Saturday, June 7, 2008

Memories of Peking Restaurant

Writing about Chou's Buffet made me remember one of Columbia's better Chinese restaurants called Peking. It was located about half way down the East side of Ninth St. and it served many wonderful and tasty Chinese dishes. You paid more for the quality of the food but I feel you got your money's worth compared to the buffet type restaurants. Even though they have reopened I still feel it deserves a place in my blog.

Once you walked in the door you noticed all the red and gold colors that was everywhere. The Chinese find these colors very auspicious as they bring "luck" and "wealth" so they use them whenever possible. One of my coworkers Mary C. remembered the place as "elegant" and for Columbia I believe that to be true. The dining area was spacious and I believe I remember stairs in back that went up to a private party area.

But thinking about the food I hit a wall, I cannot remember anything outstanding that otherwise blew my mind. I do remember paying more for what I felt was less (remember I love buffets) but I do not have any bad remembrances of their food. Peking closed for reasons unknown to me but reopened some years later in a much, much smaller location on Green Meadows Rd. As much as I hate going to South Columbia, I will make a trip to eat there at this new location. Some of the same decor of the Ninth St. location is there and the owners are nice. The food is excellent so if anyone gets a chance give it a try. Until next time.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Having grown up in a nearby small town (Mexico), there weren't a lot of opportunities for me to be exposed to Chinese food. Peking was the first time I ever at Chinese, and I remember my first trip as something very exotic. There was a reasonably good-sized group of us, and we all ordered something different and then shared. One of the girls ordered Moo Goo Gai Pan, and I remember really liking it. I ordered Tsao San Shien, which was beef, chicken, shrimp with lots of different veggies and a fairly light sauce. (Now something similar is often called "Triple Crown" in a lot of bad buffets)

That ONE trip hooked me on eggrolls forever. I remember them being SO good.

I eat Chinese a lot now.... especially when I travel.... in some great and fine places and also in some hole-in-the-wall buffets and Chinese markets.

But I'll ALWAYS remember that first trip to Peking, and how my horizons were expanded just a bit that day.

Anonymous said...

Your blog keeps getting better and better! Your older articles are not as good as newer ones you have a lot more creativity and originality now keep it up!

Paul said...

My wife and I used to eat at the Peking all the time. I remember the first time I tried their Sizzling Rice Soup. At first I thought it was just hot water with smidgen of vegetables, but after the third spoonful, an incredible burst of flavor emerged and kept growing. Before I knew it I was licking the bowl.

Anonymous said...

Does anyone remember what was there before Peking? I worked at a "fine" dining restaurant in 1971 that I think was in that location. Served mostly older folks, and had a weekly buffet with prime rib and shrimp.