Nichele H.
Yelp
I'm a soup dumpling fan. My favorite is the shrimp soup dumpling. Six little broth-filled orbs to an order will run you $10. They are worth it. The dumplings are made in house on the far end of the bar. The broth inside is extremely hot, so follow the suggestions: place the dumpling in a soup spoon. Puncture the dumpling and let the soup fill the spoon. Sip the soup, then, eat the dumpling. Dress the dumpling with a few drops of black rice vinegar, if you'd like. Just magical!
The people I I've dined with who have ordered as though they were at Chinese carryout have been disappointed. The General Tso's chicken and fried chicken wings are fine, but I encourage you to scour the extensive menu and order something that sounds good. And even if you are not a vegetarian, don't sleep on the veg based dishes. My go-to is the tomato and scrambled egg entrée. I ate it everytime I could when I visited China many years ago, and I understand that it is a comfort food to some first and second generation, Chinese people. In summertime, when tomatoes are at their best, they get saucy, and the acidity cuts the richness of the eggs. Maybe there's garlic in it and white pepper. Some recipes I've seen have ginger. Served with rice, it is a delicious, comforting meal served in generous portions. I've never eaten any of the dishes in one sitting. Lately they've started serving it with sugar, inexplicably. Once when I ordered it, I was asked whether I wanted it sweet or salty. The next time I ordered it it was just sent to me sweet. I had to send it back.
Another dish that hits above its weight class is the stir fried noodles and cabbage. The thin glass noodles are soft with the right amount of toothsomeness, while the cooked cabbage provides crunch. The eggplant with garlic sauce got raves from my sister, and she's pickier than I am. If you love soft and silky eggplant, you'll like this dish. She also loves the dumplings.
Oh, and one more thing. The big parking lot out front is often full, and the cars are a little too close for my comfort. So I suggest using the back entrance. There are two steps, but often times you can park a few yards away from the back door, making it an easier entry and if you have to park on the far side of the parking lot, then reverse the atrium. And I've never had to pay to park.
Make a night of it. Grab some friends, snag a big, round table with the lazy Susan in the middle and try a bunch of stuff. My group really enjoyed it, and I was concerned because I didn't know everyone's food preferences.