China Kingdom (東興樓), Old Dominion Drive in Mclean - Shanghainese and Cantonese in a Chesterbrook Strip Mall - Closed

[Ericandblueboy]

So, the latest rumor is that China Kingdom (東興樓), this non-descript place in the Old Dominion Shopping Center in Mclean (near Amoo Kabob) has really good XLB.

Apparently they acquired a new chef--now it is Shanghainese and Cantonese cooking (don't know what it is before as I have never been). They have been advertising ALOT in the Washington Chinese Newspaper. There is now a secret Chinese menu to ask for too.

A Yelper said:

Soup dumplings came with a soy and vinegar dipping sauce garnished with julienned green onion. Xiao long bao are tasty treats that never travel well (we took an extra batch as we left for my brother's birthday), and my only real criticism is that they had a tendency to stick to the bamboo steamer's surface. With such fragile wrappers, it was too easy to tear even with extreme care. Four star authenticity with 2.5 star execution.

I hit China Kingdom by myself last night as my wife and kid went to visit her family in Ohio/Indiana. Started with an order of xlb, which took forver to come out. In fact, it arrived after my vegetarian pan-fried noodles. It was a Sunday evening after a South African had won the Masters by making four birdies on the last four holes. Apparently, an exciting Masters with Tiger and many others in contention didn't stop many Chinese families from eating at China Kingdom, which lead to slow service in the dining room and the kitchen. As for the xlb, the Yelpers were right about it being soupy and easy to tear. However, my xlb came with a soy and vinegar mixture and julienned ginger - as it's supposed to be. As for flavor, I think they were so so. I'm not entirely sure they're better than the frozen ones from Great Wall.

The pan-fried noodles were half decent as well.

[Ericandblueboy]

Closed.

[DonRocks]

Closed.

There is a new Chinese restaurant in this location.