To think the standard of Chinese takeaways has dropped significantly?!

I stopped having Chinese ages ago as I always felt bloated and gross afterwards. We tend to stick to fish and chips for a takeaway, occasionally a KFC/Indian.

My local one is fab only the price gone up but such good food.

We have lived in oir current house 10+ years. Have tried all the local places, and some slightly further afield. Apart from one on the basis is looks like a shed at the side of the road, well the crossroads actually. You know the type, single storey, tiny building, with white (gone grey) rendering. Never took a massive amount of notice as it looked grotty.

Anyway after another disappointing chinese takeaway from one of the places that does ubereats or whatever I asked on a local FB place for recommendations. This shed came up a few times, and on the basis it was the only one we hadn't tried, ordered and it's amazing. Just like Chinese takeaway used to be. Proper chow mien, crispy shredded beef etc. Loads of meat, doesn't make me dehydrated or headaches.

So my advice would be to look or ask for recommendations and don't discount the shady looking place. That alsi has a 5* hygiene rating.

Literally talking about this with dsd tonight. Local takeaways to us are average at best. Restaurants ok but they’re spenny!

I agree. Higher prices, higher costs to run. I think they're also sourcing cheaper or frozen ingredients, missing out spices e.g. fresh ginger and/or passing on costs.

Not getting all the negativity here, the ones in York all seem fine to me. Prices go up everywhere all the time, it's part of the system we 'choose' to live in. The rule of Chinese takeaways has always been- spend plenty- get plenty, you can't do it by halves. One day they will all be generic crap chains (remember how pubs used to actually all be independent barely 30 years back) and you will look back and miss these quirky local places.

Ours is okay but it's so expensive we can't justify the cost. In lockdown we learned how to make some of our favourites so we tend to just cook. On the can't be bothered to cook nights where once we'd have ordered in, now we just get a nice pizza and sides or an M&S meal deal.

The M and S Chinese food is a good substitute. Still expensive but cheaper than a takeaway and tasty too

Our local Chinese are not great so we travel to next town for ours. It's really good and though prices have increased and they didn't put them up as quick as others. They also do an extra large main and side which is ideal for sharing. Their portions are also decent. Hope they don't close.

Not in my experience.

We don't have them weekly, but we sometimes have from 2 different places near us (depends on day of the week) and we've recently had one from a different place, at my dc's house. All have been as nice as ever.

Nor do we spend anywhere near £40 on a Chinese meal for two.

Spring rolls also contain no filling except some very sparce carrot!

Takeaway food is a business usually run by 1st generation immigrants. They work all hours so that their kids can have a better life.

All those Hong Kong Chinese people who came over in the 1960s and 1970s have retired. Their kids probably went to university and wouldn't work in a takeaway unless their lives depended upon it.

Same difficulty finding a decent Greek restaurant nowadays.

They're all foul imo.

I don’t order anymore, it’s pretty expensive for what is essentially gloop.

Totally agree, I never bother anymore. The only excellent one near us is the Good Earth but the prices are extortionate.

My favourite one has changed so much over the years I stopped ordering. The dish I ordered which was my favourite (king prawns in Cantonese style sauce) used to contain lots of peppers, onions, and chopped fresh chilli's. But the peppers disappeared then the chilli's got less and less, and last time I ordered, the onions were really sparce, and they added lentils! It was horrible.

The last Chinese I had I ordered the salt and chilli chips. They were just oven chips (cheap dry ones) with a few chilli's, a little salt and pepper, and no taste whatsoever! I remember said chips used to be really coated in salt and pepper with lots of chillis/onions.

Yep. We normally get crispy chilli chicken, decided tonight to get beef instead to see what it's like. I couldn't tell the difference and didn't actually detect any beef, just all batter.

The only thing I can eat from there is the breaded prawns, prawn balls and Singapore noodles. But they've been awful recently. Or maybe it's the same but I just wasn't drunk enough last time.
The meat from the Chinese is always so suspect. It makes me so thirsty and bloated.
I much prefer Vietnamese or Thai food. Luckily there's a couple good ones near me but they're pretty expensive. Like £18 for a curry and rice.

I also do my own sweet and sour chicken and chicken and cashew nuts.

I even bought some msg which I add to my noodles when I make them.

The extras like prawn toast and prawn crackers, I buy in the supermarket

Yep I agree with this. We only ever have either Indian or Chinese (maybe about once every 6 weeks or so) but I'm done with Chinese now. So gloomy and greasy.. I prefer my DH's stir fries! Don't think I'll ever bother again.

Ooooo have you got a link to a recipe please? It's my fave.

Yes I make this a lot...it's so nice

Agree, would happily spend the money on an Indian takeaway or fish and chips - but there are no good Chinese takeaways where we are

I hardly ever get one and they're my favourite! Maybe get two or three a year max. Last one I was so excited for...it was such a disappointment. No free prawn crackers like usual and the chow mein had a horrible taste of tomato puree. Really horrible. I've watched loads of cooking videos about how to make similar dishes and I'd rather make my own .

Learn to make crispy shredded beef. Game changer