would have known that this place wasn't for you. I'm surprised that you were surprised.

 

Did you rely entirely on Wells' declaration that this was the best restaurant of 2012?

[joethefoodie]

The ingredients are cheap,

 

By the way, what ingredients are cheap exactly?

[Adrian]

But

?

 

Answer.

[Lex]

But

?

 

Answer.

 

Thanks for checking it out. Nice write up.