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Many years ago I decided the secret to restaurant fried rice (and many other Chinese dishes I yearned for) was using much more oil than I would feel comfortable with. The shiny "slick" on top of many restaurant dishes--including the rice--is definitely part of the secret to restaurant taste and mouthfeel. I also think it's important to do the scrambled eggs in a separate pan (in oil, of course), then slide them out and slice them into strips, then again crosswise. Salt is also something I used to omit, thinking soy sauce was enough sodium. When I put in salt, it makes all the difference.

and I almost always add sesame oil. especially toward the end.

Thanks for the suggestions. I almost always add egg, as a thin omelet chiffonade, and I don't find that's the difference in flavor I'm seeking I also always use cold rice.

@keebz- it's flavor, not texture I'm after.

@misterhee: Perhaps it is the heat. I've certainly watched a lot of take out being made, and never noticed anything much that was different from mine except, of course, the heat, but figured the sauce had to be different. It is true that the take out I've seen started with the sauce, and I usually start by cooking the veggies and meat, add the rice to warm up, and then add the other major flavor ingredients. I do sometimes add sugar. In fact, sometimes I add enough so that it really changes the nature of the fried rice - makes it sort of terriyaki like. Add pineapple or pineapple preserves sometimes.

@bigfatmouth. I notice you did mention the oyster sauce, and it may just be that the take outs where I was getting my fried rice used it but not all do .I'm thinking I'll follow the order you mention, and put some of the flavor ingredients in earlier, and see if that's part of the difference. Without a hot wok I haven't wanted the sauce to stick to the pan before the rice heats up, but perhaps I'm not heating it long enough after those ingredients are added in.

@engmcmuffin: That's interesting. I haven't noticed any yellow coloration to the fried rice I get. I'm glad to know you and others don't think oyster sauce is the answer, though big fat mouth mentions it. I'll work on my technique.

I wonder if some of this involves regional differences. I notice no one else mentions sesame oil, but that's definitely part of the flavor I remember. I lived in Albany NY for a few years within a 5 minute walk of 5 excellent hole-in-the-wall take outs. Live near Burlington, Vt now and haven't found anything as good, so I need to make my own.

a little scrambled eggs with chives and a dash of rice wine vinegar do it to your formula. Love the brightness the chives add.

I always thought XO sauce tasted and smelled a lot like the fried rice from our local restaurants. Probably not the case, but might be worth checking out.

The perfect fried rice is something I do all the time and it is perfect. The key is simple. Keep it simple.

Ingredients:
4 cups 'Room temperature' cooked Jasmine rice. (should be slightly under cooked)
couple oz small finely chopped carrot
couple oz fresh green onion
couple oz fresh peas (optional)
salt & pepper
Low sodium soy sauce
2-3 tbsp Veg oil
2-3 eggs

Use a large diameter fry pan. The more surface area the better. Heat the pan on the burner first. Once the pan is already hot, add the veg oil. It should coat almost the entire pan. Wait till the oil just starts to smoke (important). Now get ready to work fast. Throw in the rice, carrot, onion and peas evenly over the bottom of the pan. LET IT SIT for 10-20 seconds. You will feel like its burning... this is OK... you want a little crispy... keep the heat on high. Now scrape the bottom of the pan and mix it all around... get all that crispy goodness off the bottom of the pan. Now douse the rice with low sodium soy until the rice is very light light brown color. keep moving the rice around. Move all rice over to one side of the pan and move that side of the pan off the burner so that the empty side is directly over the heat... still on high. Put a little more oil on the empty side and then the 2-3 eggs. Quickly scramble and chop the eggs into small bits... again, you want a little bit of burn... just just a little. When the eggs are done, fold them into the rice, cover it and remove it from heat. Let it sit for about 1 min. Scrape out entire contents into a bowl and compact it down. It will be heaven in a bowl.

Salt and pepper to taste.

There is a bar/restaurant called Maru on 32nd street in KTown NYC that serves a cocktail featuring this little drink. It is so tasty! If you are a fan, I would go seek this out.

I was excited to find this in the local market, bought it, and then discovered it was made in Mexico. My concern is that there have been so many recalls recently on food products made in Mexico. Thoughts/input welcome. Thanks.

Yakult is great, just too small! Had it growing up in Brazil!

Oh yeah, very fond memories of this stuff. I still grab it from Asian supermarkets every once in a while.

It's a nice tiny snack. I generally make it last by using my nail to push only a tiny hole in the foil and suck it out a small amount at a time. Just enough to coat the tongue and get the flavor.

it's a probiotic? I thought it was just sugary goodness!

Anyone who likes this stuff most likely grew up on it. My Brasilian girlfriend made me try it once and I thought that it tasted like cheap, chalky, watery yogurt. It has so much sugar too; 18 grams per 100 ml? Coke is 10 grams per 100 ml! There are more health benefits in a good yogurt than this tiny, sugary bottle that I will never again consume. Next time you drink this, read the list of ingredients... that turns me off right there.