There is no Chinese takeaway like a Scottish Chinese takeaway

[norrisshutup]

I am visiting my in laws in Scotland and ordered a Chinese takeaway tonight (we do this every time on our visits).

Now I have travelled the world, lived in New York, Hong Kong and London and now settled in Surrey. And I have NEVER came across a Chinese meal that tastes as good as it does in Scotland.

What are they putting in the stuff? Surely I'm not being unreasonable?

title and post edited by MNHQ to clarify the OP's meaning

Totally agree my best Chinese takeaway since I became an adult has been from Scotland local ones even Welsh ones just don't compare

I think Scottish Chinese people are also the best in the world. 😁

I live here and disagree. There are v few chinese takeaways that are not minging. I rarely bother anymore.

I've been to China and Scotland. China is better.

But for dirty, wrong food... Scotland.

North of Ireland best Chinese 👌

Yep, lived in Scotland for years, now in England. Takeaways here, in general, are nowhere near as good.

We live in the Midlands, so beg to differ haha.

I suspect it is MSG and salt too.

Salt and chilli chicken is particularly addictive.

Dundee. Just no the one with the robot waiters

This thread, a lack of morning rolls and chip shops leaving the skin on haddock are all making me reconsider my plans to move to England.

A bit off topic but the very best Chinese food I’ve ever eaten was in Hong Kong when my husband and I got swept down some stairs in a big group of office workers when they came out of their office. We ended up in some subterranean canteen and were given a raffle ticket and shouted at in Cantonese by a tiny elderly lady. There was clearly food in the offing so we hung around to see what would happen next. Eventually everyone else went off when their number was called and we were the only people left. Tiny lady came and shouted at us again and sat us at the bar because the barman spoke English. He ordered us an insanely cheap lunch with all sorts of deliciousness going on from a totally indecipherable menu. It was amazing.

NI does way better takeaways ime. French Chinese takeaways aren't great or weren't when I lived there. They did have amazing Lebanese takeaways, paninis and (obviously) crepe stands, patisseries, boulangeries

I’m Scottish and have always been disappointed by Chinese takeaways in England but I thought that was bad luck rather than the fact we generally do them better 😆

I think this thread needs a massive disclaimer explaining that some Chinese takeaways in Scotland bulk out their dishes with spam which is disgusting. There are various places do this in the east end and southside of Glasgow.

Indian takeaway is hit or miss. There are some excellent Indians in the cities, but the one in my home town is not good. I grew up loving it like everyone else who lives there, but after living away for 15 years and eating decent curries I realised everything at my childhood local tastes like it has a base of condensed tomato soup.

Fun fact - chicken tikka masala was invented in Glasgow.

Better than in England I mean, not Scotland!

Not in my opinion after having one during an overnight stay on our way back from the highlands. Most disappointing. Must have gone to the wrong place/area by the sounds of everyone else's posts

I think this thread needs a massive disclaimer explaining that some Chinese takeaways in Scotland bulk out their dishes with spam

Is it spam? I thought it was just a cheap ham? I've had that in England too. Also peas, which I've encountered here and in England. I love peas but they do not belong in a curry.

Gads, what they add spam to the meat? Luckily I don't eat meat, had chips, curry sauce, mushrooms, onions all in one container. Vegetable tempura and egg fried rice with tub of curry sauce on the side.

My only comparison outside of Scotland has been Dublin and I’d say it was on a par, except for the chips. There is something about chinese chips that makes them extra crisp and delicious, probably extra unhealthy.

Also some amazing Indian food in Scotland, especially in Glasgow. And for those not fussed about haggis, it comes in to its own as an ingredient - think haggis pakora and haggis nachos 😚

They do it in Northern Ireland too.

I’m with this poster. Lived in HK and Shanghai for years and now back in the UK really wishing I could enjoy a takeaway like a normal person.

I used to love the gloopy saltiness of chinese takeaways (and I can imagine Scotland doing a banging job of that). Sometimes I’d just have a side order of fried noodles and fried bean sprouts and it was perfection. Now I can’t stand it 🙁

Dundee. Just no the one with the robot waiters

@HighlandPony have you seen Ibiza? On Netflix? There's a bit where Richard Madden is talking about robot waiters (in a Scottish accent) and I totally read that in his voice!

Also in Northern Ireland lol.

North Lanarkshire has the best Chinese takeaways, Glasgow is also good but I wasn't a fan of the Chinese takeaways in Edinburgh at all. It depends where you are in Scotland I think!
No idea about anywhere else in the UK though.

The 'spam' is just a replacement for tinned pork luncheon meat, which is a staple part of diets all across southeast Asia. It's not unique to Scottish Chinese takeaway at all.

I’ve not no but isn’t he from port Glasgow or Greenock or something inverclydey? so it’s probably there.
There is/was a Chinese in Dundee that had robot waiters (I’ve not been down to Dundee for eating since 2019) and it was good when it first opened but within the year it was dire.