So I’ve been craving chinese food, and I mean really really good chinese food. Where can I find some? I’ll drive, really I will, just not to Chinatown.
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is a serious problem in Charlottesville. I would have suggested this go in the forums, but I think many of us would like to learn. Is there good Chinese in Charlottesville? I haven’t found any. Reviews welcome.
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Tagged as: Albemarle County, Charlottesville, Chinese, Restaurants
I really like the little place on 4th street (just around the corner from 5 Guys, between the mall and Market street). Everything I’ve had there has a ‘freshly prepared’ quality.
I’ve also heard very good things (but haven’t tried) a place on Carlton - can’t be more specific than that, sorry.
Peking, the place on 4th, is usually a Chinese joint of last resort for me. I’ve been there about a dozen times due to Chinese food cravings (and no motivation to drive), but I haven’t had anything there that’s appreciably better than mall Chinese. Maybe I haven’t ordered the right things. The people who run the place are wonderful, though, and service is great.
I prefer Ming Dynasty on 29. Not excellent, but it passes for good in this town. They also have a really interesting assortment of veggie meat dishes, with a variety of textured proteins that I see far more commonly in Asia than in the States (read: not cubed tofu in brown sauce).
The place on Carlton (Red Lantern) is terrible. Don’t waste your money. At least with Peking, you always get courteous, timely service.
I’ll agree with BusRider on both Peking and Red Latern - I work downtown and so the proximity for both are a big part of their appeal. At home, I’ll order from Taiwan Garden, just west of Foods of All Nations (should we call that “Near Ivy”?). The food is hot after delivery and can be customized for heat (spiciness) if that’s your thing.
as a datapoint, do you guys go to Peking during lunch? I’ve heard their buffet isn’t all that desirable. The times I’ve been there have always been dinnertimes, and the food was fresh and wonderfully prepared.
Downtown - I tried that place. I disagree. I’ve had some amazing Chinese food in my day. Richmond (outside of Vancouver, BC) comes to mind. So does Beijing.. mmmmmm Charlottesville is just the suck.
Charlottesville is Chinese Food Central compared to Denver - horrendous, horrendous area for Chinese
Charlottesville is chinese food central compared to northern VA, as well. You’d think we’d have better representation, given the population, but alas. At least we have tons of good Vietnamese and Thai!
“Tons of good Vietnamese?” Please let me know where to find it. I lived in Vietnam for a little while and crave Vietnamese food on a daily basis.
To me, there are only two places in C-ville that serve anything better than the Chinese food avaiable in mall food courts across the country. Dragon Lady on 250 next to Foods of All Nations and Szechuan Restaurant on Holiday Drive (near the Aberdeen Barn).
None of them are going to make you think you’re in Manhattan, but they are a cut above, I swear.
Get the Rainbow Chicken Dinner Special at Szechuan. For $6 you get a heaping helping of white meat chicken breast in a spicy gingery sauce with bell peppers and onions. It’s awesome.
I’m a somewhat regular at Peking (less so now due to trying to lose weight). Their buffet seems to be ok to me, but all I ever eat is General Tso’s anyway. As far as it goes, I’d rate the General Tso’s on the slightly better than average scale. And as far as Cville goes, I’ve had MUCH worse and none better.
Now, out at the Lake .. by the Turkeysag Gate, there’s a chinese take-out place next to the Food Lion. They’re the best I’ve had since I moved down to this area.
Peking is a lunch buffet destination - maybe once every couple of months or so. It’s like any buffet - time your trip for freshly cooked food. It’s passable, and convenient for downtown workers.
Best Chinese I’ve ever had was a hole-in-the-wall place in Leura, NSW, a couple of hours outside Sydney. Great little wine place next door too. The wines the Australian producers send us don’t compare to what they keep in country.
I’m a Tso’s afficianado as well (purists will no doubt jump in now and tell us that’s an American recipe, and not REALLY Chinese. Don’t care).
For Vietnamese, go to Saigon Cafe on McIntyre (near CVille coffee), cheap, fast and very good (they also have very good Chinese dishes as well).
Sorry BusRider, I think I may have misled you… I live in northern VA at the moment (a chinese food wasteland). We do have tons of fantastic Vietnamese restaurants, and for serious cravings it’d be worth the trip. The Eden Center in Falls Church is a huge Vietnamese shopping complex, with restaurants, banh mi shops, markets, etc.
Ms. K.–
No worries. The Eden Center is a slice of heaven, and I’m envious that you live so close. Some of the best Vietnamese food I’ve eaten outside Vietnam is found in several of those eateries. If only CVille had the critical mass to support such a splendid assortment.
Right now, I could totally go for some com tam suon nuong and a durian shake.
I tried a couple of places a couple of times and gave up on both of them, but have really liked Flaming Wok for takeout, up 29 past Greenbrier and before the Food Lion / Applebees turn.
Good fried rice, good spring roll. Favorite so far is the Kung Pao chicken. Big advantage the place has over the other two imo is quality of ingredients (specifically, the beef and chicken, which I’m convinced is just disgusting below a certain price point). Only thing I wouldn’t recommend so far is the egg roll; spring roll (shrimp) has been much better. Not cheap for dinner, but the lunch menu is a good way in.
Downtown - you are right on with saigon. i forgot about that place. I will be going back soon. Expect a review my feathered friends.
Red Lantern, hands down.
Friendly, English speaking staff.
Clean kitchen.
My son loves it.
Try the crispy beef, GREAT cheese wontons!
in a vaguely similar vein, the Korean House on Carlton Rd is excellent. the barley tea is fantastic, the portions are huge and very conducive to sharing, and the staff is overwhelmingly polite and friendly.
an update:
I tried Taiwan Garden, and it was acceptable. The wonton soup, a classic, was awful. I have yet to find good wonton soup in Cville or the surrounding areas. I would eat there again, but nothing special or outstanding. A small notch above Dragon Lady.
Dragon Lady is also fine. Again, the wonton soup was horrible.
If you are willing to drive down to Lynchburg, King’s Island, is worth the drive. Definitely better then anything I’ve tried in Cville and the wonton soup was at least edible.
Downtown Thai however, had remarkable wonton soup, which was quite surprising to me. A bit on the expensive side at $6 for the small portion. The broth was delicious and the wontons were not the usual chunky pasta, but rather thin, delicate, handmade and exceptional (for down here anyway).
I’ll keep you all posted on any further findings!
The red lantern- All right! Best wings in town hands down, but bring your own sauce if you require that sort of thing. I’m also partial to the special mifung
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