Jason C.
Yelp
I was very tentative to patron here. I'd drive by it daily from work to my hotel always wondering what the food was like there. Not being native to city of Lowell, I was unsure of what their Chinese food reputation was, or even if it existed. A few weeks passed when I finally decided to take the plunge. I stepped in the front door...it was barren and cold. Literally cold, the workers were wearing thick coats and beanies. But it was alright, I continued to make my way to the register since I was ordering it to-go anyway. I was a bit taken back by the prices. 6.75 seemed a bit steep for the Orange Chicken. But my curiosity was in top gear and nothing aside from a dead rat floating in the cooking oil, was going to stop me.
My first moment of delight came when the food was given to me in a brown paper bag. It was heavy and substantially full. Good, I was getting my money's worth at least in quantity. My second moment of delight came when I started consumption. It was fantastic. The rice was warm, the chicken was flavorful, and it even came with an egg roll. I'm use to eating alone in a hotel room, but it's not often I giggle to myself with glee when eating. This was one of those rare occasions.
But no story is without tragedy, and mine is no different. After my long, over-due encounter with this Chinese food oasis, I found that I was no longer going to be traveling to Lowell, and that my dining experience with Empire Hunan would remain alone in my memory as a night of surprise, delight, and Orange Chicken.
