China Orchid. Riverbend: 704 S Carrollton Ave. 504-865-1428.

Written by Tom Fitzmorris January 11, 2011 17:25 in

1 Fleur
Average check per person $5-$15
 BreakfastNo Breakfast SundayNo Breakfast MondayNo Breakfast TuesdayNo Breakfast WednesdayNo Breakfast ThursdayNo Breakfast FridayNo Breakfast Saturday
LunchLunch SundayLunch MondayLunch TuesdayLunch WednesdayLunch ThursdayLunch FridayLunch Saturday
DinnerDinner SundayDinner MondayDinner TuesdayDinner WednesdayDinner ThursdayDinner FridayDinner Saturday

China Orchid

Uptown 4: Riverbend, Carrollton & Broadmoor: 704 S Carrollton Ave. 504-865-1428. Map.
Casual.
AE DC DS MC V
Website

WHY IT'S NOTEWORTHY
The China Orchid is a long-running cafe in a great location: Carrollton Avenue near St. Charles. It also boasts its own parking lot, a rarity in that neighborhood. Why is it that convenience and excellence are rarely in the same package? The appeal of the China Orchid is that it serves, even by the standards of Chinese restaurants, very large portions ate very low prices. That alone will capture the loyalty of the younger members of the Uptown community, of which there are many in that area.

WHAT'S GOOD
The ingredients are reasonably decent, but the cooking lacks excitement. The menu is limited to the standards. And, like a growing number of Chinese restaurants, this one seems to be favoring deep-frying over stir-frying a little more every year.

BACKSTORY
When the China Orchid opened in 1987, it was a better-than-average restaurant serving up-to-date dishes. For a time it was operated by Jung Lu Tan, the owner of the good Golden Dragon. She sold it in the early 2000s, and since that time the restaurant has been coasting along on the college crowd, take-outs, and delivery business.

DINING ROOM
The original design of the restaurant was well-done, and converted a stark strip-mall space into a pleasant place to dine. It's looking worn these days, with visible patches here and there.

ESSENTIAL DISHES
Starters
Egg drop soup
Shrimp wonton soup
»Hot and sour soup
Spring roll
Egg rolls
Steamed dumplings
Pot stickers
Crab Rngoon
Chicken wings
Entrees
Chicken chow mein
Boneless fried chicken and Chinese vegetables
»Kung bo beef, chicken, or shrimp (spicy, with peanuts)
»Lemon chicken
Sweet and sour pork, chicken or shrimp
Shrimp and lobster sauce
Orchid special (chicken, pork, and shrimp with vegetables, with barbecue ribs and fried shrimp)
Chicken or beef with broccoli
Shrimp and chicken with Chinese vegetables
Crawfish with Chinese vegetables
Beef and shrimp with Chinese vegetables
»Sesame chicken
»Eggplant szechuan
»Moo goo shrimp
Pepper steak
»Hunan beef
»Orange peel beef
»Shrimp with broccoli
»Shrimp with black bean
Crispy shrimp
Pecan shrimp
»General Tso's chicken
»Moo goo gai pan
Mandarin chicken
»Pork Szechuan
Moo shu pork
Peking pork
Fried rice with shrimp, chicken, beef, shrimp, vegetables or combination
Lo mein (soft noodles) with shrimp, chicken, beef, shrimp, vegetables or combination

FOR BEST RESULTS

OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT
The premises and the menu are long overdue for renovation and refreshment.

FACTORS OTHER THAN FOOD
Up to three points, positive or negative, for these characteristics. Absence of points denotes average performance in the matter.

  • Dining Environment -1
  • Consistency
  • Service+1
  • Value +1
  • Attitude +1
  • Wine & Bar
  • Hipness -2
  • Local Color

 

SPECIAL ATTRIBUTES
  • Good for business meetings
  • 8-25
  • Open Sunday lunch and dinner
  • Open Monday lunch and dinner
  • Open all holidays
  • Open all afternoon
  • Unusually large servings
  • Quick, good meal
  • Good for children
  • Easy, nearby parking