The Ultimate Chinese Meal (Saturday Writing Essential)

My dining choices have been limited since I moved to this new house. I don’t drive so I have to depend on places that are within walking distance. Not a lot of choices within a two-mile radius. At the time there was a shopping center being built just before the local grocery store and it opened in February of last year. It wasn’t until April that they opened a water/ice store, then a pizza place, and a Subway in August. About two months ago I saw signs saying that there was a donut shop and a Hong Kong Express “coming soon.”

At my old house there was a Panda Express a block away and a Hong Kong Express somewhere in the area, but I really didn’t remember it. For nearly two years the only Chinese food I’ve had is what I’ve fixed and I’m limited there because I can’t buy the ingredients I need in my local stores. Thus I was at the new Hong Kong Express the second day it was open to try out their fare.

The menu was packed with goodies, but they only had ten dishes available. I love egg rolls, but they only had two of them and they turned out to be more like spring rolls. They didn’t offer a sampler plate, but the girl was kind enough to give me six Styrofoam boxes with a selection of just about everything they had.

The broccoli beef had six pieces of beef and the rest of the container was broccoli. The broccoli shrimp was the same, but with only four shrimp. The Kung Pao chicken was fairly bland and was filled with broccoli.

On the plus side, the chow mein was pretty tasty as was the curried beef, which had an overabundance of broccoli. The shrimp-fried rice was pretty good as was the plain steamed rice.

She gave me so much that it took two bags to carry everything and I certainly couldn’t argue about the price: $6.00.

They seem to have a hang-up on broccoli. I swear there was at least a whole head of it in those six boxes that I brought home.

There were a few small tables, but I honestly can’t picture anyone trying to eat a meal at them. Maybe it was because they just opened, but they didn’t have any packages of soy sauce either.

Rating it is difficult and I’m giving them the benefit of the doubt because they had just opened. I’d go with 5 of 5 for price, 2 of 5 for flavor, and 1 of 5 for selection.

Would I go back there? Of course, there’s noplace else around. Maybe the next time I try it they’ll have a better selection.