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<title>blogTO Recent Comments: Swatow</title>
<link>http://www.blogto.com/feed/recentcomments/?4238</link>
<description>Comments recently made in this post on blogTO</description>
<copyright>Copyright 2009</copyright>
<lastBuildDate>Sun, 22 Nov 2009 06:57:42 PST</lastBuildDate>
<item>
<title>MK</title>
<description><![CDATA[
Two questions, is swatow licensed, and if so, do they serve till closing?]]>
</description>
<link>http://www.blogto.com//2007/01/swatow/#c704304</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com//2007/01/swatow/#c704304</guid>
<category>Toronto, </category>
<pubDate>Wed, 14 Oct 2009 15:44:47 PDT</pubDate>
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<item>
<title>LanternBell</title>
<description><![CDATA[
Never been to Swatow after midnight but I go there once in a while for lunch. Their wontons are pretty decent but the best things you can get there are their noodles with beef tripe in soup and for the daring eaters, escargot with black bean sauce.]]>
</description>
<link>http://www.blogto.com//2007/01/swatow/#c649914</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com//2007/01/swatow/#c649914</guid>
<category>Toronto, </category>
<pubDate>Wed, 05 Aug 2009 02:08:33 PDT</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>Asia</title>
<description><![CDATA[
MSG or not - the Shrimp Dumpling Soup from Swatow is consistently amazing.  Most of the other dishes I can take or leave, but as a late night option other than pizza or McDonald's it is one of the best.

As for the MSG hype - after watching Food Detectives, clearly for most people, MSG is fine and the hype about it is just that.  For those that are severely allergic to it - they would also be allergic to most meats and cheeses as well, never mind all sorts of processed foods including most kinds of potato chips.

I have always found it interesting how food allergies are so common in North America... maybe the food is not the problem?  Millions of Japanese eat MSG daily and have no need for NO MSG signs.  There is no need for Peanut Free packaging in Europe. What is up with that?]]>
</description>
<link>http://www.blogto.com//2007/01/swatow/#c583368</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com//2007/01/swatow/#c583368</guid>
<category>Toronto, </category>
<pubDate>Sun, 26 Apr 2009 05:19:20 PDT</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>jack</title>
<description><![CDATA[
it's not fukkin fried rice.. it should be Fukien fried rice.. fukien is a province in China.. and fukien fried rice doesn't have any cream/milk in it... the sauce is made from broth and starch.. probably mixed is egg white to create the creamy texture.. it is very good as fried rice is usually very dry.. the seafood sauce on the rice creates an interesting texture when you mix it with the fried rice...]]>
</description>
<link>http://www.blogto.com//2007/01/swatow/#c366189</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com//2007/01/swatow/#c366189</guid>
<category>Toronto, </category>
<pubDate>Sun, 11 Jan 2009 00:26:37 PST</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>Brent</title>
<description><![CDATA[
Swatow has re-opened with a Green Pass.  I called in for a pick up order of Wonton Soup, Beef Brisket noodles and Seafood Chow Mein.  They are the best!]]>
</description>
<link>http://www.blogto.com//2007/01/swatow/#c320088</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com//2007/01/swatow/#c320088</guid>
<category>Toronto, </category>
<pubDate>Fri, 17 Oct 2008 12:34:15 PDT</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>sanJ</title>
<description><![CDATA[
swatow was closed down today]]>
</description>
<link>http://www.blogto.com//2007/01/swatow/#c319453</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com//2007/01/swatow/#c319453</guid>
<category>Toronto, </category>
<pubDate>Tue, 14 Oct 2008 22:01:46 PDT</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>Foodhogger</title>
<description><![CDATA[
<a href="http://foodhogger.wordpress.com/2008/08/25/swatow/">Foodhogger's experience</a>]]>
</description>
<link>http://www.blogto.com//2007/01/swatow/#c304143</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com//2007/01/swatow/#c304143</guid>
<category>Toronto, </category>
<pubDate>Tue, 26 Aug 2008 15:25:14 PDT</pubDate>
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<item>
<title>Foodhogger</title>
<description><![CDATA[
While the General Tso (or Tao?)'s chicken was good, it wasn't great.  Nor did we like the portions.  For $12.50 we thought it would be a giant platter enough to split between two, but it wasn't.  I'll definitely be sticking to <a href="http://foodhogger.wordpress.com/2008/05/08/house-of-gourmet/"> House of Gourmet </a>around the corner and <a href="http://foodhogger.wordpress.com/2008/07/17/spadina-garden/">Spadina Garden </a>at Dundas/Bay.]]>
</description>
<link>http://www.blogto.com//2007/01/swatow/#c302084</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com//2007/01/swatow/#c302084</guid>
<category>Toronto, </category>
<pubDate>Tue, 19 Aug 2008 16:54:50 PDT</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>Sherry</title>
<description><![CDATA[
I've literally been eating at Swatow since I was a baby.  While their prices have gone up slightly, the consistency of their food remains strong. They have delicious food plain and simple. 

I actually tend to stay away from the more commonly ordered food (like General Tsao's chicken) and order more traditional Chinese dishes like #105 Eggs with Shrimp on rice (though I often have this on noodles or with beef -- they accommodate).  As for soups....gosh, their Egg drop soup with Minced Beef is awesome, nice and thick not brothy like in other places. And their Sweet Corn soup with Chicken is really tasty!  I love their wonton noodle soup however in my opinion their BBQ Pork with Noodles soup is divine!  

I've been a regular customer at Swatow (almost 30 years now) and have introduced plenty of people to the place who are now regulars themselves.  TONS of those I do introduce the restaurant to find that no other restaurant out there compares.

And in my opinion, I'd rather go to a not-so-great looking place with excellent food than to a great looking place with crap food.

Swatow is #1 in my book and I've been to plenty of Chinatown's all over the place!]]>
</description>
<link>http://www.blogto.com//2007/01/swatow/#c294692</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com//2007/01/swatow/#c294692</guid>
<category>Toronto, </category>
<pubDate>Mon, 14 Jul 2008 20:11:58 PDT</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>opensource</title>
<description><![CDATA[
I like Swatow.  But, once a place starts being the "in place" to be, for me, it is time to move on.  There are at least 3 other places in Chinatown downtown with better food, better service, and most importantly, fewer to no hipsters.]]>
</description>
<link>http://www.blogto.com//2007/01/swatow/#c240393</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com//2007/01/swatow/#c240393</guid>
<category>Toronto, </category>
<pubDate>Mon, 19 Nov 2007 23:38:51 PST</pubDate>
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<item>
<title>Tanja</title>
<description><![CDATA[
And at 3am, we do just that Jonah... 'cause no one owns a car to drive to Richmond Hill and next-to-nothing would be open anyhow.  Were this dinner, the situation would be different.]]>
</description>
<link>http://www.blogto.com//2007/01/swatow/#c100738</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com//2007/01/swatow/#c100738</guid>
<category>Toronto, </category>
<pubDate>Fri, 16 Feb 2007 00:48:00 PST</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>Jonah</title>
<description><![CDATA[
Sorry to break the bad news but Chinatown hasn't been the same since Markham and Richmond Hill was developed more than ten years ago. Swatow has loads of MSG, which I think is the based for any and all of their clear broth soups.

The vegetables aren't cut... so you often get roots attached to your guylan, and because they are so thick, they outside is soggy while the inside remains raw.

The sauces are straight out of the bottle, and there is a lot of sauce which I presume is used to cover the low quality of their meat. Forget seafood.

The fluorescent  lights and mirrors make McDonald's decor look nice. Don't look down at the floor, unless you want to see what some guy was eating there two weeks ago. 

If you have ever eaten good Chinese food, you won't want to eat here. Just like any other cuisine, you get what you pay for. $3.75 gets you, well, just less than four dollars worth of food, if you can call it that.]]>
</description>
<link>http://www.blogto.com//2007/01/swatow/#c98660</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com//2007/01/swatow/#c98660</guid>
<category>Toronto, </category>
<pubDate>Sun, 11 Feb 2007 15:19:09 PST</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>Abraham Lopez</title>
<description><![CDATA[
Those plates look really delicious.]]>
</description>
<link>http://www.blogto.com//2007/01/swatow/#c94140</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com//2007/01/swatow/#c94140</guid>
<category>Toronto, </category>
<pubDate>Thu, 01 Feb 2007 00:00:00 PST</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>Jonathan</title>
<description><![CDATA[
"night-owl clubhouse ..crowd of regulars" 

including 52 Division getting takeout.]]>
</description>
<link>http://www.blogto.com//2007/01/swatow/#c93413</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com//2007/01/swatow/#c93413</guid>
<category>Toronto, </category>
<pubDate>Wed, 31 Jan 2007 00:00:00 PST</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>Tanja</title>
<description><![CDATA[
Thanks for the detail, Victor.  Do you work there? heh.

I love your suggestions and will definitely try the lemon chicken next time.  We were all getting one dish each, so I could only pick one, not 10... i have to respect everyone else's likes and dislikes.  

I'm also the nut in the group who wants the *least* fried foods possible, so as you can imagine, that narrows what i'm opt to pick.  I'm glad you've got your faves in there for readers to give a shot.

We do eat Chinese often (including at home as my partner (who went with the beef) is Chinese, so I understand about the prep... I describe it all, as I like to do no matter where i'm reviewing, 'cause those who don't know will probably want to before ordering too much starch or baking soda laced foods at 3am in the morning. ;)]]>
</description>
<link>http://www.blogto.com//2007/01/swatow/#c93409</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com//2007/01/swatow/#c93409</guid>
<category>Toronto, </category>
<pubDate>Wed, 31 Jan 2007 00:00:00 PST</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>Andrew</title>
<description><![CDATA[
Great atmosphere at Swatow.  I'd eat there more often, except it's RAMMED all the time!]]>
</description>
<link>http://www.blogto.com//2007/01/swatow/#c93085</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com//2007/01/swatow/#c93085</guid>
<category>Toronto, </category>
<pubDate>Wed, 31 Jan 2007 00:00:00 PST</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>Victor</title>
<description><![CDATA[
The picture review is nice. But I'm afraid you have likely not had the optimum experience here. 

First off, the items you ordered are good, but not the best they have to offer.

Good choices were the GT Chicken, and the soup. However you missed their deep fried squid (I read some of you can't eat it, but I'm wondering if that's I "won't" eat it, because this you will enjoy even if you don't enjoy seafood.). Your noodle dish should have been chicken fried noodle. You beef should have been chosen on a hot plate w/ assorted veggies. You should also give the wonton noodles a go, esp if you are here on your own.

From your review, I may assume that you do not eat at Chinese restaurants that often? 
- The chicken is tender because it is generally made from dark meat from the thigh and leg. Also, it stays more tender when marinated and with corn starch applied. There is nothing wrong with the meat.
- Sauces come in all kinds of consistency, and I would suggest not taking any extra sauce, i.e. avoid serving yourself too much sauce.
- You must order your dishes with balance. Considering which items are staples, and which items are for a flavor kick. I.e. a simple noodle to go with your GT chicken, or a lighter lemon chicken to go with a spicy squid.
- If you don't drink tea, you need to get another drink. It is expected that you will have plenty of liquids to clear your palette of both flavor and grease while you eat.

Try going with one of those regulars you see in there and have someone who knows their Chinese food order for you. 
But the following will not disappoint:
- Spicy Deep Fried Squid (or Spicy Deep Fried Shrimp)
- General Tao's Chicken
- Chicken Fried Noodles
- Won Ton Noodle
- Beef with black bean sauce on Hotplate
- Lemon Chicken
- Sweet and sour soup
Add chicken fried rice for filler if need be.]]>
</description>
<link>http://www.blogto.com//2007/01/swatow/#c93078</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com//2007/01/swatow/#c93078</guid>
<category>Toronto, </category>
<pubDate>Wed, 31 Jan 2007 00:00:00 PST</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>mish</title>
<description><![CDATA[
mm...the best midnight snack in the city.]]>
</description>
<link>http://www.blogto.com//2007/01/swatow/#c93065</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com//2007/01/swatow/#c93065</guid>
<category>Toronto, </category>
<pubDate>Wed, 31 Jan 2007 00:00:00 PST</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>stung</title>
<description><![CDATA[
mmm Swatow, so filling and cheap too!]]>
</description>
<link>http://www.blogto.com//2007/01/swatow/#c92284</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com//2007/01/swatow/#c92284</guid>
<category>Toronto, </category>
<pubDate>Tue, 30 Jan 2007 12:02:13 PST</pubDate>
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