Mas' Islamic Restaurant (Anaheim)

momopi_IHB

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Mas' Islamic Restaurant

601 E Orangethorpe Ave

Anaheim, CA 92801

(714) 446-9553

<a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/mas-islamic-restaurant-anaheim">http://www.yelp.com/biz/mas-islamic-restaurant-anaheim</a>



Mas's Islamic Restaurant is a Chinese restaurant, so if you're picturing a stereotype Middle Eastern food place, this isn't it. Islam has had a long history in China, the uncle of Muhammad himself went to Tang China around 650 AD as an emissary. Since then, the Muslim traders settled in China over the centuries and eventually adopted Chinese names and customs. Some took the name "Ma' from "Muhammad", which is what this restaurant is named after ("Ma Family Restaurant").



The food served here is basically Halal Chinese food with some fusion dishes from Hui Muslim ethnic foods. The most famous is the sesame bread with green onions, which you can get the "thin" or "thick" version. They also make a desert variety with sweet red bean paste. You can get similar foods at Jamiliah Garden on Walnut in Tustin, but IMO Ma's Restaurant in Anaheim is better. I happen to be a fan of lamb, so this is a great place for me.





<img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_4Q5Ddjqd68A/SvzOHFO6N0I/AAAAAAAACyw/8_foUMqQ4ss/s576/Ma1.jpg" alt="" />



<img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_4Q5Ddjqd68A/SvzOHYyx4iI/AAAAAAAACy0/iV_Ms44r1xE/s576/Ma2.jpg" alt="" />



<img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_4Q5Ddjqd68A/SvzOHSvCfeI/AAAAAAAACy4/RuObA3J5hQE/s576/Ma3.jpg" alt="" />



<img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_4Q5Ddjqd68A/SvzOHZB6OFI/AAAAAAAACy8/uUzYn84m7pY/Ma4.jpg" alt="" />



<img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_4Q5Ddjqd68A/SvzOHr_X41I/AAAAAAAACzA/cwsfZh3WdTE/Ma5.jpg" alt="" />



<img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_4Q5Ddjqd68A/SvzOLvI_ZlI/AAAAAAAACzI/C4JRcUW9O-g/Ma6.jpg" alt="" />



<img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_4Q5Ddjqd68A/SvzOLjTf3wI/AAAAAAAACzM/0ju5WX7s5bs/s576/Ma7.jpg" alt="" />
 
Nice cultural intro. China has such a long history in her global influences since that time including, textile, China, art, cuisine, architecture and religion. Much of the European Moorish/Islamic architecture were inspired by the Chinese.
 
I'd like to add that this is a fusion restaurant in another aspect. Typical Northern Chinese Islamic cuisine serve breads, noodles, beef, lamb, mutton, etc. but not a lot of seafood and poultry. This restaurant has an extensive menu with lots of seafood and poultry dishes.
 
[quote author="momopi" date=1258113927]You can get similar foods at Jamiliah Garden on Walnut in Tustin, but IMO Ma's Restaurant in Anaheim is better. </blockquote>


I heard that Ma's Restaurant is run by the people that used to previously run Jamilah Garden. I love the thin sesame bread at Ma's!
 
Ok, glad you all enjoyed their food. But I have to say, I just don't get the name of the restuarant. I am referring to the restaurant being titled an "Islamic" one.



The definition of Islamic is:



Islamic (comparative more Islamic, superlative most Islamic) -- Of, pertaining to, originating in, characteristic of, or deriving from Islam.



How can a restaurant or food be that?



Conversely, why have I never seen any Ma's Catholic Restaurant? Or Ma's Hindu Restaurant?



And the food was referred to as "Muslim Ethnic Food". Call me crazy, but there are Muslims in pretty much every country on the planet. And since when is the follower of a religion an ethnicity? By the "Muslim" part, are you meaning Halal? Because that would be a term used in conjunction with food.



Just a wee bit confused.
 
Those who practice Islam have certain dietary restrictions. Typically, it is called Halal, but to be honest, every time I have seen Chinese food that serves only food meeting the Halal requirements identified, it was always called "Islamic Chinese" food. Sort of like a Hebrew restaurant, even though the more grammatically correct term might be Kosher restaurant.
 
[quote author="EvaLSeraphim" date=1258340810]Those who practice Islam have certain dietary restrictions. Typically, it is called Halal, but to be honest, every time I have seen Chinese food that serves only food meeting the Halal requirements identified, it was always called "Islamic Chinese" food. Sort of like a Hebrew restaurant, even though the more grammatically correct term might be Kosher restaurant.</blockquote>


Except if you call your restaurant halal or kosher it damn well better be?almost won?t cut it. It?s either Kosher or it isn?t.



So, instead of calling it ?halal style? (which they can?t) they call it Islamic.
 
[quote author="gypsyuma" date=1258339709]Ok, glad you all enjoyed their food. But I have to say, I just don't get the name of the restuarant. I am referring to the restaurant being titled an "Islamic" one.



The definition of Islamic is:



Islamic (comparative more Islamic, superlative most Islamic) -- Of, pertaining to, originating in, characteristic of, or deriving from Islam.



How can a restaurant or food be that?



Conversely, why have I never seen any Ma's Catholic Restaurant? Or Ma's Hindu Restaurant?



And the food was referred to as "Muslim Ethnic Food". Call me crazy, but there are Muslims in pretty much every country on the planet. And since when is the follower of a religion an ethnicity? By the "Muslim" part, are you meaning Halal? Because that would be a term used in conjunction with food.



Just a wee bit confused.</blockquote>


The Chinese word is "??" which means Halal. ?? is usually translated in English as Chinese Islamic. Perhaps you can start a campaign to educate the ignorant Chinese about proper English usage. There are both ethinc Chinese muslims in China, as well as ethinc Arab, Turk, Persian muslims in China. The former is not thought of as an ethnic group but the latter is.
 
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hui_people">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hui_people</a>



In some Asian countries, religion with distinct groups are used as an identifier for ethnicity. In China, traditional Chinese Muslims are Hui ethnic group, versus non-ethnic Chinese Muslims, such as Turks are Uyghurs. There are more ethnic Chinese Hui Muslims than any other Muslim ethnicity in China. But an ethnic Chinese Han today who converts to Islam would not be considered a Hui (you need to be born into it).



In Vietnam and Cambodia, Muslims are Cham ethnic group.



In Malaysia, all ethnic Malays are Muslims as defined by Article 160 of the Malaysian Constitution. A Malay who is not a Muslim must surrender his ethnic Malay status. Because there are other indigenous peoples of Malaysia who are not Muslim, the Malaysians created a political term "Bumiputera" for everyone who are "native" to Malaysia, versus Chinese and Indian immigrants are not.



Thus, if you're born Malay and is a Muslim, you are an ethnic Malaysian. If you're ethnic Chinese and convert to Islam, you still cannot be ethnic Malay or gain the Bumiputera status -- you must be born into the Bumiputera status.



If you think Asian race politics are weird, consider America that lump everyone into 5 ethnic groups (White American, African American, Latino/Hispanic American, Native American, and Asian American).
 
[quote author="momopi" date=1258367632]If you think Asian race politics are weird, consider America that lump everyone into 5 ethnic groups (White American, African American, Latino/Hispanic American, Native American, and Asian American).</blockquote>


That's not that wierd. I'm half Mexican. I didn't cross the border, the border crossed me.
 
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