Now I know why Chinese Restaurants are so cheap in Beni.



Sue

Thanks for the warning kross. We are going to Benidorm at the end of March. Will be giving the Chinese a miss this time.

Liz
No disrepect to the poster, but this news is over 2 weeks old. (no offence Kross)
I didn`t post it because I know what will happen.

There is no evidence (at the moment) that the meat was "dodgy", as in unfit for human consumption, it may not have been transported in ideal conditions, but neither is meat stored/refrigerated in some of Londons top restaurants...I must also point out that the meat was vacuum- packed and not just lose meat, like chickens in a suitcase
It was chicken, duck and rabbit meat falling off the back of a lorry and therefore not going through the official channels which are subject to IVA (Vat)....and if you think this is an isolated case and this hasn`t been happening all over Spain for quite some time, then you are niave..or that it doesn`t happen in some back street restaurant in the UK.....
These just got caught.

I shouldn`t worry too much if the British Government can tell us that we can eat chickens infected with bird flu, because the cooking will kill any bacteria.
I`ve had loads of cheap Chinese meals in Benidorm, mainly either chicken or duck, and I`ve never thrown up after eating them...YET and if you let your thoughts drift into what happens behind the scenes in any restaurant, then you would starve.
http://www.costablanca-news.com/news/last.htm

besos xxx
Sanji

I think that you are right Sanji and it won't stop me eating Chinese meals in Beni or anywhere else for that matter, I've had dodgy Chicken from Tescos before now thats gone off before it's sell by date. I have never experienced a dodgy stomach after eating in any Beni restaurants unlike some Greek ones but thats another story.

Sue

You Yorkshire Gals are made of Stern Stuff though!

A good tot of brandy or whisky first thing on a morning keeps a few bugs at bay.

Chrisitne W

Now we're talking my kinda language!

You Yorkshire Gals are made of Stern Stuff though!

We sure are

Have a Carajillo every morning (Spanish made) (black coffee with brandy in a small glass) and that will kill anything in your guts.

besos xxx
sanj

OOOOOHHH MATRON!!....I love your idea of Medicine Sanji!!

I'll apologise first because this is 100% off topic but is relevant to bad bellies. I was holiday in Corfu about 22 years ago and I got the runs and I mean the runs
We had booked a trip to the other side of the island for the next day and it was quite expensive so me been a tight Yorkshire Gal (as Taggy would put it) I felt compelled to go. As we were staying in a small village there was no Pharmacy for miles and been a Corfu virgin I didn't have any diacalms. On boarding the bus I asked the guide if she could ask the driver to stop at a chemist on the way. After about twenty minutes the bus stopped and she announced over the microphone " Could the lady with the diarrhoea please get off the bus as we've now arrived at the chemist" ever since then I've always travelled with a full first aid kit.

Sue

I'm sorry Sue one should'nt laugh at a gals discomfort but... God that must have been embarrassing! ...I can see why you were a bit concerned about Jet2.com lowering the baggage allowance!! Sorry Sue, I'm just drinking a bottle of Vina Esmerelda and am a bit giddy!! - Regards Taggy!

Another good tip for a dodgy gut is flat coke (sorry no brandy or whisky allowed in this one) it seems to kill off the bug. Imagine what coke does to your guts when your well if it kills off bugs.

Chrisitne W

I try to avoid some of those "smaller" chinese. They do not speak english or even Spanish How on earth can you order

The people at Levante Steakhouse recommended China Town to me.
They have one of the best Hot&Sour Soups.

I also can recommed one chinese near Park Elche it`s called "Pato....."
And Wok Chinese, Rincon de Loix is nice as well, near levante beach.

Oh yeah I heard a story about one restaurant called "Capital"

A Chinese woman from Liverpool and her husband went there a week ago.
Because of those horror stories,she asked the "owner" about the origin of their Fish(Sole). Well they got it straight from China. They talked in Chinese! so there couldn`t be a misunderstanding.

They left at once!

Iam living here for more than 3years now and haven`t had a problem with those three Chinese Restaurants so..

They do not speak english or even Spanish How on earth can you order

Same way as you order when not speaking Spanish and going into a Spanish restaurant fingers and sign language
All the Chinese restaurants I have been in Beni, have the menu in English as well as other languages.

I can only speak from my own experiences of staying in Benidorm, and trying out a few of these restaurants.
I`ve gone in with the hubby at dinnertime, especially when the weather has been cold and we are on H/B basis, and we have had 2 x 3 course meals for just over £5 with the set menu of the day...this has included soup, main meal, icecream or coffee and then whilst you are waiting to pay the bill, they bring you a tot of "chinese" shnapps.(spel?)
I don`t know how they survive or do it for that price.. well, I do now meat falling off the back of a lorry
I have my own theory..... that if you think it is good, then you will be enticed to go in the evenings when the menu is a lot more expensive and splash out.

The Chinese are a very austere race and quite shy, they sometimes appear devoid of all emotion (probably living in a communist country that instills it in to them) but, I have always found them very polite, efficient and apologetic....I wouldn`t like to cross one with a meat carver in his hand though

If there`s any good to come out of all this, it will be that the Spanish authorities, not only in the province of Valencia, but throughout the country, will appear to be more strict with them regarding their hygiene and meat suppliers, especially as Europe is in the grips of the "bird flu" propaganda, it couldn`t have happened at a better/worse time .....that can only be good for the tourists.
As far as the amount of Chinese restaurants and Chinese shops that are in Benidorm.....I personally would kick the majority of them out tomorrow....I don`t mind a few, but when the shops are nearly on every street corner, all selling the same cr@p, then the Spanish authorities need to do something about it, but they only have themselves to blame, they opened the floodgates and let them in, to take over a SPANISH resort.

besos xxx
Sanji

I agree with you Sanji, there are far too many of these shops now, it makes me not want to look round them as once you've seen one you've seen them all! Whilst sitting having a coffee last year we noticed that even the boards which advertise if an apartment is for sale/rent said underneath in Chinese never thought i would see that in Spain!
I like to stay in Finestrat when we go in the summer, last year we planned to go to our local supermarket when we arrived to get all our essentials for the first couple of days, but when we got there it had closed down and been taken over by Chinese selling rubbish...... so then the nearest big supermarket is at least a 15 minute walk and then you have to get a taxi back because you can't carry it all..... really makes me mad, i don't know how they make a living all selling the same stuff
sorry to waffle on, but i miss all those nice little Spanish shops.

really makes me mad, i don't know how they make a living all selling the same stuff

It really makes me mad as well, I'm sick to death of seeing them every time you turn a street corner.

I think it is some kind of "Chinese Mafioso" that just pays the rent for the shop lease and then one big supplier is distributing the goods all around town.
Have you ever noticed that they always seem to be "run" by young people.? These don't own the shop, they are being employed by someone who I have seen arrive at the shop with the keys to open up, and then he goes off to open the next one....you have to be up early to witness this.

My personal thoughts are, that if Benidorm wants to get rid of the "Blackpool" image, then turfing these out, would be a good step in the right direction.
The "council" puts the rent up on these premises and the average Spanish shopkeeper can't compete with the Mafioso...and the council couldn't care two hoots about who is selling what, just as long as they get the rent each month.....

Whilst I am kicking the Chinese out, I'd kick some of the British out as well.
This is true....Last year my Spanish friend went into a shop in either La Nucia or Alfraz (can't remember which now) and there she was told that they are now going to speak English only.....
You can imagine the reaction, she went ballistic and told them off, saying she would never step foot inside the shop again and reminded them that this is her country.

I love Benidorm for the diversity that it offers, I can be amongst the British one minute and the Spanish the next, I can go 15/25 mins away from the town in a car and it seems like a million miles away....I have a choice, but when that balance is changed, then the choice is restricted for some of us.... and some people would say "well go somewhere else" NO I won't, I go because I love the other things about this cosmopolitan town and the surrounding area, but I like to moan about things that I feel are not beneficial to her image.
I guess I`ve had a good moan here, sorry

Besos xxx
Sanji

The only dodgy looking chicken I've had in Benidorm was from the KFC! What a filthy hole that is with stray cats jumping on the tables when people move away. I've never had a problem in any of the Chinese restaurants and I'll be using them again this year.
The Chinese tack shops don't particularly bother me but I just don't understand the point of them. How do they make enough money to pay the rent? I've never see anyone actually buy anything!

How do they make enough money to pay the rent? I've never see anyone actually buy anything!

The Mafioso work in wonderous ways I`ll scratch your back, if you scratch mine.
There was a report the other week about "officials" accepting bribes in the form of Euros to speed up or overlook Chinese immigrants coming into Malaga airport......they were advised to have at least a 50 Euro note, (the minimum) for the"officials".

Say no more Sanji
Besos xxx

We have been going to Benidorm for years and always eat in chineses of a lunchtime and have never had a problem. We are going on 18 March for a month and will still be eating in chineses a lot of the time, for value you just cant beat them.