The Wilsons went out to China Wall (near Wal-Mart on 87th and Highway 2) on Saturday night. I know very little about Chinese food (or the American version of it), so I'm not really in a position to evaluate it with any depth. I'll leave that to the pros. I don't suppose most of you would think it means much if I were to tell you that it's better than Hy-Vee's Chinese food. Yeah, I didn't think so. What follows is just a quick overview.
China Wall is a small, skinny restaurant. If you plan to go with a big group, you're probably not going to sit together. There are perhaps a dozen tables, a pop machine, and the counter at which you order. Oh, and a few chairs to wait for to-go orders. A television on the wall played the Food Network while we were there. The show featured desserts. It would have been a great little subliminal marketing ploy had there been an ice cream shop next door.
The woman at the counter was nice and friendly, and she bought herself some bonus points by offering Robbie a couple fortune cookies. (He enjoyed them after his supper, though he couldn't figure out why there was paper inside his cracker.) The menu was large and diverse, with most of the usuals present, plus some items (such as egg foo young) that you don't see every day. Prices seemed pretty typical for fast food Chinese. Our entrees cost around $6.50 apiece for the main dish, rice, and an egg roll. The serving size was ample. The food presentation was nice, though it was weird using plastic utensils on such nice plates. We received our food about four or five minutes after we ordered. Both our dishes were tasty, though my chicken, listed as "spicy" on the menu, could have had quite a bit more kick for my tastes. If you like your food spicy, you may want to ask for it to be taken up a notch. (On the flip side, if you're scared of spicy food, you might not have much to worry about.)
Again, I have little experience with Chinese food, so this quickie "review" is really anything but. I was pleased enough with the food and atmosphere that I do plan to return. Maybe one of these days I'll get to enough Chinese restaurants in town that I'll be able to have more of an opinion about each of them.
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Been there four times or so already. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but there’s something that tastes odd about all the dishes I’ve had. It’s like there’s an ingredient that shouldn’t be in there (ginger perhaps?). Even the chicken fried rice tastes a little odd to me. However, their steamed dumplings are AWESOME and I really like their hot and sour soup. Seems kicked up a couple of notches from the hot and sour I get anywhere else.
I will still say that I like the food at Lee’s China at the SouthPointe food court. If you go at lunch, for $6 you can get two entrees off their little buffet-style thing, plus rice, and egg roll or crab rangoon, and a drink. I love their sweet and spicy chicken - to me, it’s a must each time I am there.
We intended to eat there Saturday night but when we pulled up we both had the same reaction. “It’s Zhang’s!” Zhang’s is a great Chinese restaurant on Coddington and West A streets. This place looks identical, right down to the furniture. If their food is anything like Zhang’s, it will be worth your time to visit.
The only reason we didn’t stop is because we were wanting something different.
I like Lee’s China at the food court too. Great lunch deal. Probably not up to Golden Wok standards, but pretty close.
Upscale: Windchimes on Village Drive (south of Old Cheney)
Recommend: Lemon Chicken
Bargain version: China Inn (next to Mr. Goodcents on N. 27th) - I hear it’s the same owners, but a cheaper atmosphere.
Recommend: Peanut Butter Chicken
Portions: Wok on the Run (Van Dorn Plaza)
Recommend: Any of the meals - heaping portions with rice & 2 crab rangoons included that you can turn into 2 meals
Honorable Mention: Imperial Palace (27th & Vine)
Recommend: Jamban soup(sp?) on a cold day
China Wall 84th and Hiway 2 is owned by the sister of the guy who owns Great Wall, Meadowlane shopping center 70th and Vine and both are somehow related to the folks who own Zhangs.
Hot and sour soup is their best dish but everything else is pretty good too. Read that as pretty good but not great.
Our favorite is Vincent’s House of Hunan on 56th and Hwy 2. We lovingly refer to it as “Hootenannies” so frequently that I actually had to stop and think for a moment what its actual name is!
We especially love their vegetarian options - they make their own gluten mock meat and it is incredible. The Orange “Beef” is out of this world. Mmmm…craving…..
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