Fat Chen Seafood Restaurant, Inc

When my mom insists that we are NOT supposed to pay tip at Fujianese restaurants, I’m always a bit skeptical. Is this her frugal side speaking, or is it a social faux pas? After all, why would anyone say no to more money? Pride, I guess, which is a common Chinese trait. Whatever it is, my mom, who is not a stingy tipper (pride, again), always prefers to eat at these places because she’s not required to tip. «It’s like we get an extra entrée for free!» she exclaims brightly.
If not for my parents, I would never have stepped foot into this obscure (according to Unilocal), off-​the-​main-​road restaurant. Fat Chen («fat» is an anglicization, not an actual translation) serves authentic, generous portions of various Chinese cuisines, including Fujianese dishes. There definitely are English names for these items on the menu, but even these names are amazingly deceptive. I let my parents choose (with the exception of the «litchi pork,» which I was fascinated by), which was an excellent idea because they knew what they were doing. I cannot speak to the quality of the waiters’ English (or the service, which my mom was reluctant to engage), but I think they’d be able to get you the right food if you point at the numbers.
Litchi pork (84) — The Fujianese version of a sweet and sour twice-​cooked pork, litchi pork is actually not made with any litchis. The pork is reddened (by what, I have no idea) and incredibly tender. The sauce is excellently tangy and sweet — the kind of sweet-​and-​sour that fast-​food Chinese places dream of. Served with cauliflower and other vegetables, everything on this plate vanished pretty quickly. It was an instant hit with all the members of my family, and I definitely do recommend it for the American palate.
Golden conch (101) — Apparently, «golden» refers to deep-​fried blocks of tofu that are arranged prettily around a stir-​fried mélange of conch, oyster mushrooms, and other vegetables. How are we supposed to know that? The blocks of tofu have a tiny protrusion which deceptively indicate shrimp or meat inside, but nope, it’s just all tofu. If you like the chewy texture and mild flavor of conch paired with soft tofu with a crispy exterior, go for it. I liked it.
Lettuce fried sea clam (69) — Another misnomer. There’s a tiny pile of lettuce on the side, which generally seems to be considered garnish for Chinese meals, rather than actual food to be consumed. I didn’t eat any because the stars were definitely the generous chunks of orgasmic, creamy oyster mushrooms and fresh, just-​cooked sea clams. A tiny moan of pleasure escaped before I realized it was probably inappropriate at a family gathering with children present. Even though I already decided to stop eating before this came out, I rescinded my decision immediately and stuffed myself on this.
Salt & pepper chinese snails (101) — I’d say this is probably more escargots doused in a black pepper sauce. It’s classic, and my mom makes this at home (so I’m not sure why we ordered it). They’re very messy to eat because you have to suck the tiny snails out of their shells, but very delicious. I don’t consider them an acquired taste because I love the flavor of the sauce and the chewy texture of the snails, but some people may be averse to the concept.
Bak bo melon soup (18) — The Chinese says «white flower fish.» Not sure what this is, but this is a traditional soup that my parents get pretty often. We usually add red vinegar to the soup to give it an additional kick. I’m not quite sure how to describe the flavor; it’s mildly fishy and there are interesting, squishy/​soft textures. I personally wouldn’t recommend it, but it is very classic.
Beef stew with vegetables — I was hesitant about this one (my brother and I ordered it) because we didn’t know what kind of vegetables would be included, but the whole stew was delicious. There were different cow parts (meltingly tender beef and tendon) that were doused in a rich, flavorful gravy. I would definitely recommend this.
We also ordered another dish with rice cake noodles and stir-​fried celery, but I would never want to order it and I wouldn’t recommend it when you have so many other options.
Overall, we ordered 7 items (plus some sodas for my cousins, sigh, and some beer) and the bill came out to less than $ 100. We ordered a ton of food (because my parents always do that) and brought home a lot of leftovers. If you don’t mind the slightly dingy interior and minimum service, I’d definitely recommend this over Pacificana (more expensive for comparable quality, but quite sumptuous-​looking and always busy). They’re attentive with respect to getting your order and bringing out your food, but not if you want anything else. Then again, I guess that’s why we’re not supposed to tip.

They serve congee the way I have had it in Malaysia; you get a plain bowl of congee (rice porrige), and then choose from lots of little bowls of stuff to put in side, like salted fish, boiled peanuts, and other stuff to make an incredibly healthy food less healthy. They also have a full menu, but I am too taken w/​their delicious congee to notice — !