Back in the late 60s, when I was working for Jane and John at B&L Jewelers in Germantown, they would take me out to dinner.
We always went to the China Girl Restaurant in Downtown Dayton. It’s gone now…just like every thing else in Downtown Dayton.
Later on the restaurant moved out on Salem Avenue. That didn’t last either. Times, places, businesses change.
But, the China Girl was my first introduction to Chinese food. I was hooked immediately.
Jane always ordered for us. And we usually had a dish called Wor Shu Gai.
It is really a Cantonese dish, and I’ve been searching for a restaurant that makes it since I left Dayton in 1978.
That’s a long, long time.
Wor Shu Gai is a chicken dish, whole boneless chicken breasts breaded and deep fried.
It’s like Southern Fried Chinese Chicken over rice.
And it was great.
Oh, I’ve searched and searched for a place that makes it, and every waiter in the hundreds of restaurants I’ve tried tells me they have it and then brings a totally different dish.
Well, it happened again last week. Never mind the traffic, driving all the way to Chamblee to a ‘real’ Cantonese restaurant, never mind me that the person assured me they had Wor Shu Gai, never mind that my mouth had been watering all day in anticipation…well, just never mind.
They brought, again, a TOTALLY different dish!
Oh, I’ve found recipes on the web, in cook books, and sure I could make it, but really, it’s a comfort food – one that’s become an obsession – it’s a memory of good times with friends and mentors who cared for me and tried to broaden my horizons a bit – and making it, which I’m sure I could do, just isn’t in the plan.
I know it’s out there, after all, I found a picture of it! But where?
I want the right dish, in the right place, with the right atmosphere.
Frankly, I don’t think I stand a Chinaman’s chance of finding it.
6 comments
Comment by Dallas on July 19, 2012 at 10:47 am
“Chinaman’s chance’…talk about UNPC!
Comment by Goodness and Grit on July 19, 2012 at 5:49 pm
Funny! I have a similar story with one chili relleno dish from a a Mexican restaurant from my past. I have just about decided it was said relleno that was wrong, but man it was good, and clearly irreplaceable!
Klem!
Kimberly
Comment by Millionaire Mike on July 19, 2012 at 6:03 pm
http://sidedish.dmagazine.com/2009/09/08/is-there-a-decent-gai-in-dallas/
I went Googling for your dish. The article from the link above says it goes by another name, Almond Fried Chicken.
Run this as a Google search. It yields about 10 places. Search; “places to get almond fried chicken atlanta”
Good luck.
Comment by Peggy Dawson on July 19, 2012 at 6:05 pm
Probably it’s gone with the years…
Comment by Bob Maas on July 22, 2012 at 2:19 pm
I had this dish a few years ago at a Chineese place on Chamblee Tucker Road and YES, it was called Almond Fried Chicken.
Comment by Michael on October 5, 2012 at 10:25 am
My story is almost identical to yours – the story is that during the industrial age of Ford and the automotive factories in MI and OH – the CEO’s hired chinese cooks to man the factory cafeterias. They developed the dishes to withstand the long waits on the heating tables – one such dish was Wor Su Gai (almond chicken) that you and I love. I too can now make it at home, but nothing like when I travel through Columbus Oh (most places still serve it there).
BTW – grew up in Ft. Lauderdale Florida and a small Italian restaurant called Marcella’s served the BEST garlic rolls ever. They have been closed for over 20 years, but other people must remember then because I am noticing “garlic knots” being offered at some Atlanta restaurants but they are nothing like Marcella’s. I have not even found a picture or recipe for her rolls