New Beijing, Merrifield

[ScotteeM]

I had one of the worst meals of my life from this restaurant today. Actually, I'm despairing of ever finding good delivery in the Merrifield area, and I find myself missing Delia's in Springfield (deservedly so) and Kate's Irish Pub (mainly because everything I've tried in Merrifield is so much worse).

I decided to try this place because, in addition to delivering to my workplace, their menu suggested something above and beyond the usual run-of-the-mill Chinese takeout.

I ordered the Spicy and Sour Wontons and the Honey-Barbecued Spare Ribs lunch combo. My coworkers ordered the Beef and Broccoli lunch combo and the Hot and Sour Soup.

OK, Peter Chang has spoiled me! My wontons were regular size (not baby) and the skins were really thick. The filling was minimal, and the sauce seemed to be a combo of peanut butter and chili-garlic sauce. I struggled through three of them before I waived the white flag.

On to the rest of my lunch. I didn't even finish the egg roll that came with my "lunch combo." The "spare ribs" weren't recognizable to me as such. They were about 75% bone, fat and gristle, and a tiny bit of meat. It resembled more pork belly than spare ribs, but not as good as pork belly I've had elsewhere--by a mile! The sauce was cloyingly sweet, and, well, cloying--it clung and made strings from my fork to the plate as I lifted each bite

The accompanying "fried rice" was pretty tasteless.

The Beef and Broccoli was reported to be equally bad. The meat was so tough that it could not be chewed, and it tasted "gamey." (overcooked? overstored?)

Even the Hot and Sour Soup was deemed inedible.

I will grant that I have been enamoured of Maestro and other similar venues, but that doesn't mean I can't appreciate good Chinese delivery. Today's sample was not that.

Another one to cross of the list.

Edited February 15, 2006 by ScotteeM

[DonRocks]

Another one to cross of the list.

I think since you wrote this, New Beijing moved down the street (it's now on Lee Highway near Prosperity Avenue). There's almost nothing I'd order from here, except the items in the "Diet Special" section of the menu, which are steamed, with no seasoning other than a slice of lemon and some pink ginger.

From this section, Chicken with Mixed Vegetables ($7.99) is something you could try for delivery ($15 minimum) in a pinch, and you know exactly what it is: blanched, white strips of chicken meat, florets of broccoli, sliced carrots, sliced celery, baby corn, sliced mushrooms, and the occasional slice of cabbage and water chestnut. Served with plain, white rice, it's a large portion (same size at lunch or dinner, I believe), and can be dressed up at home with some decent soy sauce.

I'm certainly not telling anyone to order from here; I'm merely saying that if you do, the "Diet Specials" won't leave you hating yourself afterwards.

New Beijing is touting, both on their menus and on their website, that they won an award for "Top 100 Chinese Restaurants in the USA" in 2006. Also that they were "voted best Chinese restaurant in Fairfax," although they don't mention who it was that cast the votes. I think a combination of the two awards - "Top 100 Chinese Restaurants in Fairfax" - might be more accurate an assessment.

Cheers,

Rocks.