Reader: The Chinese Food You Get in the States Is Rubbish

Our Chef and Tell interview with Todd Somma of Hop Alley made for some tasty reading on a snowy day. The chef talked with Gretchen Kurtz about everything from food allergies to learning to cook authentic Chinese dishes. "Hop Alley is a Chinese restaurant," he said. "It’s an opportunity for...

By Westword Staff

March 24, 2016

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Our Chef and Tell interview with Todd Somma of Hop Alley made for some tasty reading on a snowy day. The chef talked with Gretchen Kurtz about everything from food allergies to learning to cook authentic Chinese dishes. "Hop Alley is a Chinese restaurant," he said. "It’s an opportunity for us as employees, and the diners of Denver, to learn more about a wonderful cuisine that is underrepresented in our fine city — and the rest of the country, for the most part. We’re not doing sesame chicken and crab-cheese wontons. Some of the recipes we’re using date back 5,000 years." And that comment inspired plenty of responses. Says Mason:

5,000 years ago...the earliest known recipes date from 1600 BC and come from southern Babylonia. "Ancient Chinese secret"...

Adds Adan:

Severe peanut allergies didn't exist 5,000 years ago, either.

Frets Doug:

Wait...what!!!???? No sesame chicken nor crab fried wontons? That's what I ALWAYS order!

But then there's this from Bret:

I'm going to have to give this a shot. After living in Asia for 6+ years, the Chinese you get in the States is rubbish.

What do you think of Chinese food in Denver? Have you tried Hop Alley? Read our Chef and Tell with Todd Somma.

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