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Dining: Is China Nobo still Awesome?
Bonaire Talk: Dining: Archives: Archives 2009: Archives - 2009-01-01 to 2009-06-30: Is China Nobo still Awesome?
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By eddie blizzard (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #8) on Thursday, June 4, 2009 - 5:02 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Do they still have the same owners and great food?

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tribs - is on Bonaire!!! (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #8638) on Thursday, June 4, 2009 - 6:08 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

I ate there the other day. It was very good, but I have no idea what I ate. The gentleman spoke no English. I ordered something under the Local Dishes, Noresenga??? It also comes with a "B" as in Boresenga, but I have no idea if I am spelling it even remotely correctly. Whatever the case, it was very good and very inexpensive.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Pietri Hausmann (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #185) on Friday, June 5, 2009 - 7:09 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

same owners ... surprised no english as the family has lived in the states .. new york city no less .. you had bamigoreng

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Susan Davis, InfoBonaire, Bon. Insider (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #310) on Friday, June 5, 2009 - 7:47 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Annie (speaks English just fine, but sometimes she's away) and her husband, Wayman (Wayman understands fairly well) still do own and operate China Nobo. I've been eating there now for 21 years, since I was first a tourist to Bonaire way back in 1988, and when their son, Samual, was just a little boy.

I have never had a bad meal there, and it sort of feels like visiting family when I go. They have a large menu (see www.chinanobobonaire.com) and a great low-priced lunch take away special.

As Petri said you were probably having the nasigoreng (rice version) or bamigoreng (noodle version), and these are considered "local" dishes, but are really more Surinamese, I believe.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tribs - is on Bonaire!!! (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #8639) on Friday, June 5, 2009 - 8:07 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

I'm surprised that he claimed he didn't speak English. Thanks for the spelling. I was with another couple. I had already decided I was going to try the nasigoreng, but the woman I was with asked him what it was and he said "no English." So not sure how to take this. Did he really not speak English, or did he just not want to wait on us? Also, the nasigoreng, which is what I ordered did not have rice. I'm wondering if he gave me bamigoreng, or just gave me whatever he felt like.

I'm not feeling so good about my visit there now.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By michael gaynor (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #3702) on Friday, June 5, 2009 - 8:20 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

There are two new cooks but the one who probably waited on you was not one of them but the guy who has been there for years and does speak a limited amount of English but does not really understand it as well as Annie or Weyman. He does speak Papiamentu however...

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tribs - is on Bonaire!!! (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #8641) on Friday, June 5, 2009 - 8:43 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Michael, I do hope you are correct. I have always liked China Nobo, but after reading Pietri's and Susan's posts, I really felt taken advantage of. I fully expect that there will be translation issues when I don't know the language, but I always try to get my point across as I am a visitor in their country and should learn some of the language. Trying new and unknown food is part of the adventure in traveling. I'm still not convinced he served me the correct food, but it was good and I guess it is my fault for not learning more Papiamentu (however he did not say he spoke Papiamentu, he just stated "no English"). Maybe I will order the same thing again and see if it is the same. As of now, I'm not sure what I ate as it definitely had noodles and not rice. Hmmm....

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Debbie B. ~ Jersey Gal(*) (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #9591) on Friday, June 5, 2009 - 12:31 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Tribs, I wouldn't over analyze this too much. The food was good, obviously glowing reports from you and others. I really think the language barrier got you on this, could have been an honest error in his understanding what you wanted. Maybe you will see Annie this time around and be able to inquire more about the menu. And who knows, maybe they were out of rice that night, you never know.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Pietri Hausmann (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #186) on Friday, June 5, 2009 - 2:47 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

please ... get back into the island mellow .. you just had bamigoreng (noodle)rather than nasigoreng (rice) .. generally the people here -especially in the local restaurants- don't try to take advantage of anyone - local or tourist - it was an honest mistake .. chalk it up to an adventure in paradise .. that's what is all about ..

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bud Gillan (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #348) on Friday, June 5, 2009 - 11:23 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Wayman and Ann just wonderful folks and great cooks too. Wayman has culinary training in China and cooked there before NYC and then Bonaire. They have younger family members here now too. Samuel is a chemist now having graduated from U of Utrecht. They are helping build the new International Bible Church across from MG's.
We will be able to have some of the great nasigoreng next week again. Yes, Susan, those 5 guilder lunches are just great. Enough for 2 meals.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tribs - is on Bonaire!!! (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #8660) on Saturday, June 6, 2009 - 6:48 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

How do you find the menu for the 5 guilder lunches? We paid considerably more. Do you just ask for the 5 guilder special of the day?

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Susan Davis, InfoBonaire, Bon. Insider (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #311) on Saturday, June 6, 2009 - 7:21 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Tribs, the very economical FL 6 lunches (yes, Bud, inflation even here!) are only to go. If you eat in, that price is not available. You can view the different lunches to go on their web site on the menu page. Click here: http://chinanobobonaire.com/menu.html (middle of the page, right hand side)

And I agree, Wayman and Annie don't have a mean bone in their bodies. If maybe you got bami instead of nasi, it was probably just a mistake in translation.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tribs - is on Bonaire!!! (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #8662) on Saturday, June 6, 2009 - 7:26 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Thanks for the information Susan. And I'm sorry if it appeared that I thought they were mean. I did not.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Susan Davis, InfoBonaire, Bon. Insider (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #312) on Saturday, June 6, 2009 - 7:26 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Oh, I should add that there are download options for either the full menu or the lunch-to-go menu on the same page as noted above. Tribs, perhaps print them out before your next visit, and simply circle what you wish? That may take care of any language problems.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Susan Davis, InfoBonaire, Bon. Insider (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #313) on Saturday, June 6, 2009 - 7:27 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

No problem, Tribs.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tribs - is on Bonaire!!! (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #8663) on Saturday, June 6, 2009 - 7:31 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Susan, I've traveled a lot. I always point to what I want if I have issues with pronunciation. I did point that day.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dennis Wightman (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #103) on Saturday, June 6, 2009 - 9:53 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Does anyone know if they use MSG??

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By michael gaynor (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #3703) on Saturday, June 6, 2009 - 10:09 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

A few selections are available for the nafl 6 lunch to go...Also, other items are available in Small or Large sizes to go as well. If you order Bami (noodles) to go, you will find the portions are huge compared to the eat in sizes! The mixed Fried rice to go can feed two hungry people nicely.

(Message edited by gmichael on June 6, 2009)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ruth van Tilburg (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1064) on Saturday, June 6, 2009 - 10:13 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Yes, they use MSG (as do all Chinese restaurants here, as far as I've checked), but if you don't mind waiting an extra 20-30 minutes, Annie will defrost something for you and prepare it without MSG (although it will be cooked/fried in oil and/or pans that have been used with items that do have MSG, so if you're really sensitive, this may not work for you).

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Pietri Hausmann (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #188) on Saturday, June 6, 2009 - 10:30 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

i have problems with MSG but have had no reactions of any consequence to date ...

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Scott Phillips (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #621) on Sunday, June 7, 2009 - 11:04 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Gotta mention an excellent meal we had at China Nobo last October. Annie took care of us with a couple of special dishes that were not on the menu. We were inquiring about whether she had any conch (and yes, I'm aware that no fresh conch is harvested on Bonaire but some establishments have conch that is brought in -- sometimes frozen -- from other countries) and she said that they did not have any, but that they had a local specialty called concha (not sure if this is spelled right). It is a small shellfish about an inch or an inch and a half long that attaches itself to rocks and coral and is harvested by the locals at low tide. Inside is a very small, maybe three quarters of an inch by a quarter inch piece of "meat" that she put on skewers and sauteed in butter. It was delicious, and was certainly one of those local specialties you can only get by talking to the proprietor. She also said she had some fresh wahoo and made an outstanding wahoo in black bean sauce that was not on the menu. What a great, special meal. And the shy little boy who served us made the meal even more special.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bill Thorpe, (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #554) on Sunday, June 7, 2009 - 5:44 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

OK you have me hooked--but where is China Nobo located?--thanks in advance
Bill

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Vince DePietro-www.bonairebeachcondo.com (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #2247) on Sunday, June 7, 2009 - 6:17 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Bill..At the intersection of Kaya Industrial & Nikiboko South. Click on the URL which Susan Davis posted above & then click on "home".

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ruth van Tilburg (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1065) on Sunday, June 7, 2009 - 6:47 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Scott, it sounds like you had a Bonairean version of escargot--it's called "kokolishi."

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By michael gaynor (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #3706) on Monday, June 8, 2009 - 9:22 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

no, it is koncha..Ruth, we will have lunch at Annies and sample it..Kokolisi is a bit different.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ruth van Tilburg (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1066) on Monday, June 8, 2009 - 11:02 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hmmm...I know 'koncha' as something else... ;-0

(Message edited by ruth on June 8, 2009)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By michael gaynor (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #3709) on Monday, June 8, 2009 - 10:34 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Annie does not have it now but will save us some next batch...

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bud Gillan (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #352) on Thursday, June 11, 2009 - 10:07 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

I believe they are limpets or kokolishi.
Their conch is from Colombian conch farms. Karko.

Still a great place to eat. We did last night.

 


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