Shanghai Restaurant

Chinese restaurant · Durham

Shanghai Restaurant

Chinese restaurant · Durham

1

3433 Hillsborough Rd, Durham, NC 27705

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Shanghai Restaurant by null
Shanghai Restaurant by null
Shanghai Restaurant by null
Shanghai Restaurant by null
Shanghai Restaurant by null
Shanghai Restaurant by null
Shanghai Restaurant by null
Shanghai Restaurant by null
Shanghai Restaurant by null
Shanghai Restaurant by null
Shanghai Restaurant by null
Shanghai Restaurant by null
Shanghai Restaurant by null
Shanghai Restaurant by null
Shanghai Restaurant by null
Shanghai Restaurant by null
Shanghai Restaurant by null
Shanghai Restaurant by null
Shanghai Restaurant by null
Shanghai Restaurant by null
Shanghai Restaurant by null
Shanghai Restaurant by null
Shanghai Restaurant by null
Shanghai Restaurant by null
Shanghai Restaurant by null
Shanghai Restaurant by null
Shanghai Restaurant by null
Shanghai Restaurant by null
Shanghai Restaurant by null
Shanghai Restaurant by null
Shanghai Restaurant by null
Shanghai Restaurant by null
Shanghai Restaurant by null
Shanghai Restaurant by null
Shanghai Restaurant by null
Shanghai Restaurant by null
Shanghai Restaurant by null
Shanghai Restaurant by null
Shanghai Restaurant by null
Shanghai Restaurant by null
Shanghai Restaurant by null
Shanghai Restaurant by null
Shanghai Restaurant by null
Shanghai Restaurant by null

Highlights

Cantonese classics & unique dishes in a subdued space  

Featured in Eater
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3433 Hillsborough Rd, Durham, NC 27705 Get directions

shanghaidurham.com

$10–20 · Menu

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3433 Hillsborough Rd, Durham, NC 27705 Get directions

+1 919 383 7581
shanghaidurham.com

$10–20 · Menu

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Last updated

Aug 10, 2025

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18 Best Chinese Restaurants in the Triangle | Eater Carolinas

"Open since the late 1980s, Shanghai Restaurant has been Durham’s go-to for Cantonese cuisine for generations. Specialties include sliced beef (or shrimp) with scrambled eggs, salt and pepper squid, garlic yu choy, and pork chop with sweet black vinegar. A large menu of other more common dishes like sha cha chicken, beef with broccoli, and chow mein complements the Cantonese classics." - Matt Lardie

https://carolinas.eater.com/maps/best-chinese-food-durham-cary-raleigh
View Postcard for Shanghai Restaurant

T K

Google
Everything we tried was good. Portion sizes are big so go hungry. Price is great for the quality and portion sizes. Staff were very attentive and made sure every one was taken care of.

Kessie Raynor (KC)

Google
Love this place! Sesame Tofu is so good and the general Tso chicken was so flavorful. This is me and mom’s go to spot. Best shrimp and scallop dumpling I’ve ever had. I grab them once a week usually for lunch at work. MUST TRY

Patrick Slaughter

Google
This restaurant offers a fantastic lunch deal, providing a generous soup and entrée combo, along with your choice of water or tea, all for the very reasonable price of $10. The portions are incredibly satisfying, ensuring you won't leave hungry. I wholeheartedly recommend this establishment for a delicious and affordable midday meal.

Chris Kowal

Google
Haven't been here in about 5 yrs, but was in the area & was in the mood for Chinese. Great experience, nice menu, reasonable prices. Tofu with veggies was delicious, good brown sauce, nice mix of a lot of veggies. Lots of diners on a hot Tuesday night, a good sign!

Jason Child

Google
Great food and amazing service! The wait staff was unbelievable attentive, friendly, and helpful. Shanghai's menu features a great variety of traditional, true Chinese dishes (ex several versions of stir fried yu choi, egg and tomato, etc) as well as American Chinese restaurant favorites. Their flavors are varied and delicious, and they still bring out a pot of hot tea with the meal. As a bonus, their prices are very reasonable.

Tina Ritter

Google
Great food with a wonderful atmosphere! I eat here as often as I can these days. And for the “Foodies” out there like me, they have house hot mustard! This should be a staple at every Asian restaurant!

Olympus_Travel

Google
Amazing! Super clean inside and quick service. Top notch sit down Chinese restaurant. The wonton soup was great. Savory broth, good wonton, and cheap. Chicken Lo Mein was plentiful! Sauce was great, and noodles stir fried just right. Extremely reasonable prices for the quality and quantity of food.

Mar Pepin

Google
We came as a somewhat large group after a conference session. They accommodated our party relatively quickly, and the service was amazing. I ordered the chicken with broccoli combination, which came with an egg roll, rice, and soup. I got the wonton soup and white rice to go along with my egg roll and entree. The food was delicious and certainly hit the spot. The portions were very generous for the price, as well. I got to take leftovers back to my hotel to enjoy at a later time. The staff were very attentive. One staff member heard me drop my utensil from across the room and a replacement was immediately offered to me, which I was impressed with. I highly recommend dining here!
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Liz M.

Yelp
After a challenging medical diagnosis, this place hit the spot. A clean, albeit dated decor, with a welcoming staff. This appears to be a fan favorite, as there was a bustling lunch crowd. We loved the inclusion of complementary hot tea, and focus on timelessness of service. We ordered lunch - chicken w/ black bean sauce and pork fried rice. The food was good, however we noticed a lack of balance - especially in regards to the black bean sauce as it registered as too salty. Would definitely try again, in fact looking forward to it. A family run business with a lot of love! Loved the veggies! Americanized Chinese: 3.9
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Neena P.

Yelp
love: orange chicken (extra crispy), szechuan string beans not my fave: delivery takes too long, takeout is the way to go *my go-to for Chinese for the past 7 years
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Andrea A.

Yelp
In the midst of a cold day and viral illness, when a craving for Chinese food hit me, I ordered to go from Shanghai restaurant and it did not disappoint! I got the: - Hot & Sour Soup: Good balance of vinegary and spicy. I usually love the addition of woodear mushrooms in hot & sour soup, which this one didn't have, but it was still good and had a variety of toppings (normal mushrooms, tofu, bamboo shoots). - Egg Drop Soup with Wontons: The wontons were huge and filled with tender pork. The soup itself was good with silky egg strings, though I did need to add soy sauce to supplement some salt. - Roast Pork Lo Mien: Perfectly umami with tons of sweet roast pork, crunchy vegetables, and slippery noodles. For all three items, portion size was great at a reasonable price point. The food was prepared quickly (in the time it took me to drive over there, so ~12 minutes) and the person at the counter was very nice. The inside ambiance also looked nice and there is plenty of parking upfront. 9/10 would recommend!
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Jake V.

Yelp
Hands down, Shanghai is 1 of the best Chinese restaurants in the NC Triangle area. Been here multiple times with my girl and family. The Salt & Pepper Crispy Fish is a must-order. It's spicy but not too spicy, and the amount is good for the price. It comes with bits of green chiles and red peppers. We often have a few pieces left for takeout if it's just me & my girl eating. This is the best Chinese style crispy fish we've tasted. Slightly better than Tai Pei's crispy fish in Cary. In our latest visit, my girl wanted another dish with some meat and vegetables, so we ordered the Happy Family, which comes with chicken, shrimp, and pork as well as various vegetables that go well with the meat and its sauce. It's a perfect balance of flavors that make a fantastic combination with the crispy fish and fried rice. Both dishes come with simple fried rice (of white rice if you prefer that). Tasted fine but if you want more loaded fried rice, they have various choices. We usually get the Wonton soup for 2, which comes with 4 pork dumplings. It comes with the flour flakes for soup. Not bad for $6. It's also nice that Shanghai offers complimemtary oolong tea. Not many Chinese restaurants in the Triangle do that nowadays, so we appreciate that. Ambiance is fine, not too big but spacious enough to accommodate a larger family group. We didn't have to wait long to get seated. Customer service is fast and friendly; waiters answered our questions clearly, and served professionally. We will surely return to Shanghai again.
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Michael W.

Yelp
Excellent, excellent, excellent. Better than anything we have in CLT by a mile. We usually go to Szechuan in chapel hill but this will be added to the rotation on UNC visits. Strip mall, nondescript interior (fka a Mexican restaurant (?) but who cares. Superb, comprehensive hunan menu, lots of eggs, soups, noodles, and standard fare. Eggs with beef, sesame tofu, cumin beef, salt and pepper shrimp (peeled or unpeeled- we went boring no shells ). Try the shrimp toast too!!!
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Matt M.

Yelp
We love Shanghai! The lunch specials are such a great deal and the food is always excellent.
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Simone S.

Yelp
Extremely disappointed in this food. There are certain things you should never forget with Chinese takeout. Tonight we ordered sweet and sour chicken and they forgot the sweet and sour sauce. They offered us credit for a free sweet and sour chicken for our next order, but we probably won't order from here again. So...here's what we ordered and a review Wonton soup- good flavor, but that weird artificial yellow color Pu pu platter- ribs were very rubbery, everything else had very little flavor. My husband liked the shrimp toast. The crab Rangoon was alllll cream cheese and a little tiny piece of Krab. Sweet and sour chicken- I'm sure it would've been better if we actually got the sauce. But dry and flavor-less. Shrimp Fried Rice- absolutely zero flavor. If I closed my eyes I probably wouldn't be able to tell the difference between this and white rice. Honey fried banana- this was good. Things to consider- I really like food with good flavor and I lived on the west coast so I have experience with Chinese takeout there. But either way the food was extremely disappointing.

Ale H.

Yelp
My husband asked the waitress for the check, few mins pass by she came with our check and said we need to leave tip since when are tips mandatory??? We WERE going to be leave tip like we ALWAYS do, but after being told to do so we did not.
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Buddy T.

Yelp
Once again, this place is superb! Wifey and I was in Durham for T-day with family and after landing at the hotel, got hungry and decided on something different from what we would be eating on T-day. I'm going to leave it at that, enjoy the photos because the food was delish!!!!
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Gina Marie S.

Yelp
This is our go-to Chinese spot for dine-in and takeout. Although it's 4 miles away, they will not deliver??!! I enjoyed the chicken lo mein, wonton soup, and pork egg rolls. House hot mustard was super hot to me. For my entree, I chose chicken lettuce wraps and added my own peanut sauce. The iceberg lettuce serving was huge; I think it was half of a head of very fresh lettuce. There was plenty for leftovers. Hubby enjoyed the shrimp. Solid joint. Fast service.
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Cathy D.

Yelp
Hot and sour soup was delicious, broth was rich and flavorful and paired well with the crispy fried wonton chips. Highly recommend. Mongolian Beef wasn't at all spicy but the flavor makes up for it. Try it with some of the hot chili oil they have at the table for little kick. We also ordered the Happy Family, a house specialty. It had a nice assortment of meats including shrimp, chicken, and pork with vegetables. Well balanced yet tasty. Can't go wrong with this one. Large portions... and came with lots of rice. Each dish could easily feed two. Service was okay. We had to prompt the staff a few times for tea cups and utensils. It was a Saturday evening and the place was quite busy. Great place for groups.

Erick W.

Yelp
Best Asian restaurant. We have been all over including San Fran's Chinese district and Melbourne,Au Chinese district and nobody beats this place. Add to that, the awesome and friendly people that work there. Every trip feels like coming to dine with family.
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Val R.

Yelp
The food has always been cooked perfectly for us. The waitress & wait always remember us. The place is lively during busy hours but not overwhelming.

Emely O.

Yelp
The servers were very patient and kind,along with the food having a comforting taste and the overall feel of the restaurant is very nice.

Giovanna G.

Yelp
I ordered online the food didn't take too long and the service was decent but the food is bland and the chef needs a hairnet.

Bryant S.

Yelp
This place continues to be the best Chinese/Cantonese food in the triangle. The food is next level, staff makes you feel like family every single time you visit. Perfection. It is clean and well decorated as well.
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Thanh S.

Yelp
I have only done takeout from this spot but the food is ALWAYS amazing. I recommend the eggplant stir fry, black bean ribs, and salt & pepper shrimp or ribs. The inside does look nice though whenever I go in to pickup the food. Staff is also nice. Would highly recommend if you are looking for authentic chinese food in the Durham area!
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Meg L.

Yelp
We come here pretty often! I love the shrimp meifun here. It's so filling and the flavor is not too overwhelming. My second favorite dish here is salt and pepper pork chops. I love that they give you hot Jasmine tea and plenty of rice on the side.

Marta M.

Yelp
The food has lost flavor and quality. I couldn't eat it and I have tried, even on a different visits. I'm done. It hasn't been the same since we lost Lie Li Wong. I'm sorry to write a bad review but it's not good anymore. So sorry. Getting a new chef would be a suggestion. Restaurant is noisy too. Bussing tables during lunch and staff yelling across tables. Not the same place it was.
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Detria M.

Yelp
I had not been to Shanghai in such a long time and had forgotten how good the food is there. I had the Garlic Shrimp and fried rice and it was very good.
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Debo D.

Yelp
I have been going there since 2015 and get genuinely great service from the server Mike very amazing customer service and very knowledgeable.
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Ronald C.

Yelp
I had a really excellent there Saturday night. The food was cooked to perfection and my order was as good as my previous visit. I recommend Shanghai on Hillsborough Rd, Durham highly.
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Kim S.

Yelp
Excellent service, very attentive. Steamed won tons were very good, we had pork. Shrimp with lobster sauce was the beat I have ever had! LoMein was very flavorful, but fried rice had no flavor. We found this on Yelp and overall we were very happy!

Quentin E.

Yelp
Yo the customer service is extremely wonderful. The know how to run a successful business
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Chrissy A.

Yelp
I've eaten here several times but never been really happy with my food. The service has always been wonderful and the price seems average but the food is nothing special. I think I'm in minority, since this place is always busy. Most recently I placed a to-go order online and while I originally thought it was a little pricy, I abruptly changed my mind once I picked it up. I think they literally gave me ten pounds of food! LOL. I definitely feel that I got my monies worth, even if it was lacking in flavor. But I must reiterate that the gentleman that helped me was very nice and it was hot and ready, exactly on time.
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Kong L.

Yelp
I finally went to Shanghai! If the food in Shanghai taste like this -- I'm going! I was waiting for this restaurant to open up for dining again and as of June 2021, the dine-in option is available again! I stopped by for an early dinner at 5:00 p.m. to avoid the rush and the dining and takeout like was already getting long. I knew the hype had to be real. The interior was beautiful and super clean! A great place for a family style dinner. The menu was pretty straight forward which included a special Chinese menu and the usual menu that most are familiar. If you're dining at a place like this, I would highly recommend to get something off the special menu. That's the good stuff! I went with... Vegetable Fried Rice: When you can taste the age of the wok, you know it's good! The fried rice was perfectly cooked with a generous portion of vegetable! Fried rice sounds like an easy dish to make but it actually takes the perfect ingredients and touch to get it right. Salt-n-Pepper Squid: If you love seafood or calamari in general, this is a must have! The best I've had in North Carolina. It compares the to ones found in popular cities like New York, LA, or one of my favorite Chinese restaurants in the Twin Cities. If it's your first time dining here, this type of Chinese food is not your typical mom and pops. You will be able to taste the true flavors of legit Chinese cuisine. The price point may be higher but you're definitely paying for the quality and experience. Last but not least -- amazing customer service. I loved the positive attitudes and attentiveness of everyone working there, from the folks at the front to the waiters/waitresses. Please treat them with kindness and respect as well. I'm excited to go back, whether if it's alone or with family and friends.

Jalie E.

Yelp
Amazing experience this evening. Outstanding food (house lo mein, General's chicken, and scallop dish). Great service. Nice, lowkey ambiance. 5/5 recommend!

C R.

Yelp
A small, family owned business with friendly folks? Absolutely. But the point is really that every time I get a cold, I would absolutely throw hands for a bowl of their curry noodle soup. Nothing is as tasty, nor drains the sinuses quite so efficiently. Oh, and the rest of their food is pretty great too!

Bill D.

Yelp
I have been here twice - and take out one. Tonight we ordered one dish and walked out after a few bits is was soooo tired, soooo stale, soooo lifeless. I can't imagine how anyone could rate is above 1 star. The food tastes stale. The seasonings are dead - like the dishes were cooked months ago, frozen, and reheated 3 days ago and served tonight. A McDonald's has fresher-tasting food.
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Eddie S.

Yelp
Traveling and found this place. Food was delicious. Kung pow was very spicy service was excellent. They serve hot tea with each meal
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Tammy H.

Yelp
Pretty good in terms of taste, value, and speed! It's your typical Chinese take out place, but ranks above average in both the amount of food they give and the taste and quality of the food. The prices are very reasonable. Call ahead to place your order so that it'll be ready for you when you go pick it up.
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Smythe R.

Yelp
Good solid Asian food at reasonable priceS. It's in a shopping mall, so no real architectural frills, but the small lobby is decorated with very colorful Chinese pieces and serviceable padded chairs where you can wait for your table or your order. We've ordered before, and eaten in the dining room, and the food I always well-prepared, plentiful, and fresh. I usually get the Happy Family, which is shrimp, pork, and chicken with veggies and rice. It's enough for two or three meals or people, easily! I always have several lunches after a visit here.

Beverly K.

Yelp
Quick service in a nice atmosphere. Food was hot, well prepared and quite tasty Tea was automatically served at the time of seating. Very nice as you don't get that service very often now days
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Shirley K.

Yelp
Food is great and always fresh; their egg rolls are good; but their croutons are the bomb - Enjoy!! If there are problems they correct it immediately!! However they need to provide a better bathroom experience - Not Always clean
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Cindy B.

Yelp
Wonderful food, very large portions, acceptable ambiance, surly service. This restaurant in in a shopping center so we didn't know what to expect, but we will be back!
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Jiyoung S.

Yelp
My favorite Chinese restaurant in Durham! I accidentally found this place when I was helping a friend move and we wanted to get Chinese food afterward. Since then, this place has a special place in my heart, especially for their beef chow fun. I used to love dining in to get my food. Since covid started, I was only able to do take outs, and it's really not the same :( Their beef chow fun has perfectly juicy sauce, but also not too runny. The noodles are cooked to perfection. But when I bring the take out chow fun to my home, I can't enjoy it as much as I do when I dine in. I always try different dishes also with my main dish, beef chow fun, and I'm never disappointed. I recently tried their sweet and sour soup, and it has mild but definite kick to the soup. It's so perfect for a cold winter day. I'm a customer for life! I strongly recommend Shanghai if you are into typical American-Chinese dishes :)
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David P.

Yelp
Extremely tasty food at this classic, slightly worn looking Chines-American staple. We went for lunch, and enjoyed the egg drop with wonton and hot and sour soups, orange chicken, and lettuce wraps. Will make it our regular Chinese place in RDU! The steamed seafood dumplings were underwhelming.
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Howard M.

Yelp
Good food, service and Ambiance, therefore it's popular so sometimes you might have to wait for a table. That bothers you, there is a KFC just up the street that's not so popular.

Moski D.

Yelp
Excellent food tbh if your a seafood guy here is your spot Food was amazing friend rice curry sauce amazing!
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Michael S.

Yelp
Went again this year on our stay in Melbourne and it did not disappoint. Authentic Cantonese cuisine, not Americanized, nice serving sizes, very friendly service.
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Angel B.

Yelp
Always a pleasant experience! Very cool atmosphere and the food is always good and consistent. The servers are great and personable.
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Angelica P.

Yelp
The shangai food is always delicious and always fresh. The attention and service to customers is always great. My family and I love coming here always.
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David I.

Yelp
The food here is excellent, probably the best Chinese in Durham. I've tried several dishes and they all were served fresh, hot and were very tasty. Definitely try their noodle dishes, they truly shine. Would be a 5 star review, but a few things missing: only canned soda, no alcohol worth trying, and service is slow. Outside of that, it's great, and worth your time and money.
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cindi l.

Yelp
Wanted something that wasn't fast food while passing through the area. Ordered the hot chicken & shrimp. I added extra vegetables , I was pleasantly surprised with the variety of vegetables given. Egg drop soup that came with the lunch special was amazing.!!
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cheryl H.

Yelp
My most favorite place to eat. Been going here the last 33 yrs. Always good & if not they fix it. Wonderful menu of choices. Appetizers are yummy. The original owners sold it 2 yrs ago & new owners are just as great. The personnel are always delightful in helping you have a good time & meal. My hubby loved the hot & sour soup the best... The ambience is very nice. Best place in Durham!!
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Lataisha S.

Yelp
The food here is great! It's my go to spot for something tasty! The menu has so many options that I've tried something new each time! I enjoy how quaint the inside of the restaurant is. The service is great, please be nice to the staff they can get really busy.
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LMaria B.

Yelp
Been eating here since 1983. Great people, great food. Authentic food and a kind people. The have drinks too
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Karen N.

Yelp
Update: two hours after my spouse threw up I threw up 5 times between 4M and 8AM. This was the only food we ate that night. I am still a little queasy today. I highly suspect the wontons in the soup being undercooked. But who knows. Maybe something was wrong with the noodles and the ocean of soy sauce masked it
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Lesley L.

Yelp
A favorite place to go for an inexpensive lunch with work colleagues! The Cashew Chicken is my favorite, and it's a huge portion, enough to take some home for dinner.