Okay, so I’ve been meaning to document this for a while now, and today’s the day. I’m diving deep into my recent project: creating a menu for “Chen Chinese Cuisine.” It’s been a journey, let me tell you.
First off, I started by gathering inspiration. I spent hours browsing through various online menus, you know, the usual spots. I even stumbled upon this Chen’s Kitchen place that claimed to have the “best authentic and delicious Chinese.” Their words, not mine! It gave me some ideas, though I wanted to go beyond just copying what’s already out there.
Then, I got a bit sidetracked with this “Yandex Translate” thing. I thought, “Hey, maybe I can translate some fancy dish names into Chinese.” Turns out, it’s more complicated than that. I did learn it can translate text, documents, and even images in like 90 languages, which is pretty wild.
Next, I dug into the specifics of what makes a good Chinese menu. I found this “Mr. Chen’s Organic Chinese Cuisine” menu. They had all these tags like “Mr. Chen Menu” and “Mr. Chen’s Good Chinese Food.” It got me thinking about keywords and how people actually search for this stuff online. There was also a website selling all kinds of stuff, which was quite a distraction, but I managed to stay focused.
Getting Down to Business
Now, the real work began. I wanted this menu to be both authentic and appealing. I recalled reading about a place called “Chen Chinese Cuisine” in Crystal Lake, IL on this site called Sirved. Someone mentioned spending 76 bucks on just two orders of crab Rangoon and two orders of crispy honey chicken! That’s pricey! It made me realize I needed to balance quality with reasonable prices.
- Brainstorming Dishes: I started listing out classic Chinese dishes, but I also wanted some unique items. I remembered reading about a chef named “Chin Kenichi” (or Chen Kenichi in the US) and how some folks had “high hopes” for his dishes. That inspired me to get creative.
- Organizing the Menu: I wanted a clean layout, easy to read. I looked at how other restaurants did it. Appetizers, soups, main courses, the whole nine yards.
- Descriptions: This was tough. I wanted to describe each dish in a way that made your mouth water. I read a review about a “Chen’s” restaurant where someone said they’d been a fan for 15 years! I figured, whatever they’re doing, it’s working.
I also found out that this Foursquare City Guide app is shutting down soon, like in December 2024, and the website in early 2025. It’s kind of sad, but I guess things change. They had some info about a Chen’s restaurant at 6100 Northwest Hwy, Crystal Lake, 60014. The tags mentioned “Chicken, bamboo.” Maybe I’ll try their food sometime. There was a phone number too, 8153568899, but I didn’t call. I was too busy building my own menu!
Finally, after days of work, I had a menu I was proud of. It wasn’t just a list of dishes; it was a carefully curated experience. I felt like I’d created something special, something that reflected the heart of Chen Chinese Cuisine.
This whole process taught me a lot about menu design, a bit about online translation, and a whole lot about the power of good food descriptions. It was a fun ride, and I’m excited to see how people react to the menu.
