lol
Despite only eating âauthenticâ Chinese food (being Chinese) growing up, crab rangoon is one of those indulgent treats. Helps that I love crab and I love cream cheeseâŠeven if itâs sometimes just the imitation crab. My dad - like many Chinese immigrants - spent his life working in suburban Americanized Chinese restaurants. Every once in a while, he would make a special batch as a treat for us at home - he made sure these were filled and he used more crab than usual. I think he told us this was about 1/3 larger than the typical restaurant orders. Needless to say, my dadâs were my favorite crab rangoons.
The early âChineseâ restaurants in New England and Boston were definitely more âpolynesianâ than true Chinese. Half-tiki bar and half exotic Asian cuisine, but because the chefs were almost always entirely Chinese, the menuâs offered more American Chinese food dishes than other pan-Asian foods. If you wanted a true authentic Cantonese cuisine, Chinatown was perhaps your only option (at least in the greater Boston area). But many restaurants did offer a few ACF items to appease those not familiar with Cantonese food, and thatâs how I think crab rangoons and chicken wings stuck on so many menus.
Today you can easily find way more authentic Chinese restaurants in and around Boston, and many donât offer anything ACF related. The suburban take out places in particular though still still have those polynesian appetizers.
5 Likes
I would taste the warm version, not the cold one; I donât do chili of any kind. That said, neither is particularly appealing. To include protein, I would add grasshoppers, which I HAVE eaten, though not live ones.
Live Long and Prosper!
1 Like
Also to this day in New England, Chinese restaurants with bars in small towns and suburbs can serve the role of neighborhood pub. I have wondered if the same is true in other parts of the country (New England has been home all my adult life). Appetizers like crab rangoons check the box as bar food, too.
3 Likes
I love that have some Love in your heart for Crab Rangoon.
Thereâs a book written about the role of Chinese restaurants historically across Canada, called Chop Suey Nation.
In small towns, especially in Western Canada for much of the 20th C, the Chinese -run Café was the main restaurant and bar in town. In rural Saskatchewan, often the Western Café is where some people played poker.
1 Like
@BarneyGrubble and @ottawaoperadiva I thought this would make you chuckle. Someone in Ottawa was asking about Crab Rangoon yesterday.
Ken Chinâs, in Worcester on Mill St. near where my mom used to live, was like that. We were all sad when they retired and closed it, but my understanding was the kids didnât want to take over (which - totally understandable). Great neighborhood spot! You could even get a Scorpion Bowl (highball glass, really) for one!
2 Likes
@Phoenikia, you didnât start this thread, but you certainly were the catalyst in getting the discussion going. 
The only place I can think of in Ottawa that may have them is T&T Supermarket, either frozen or in their hot food section.
1 Like
They are available on the menu at Lyonâs Hawaiian BBQ in Ottawa. I will warn you that some Redditors find Lyons too salty and not very good!
I have yet to try a Scorpion Bowl. LOL Goals.
1 Like
