Dr. Delicious Posted March 27, 2006 Share Posted March 27, 2006 After reading in other threads how good this place is, the Mrs. and I decided to give it a go. It was so good that we were back 2 days later with my in-laws. Four items that are can't miss: 1) House Special Chicken, which is half a chicken, sliced up by a cleaver, and cooked in some kind of delicious soy and garlic sauce; 2) the pork buns, which were some of the best dumplings I've ever had, especially when combined with the restaurant's homemade signature sauce of ginger and scallion; 3) the homemade noodles, fried with chicken, which is what you see the guy making in the window of the restaurant; and 4) The rolls, in either egg or spring form, which were great. I don't know what makes an egg/spring roll great or better than others, yet for whatever reason, these were.We also had a few other items, but liked their counterparts (mentioned above) better: The vegetable and leek dumplings, which were good and fresh, but we both liked the pork buns better. The homemade noodles in soup with chicken, which alone was enough to feed two people, but on the bland side (get them fried instead). The beef with ginger and scallions, which was a good dish, but didn't do anything to distinguish itself form the other thousands of "beef with (blank)" dishes I've eaten in my lifetime.After only 2 visits, I'm ready to declare it the best Chinese food in the city. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LizH Posted March 27, 2006 Share Posted March 27, 2006 This is a great place. The service is pretty hit or miss, but it is worth it for the dumplings. I agree the pork are the best. You have to be prepared for that hot broth coming from the "buns"-- but they are great. I usually go with a friend and we get the dumplings and the stir-fried noodles. The noodles are not to be missed either, we usually get them with chicken. There are always left overs. It is a great cheap eats place and yes, better then any of the other Chinese in "chinatown." If only the service could be improved, but alas, we keep going back too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grover Posted March 27, 2006 Share Posted March 27, 2006 Is this one on the corner of 6th and H street serving hand-made noodle? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Delicious Posted March 27, 2006 Author Share Posted March 27, 2006 Is this one on the corner of 6th and H street serving hand-made noodle? Yes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deangold Posted May 12, 2006 Share Posted May 12, 2006 We ahve been going here recently pre opera. I cannot say what our neighbors think of us coming in reeking of garlic & scallion but its not our problem.... is it? Last night we had the mix BBQ platter for $10. This time is had a lot of BBQ pork and just a little Crispy Roast Pork while the last time is was the opposite. The Pork Buns (their name for shanghai Soup Dumplings) were a bit doughy but the filling good and fresh and soupy. I always bit a bit of the dumpling at the top and then slurp the juice from within and finally eat the dumpling after dipping it in the soy vinegar dipping sauce. We had a superb plate of pea shoot greens with garlic. The last time we were there, we had the BBQ plate and a bowl of the hand made noodles with seafood along with our dumplings. The BBQ is fantastic, a little salty but with more flavor and a chewier texture than most. I would love to meet up some night there with a crowd so we can order plates of BBQ such as the crispy pork and the ribs and share the goodness. Also some of the dishes sound good like the salty fish casserole and a few others. You need a large amount of people (6-8) or else you get stuck with a huge amount of strongly flavored and, often, quite rich dishes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cucas87 Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 Today I was able to walk over to Chinatown Express, meet a good friend for lunch, share a huge bowl of homemade noodles in chicken soup and get back to the office in an hour. Total spent pre-tip: $6.20. The noodles are so good, cooked just right, and the soup is tasty but benefits substantially from the addition of some of the chili oil and cilantro-garlic paste on the table. One thing to keep in mind: the tables are *very* close together, so it's not the best choice of restaurant in the event, hypothetically speaking, that a friend decides to fill you in on some major news/gossip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MBK Posted January 19, 2007 Share Posted January 19, 2007 One thing to keep in mind: the tables are *very* close together, so it's not the best choice of restaurant in the event, hypothetically speaking, that a friend decides to fill you in on some major news/gossip.And today I learned that, when you're seated at a communal table, not only do you have to take care with what news you're sharing with your friend, but you also are distracted by the conversations swirling so closely around you.But the food! I'm surprised I'd never been here before, and will definitely have to work into the regular lunch rotation. Steamed pork buns were juicy and fresh with cilantro, the fried noodles with vegetables and tofu were delicious, and (although perhaps a little dry) I thought the house special chicken was excellent for its crispy skin and tasty soy-based sauce. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antonio Burrell Posted February 27, 2007 Share Posted February 27, 2007 I was really disappointed this weekend with CTE. I'm going to chalk it up to a fluke as I usually have good food here but I haven't been for almost a year before this weekend. I ordered the soup dumplings and got a dish that looked familiar except that it lacked a)soup b)the tender wrapper (very thick and chewy, unpleasently so) c) any semblance of flavor, they were bland bland bland!! To follow this up my wife had the squid with black bean sauce, which I thought was okay but also weak in flavor and I had the stirfried crab with garlic and chilies, again zero flavor. Has anyone been recently? Is it an anomoly or has it fallen off of late? Or did I just misorder? I'd hate to think that one of the only good Chinese restaurants in CHINAtown has lost its groove...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanielK Posted February 27, 2007 Share Posted February 27, 2007 The last couple of times I went, the soup dumplings were carelessly prepared, and had enough punctures that there was no soup inside. This probably contributes to making the wrapper chewier. The noodles were still spot on, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Delicious Posted February 27, 2007 Author Share Posted February 27, 2007 Well, it just goes to show you, because I was there over the weekend as well, and 2 dumplings gushed all over my pants, making me think that the dumplings had more soup in them than usual. That being said, the combination fried rice, which is usually delicious and arguably my favortite thing they make (yes, I realize it is rice, and that this doesn't appear to be a flattering statement, but it is!) was a little off. I'm hoping it was an abberation and not a sign of something larger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted February 27, 2007 Share Posted February 27, 2007 Well, it just goes to show you, because I was there over the weekend as well, and 2 dumplings gushed all over my pants What were their names? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KeithA Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 The noodles were still spot on, though. I concur. I was there about 2 weeks ago and the noodles were as good as ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jparrott Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 Just trying to catalogue here...are these "Lanzhou" style noodles or some other kind? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miami Danny Posted March 12, 2007 Share Posted March 12, 2007 Report from last week-While the noodles taste fresh and are pretty snappy, the sauces/soups they come with/in aren't very good. I removed my noodles from the soup and ate them with a little hot oil and vinegar. As far as the dumplings, soupy ones had none, and were chewy and off. When we asked the server why they had no soup, she brought us another round-also soupless, hard, and tasteless. The 'fresh-made' (on-the-spot, I believe they call them) dumplings were atrocious-skins thick and hard to chew, filling bland. Sometimes homemade ISN'T better. Oh, Full Kee, why did I forsake thee? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brettashley01 Posted January 9, 2008 Share Posted January 9, 2008 anyone been here recently or have a menu to share? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KeithA Posted January 9, 2008 Share Posted January 9, 2008 anyone been here recently or have a menu to share?I went on Christmas day and it was packed. Who knew they had an upstairs. We got the usual vegetable dumplings, which I always think are so so because they are very doughy and fried noodles. I never get anything off the special menu - I say stick with the noodles here. As for the person who pulled noodles out of the soup, no need, just ask for the fried noodles with your choice of meat/seafood or veggie - it is the same noodles but stir-fried instead of in soup. I like them better than in soup, but my wife always gets the soup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam23 Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 anyone been here recently or have a menu to share? I go every so often and its ok. The dumplings are decent. I like the seafood filling ones or the pork ones. I don't like their vege dumplings which I find very tasteless. The fried noodles are decent. Usually very oily though. There are better options in the area (Jackey Cafe or Full Kee being the two best) but if you want something quick and a bit cheaper, Chinatown express will do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
demandalicious Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 Who knew they had an upstairs.The upstairs at CT Express is strange! I love the beef noodle soup, though. To each their own, I guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soup Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 This is probably the 3rd best place in chinatown for chinese food (which isn't saying much). I know many folks are very high on this place but I don't see it. The handmade noodles are the best dish they serve. However, they can be doughy and without much elasticity. However, it is for the most part solid noodle. The issue is that they take good noodle and distroy it with really poor soup. It has no flavor or body. As for the stuff in the steam tables, don't bother. Roast pig, duck and pork are all good. The soup dumplings are good to but can be inconsistant. Soup BTW, 1st and second goes to chinaboy and full kee (not in that order). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanielK Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 BTW, 1st and second goes to chinaboy and full kee (not in that order). Have you tried Jackey's? They have a (translated) Chinese menu that's not the $4 lunch specials they hand to Westerners, and I've had a couple of quality lunches there in the past few months. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam23 Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 BTW, 1st and second goes to chinaboy and full kee (not in that order).What is chinaboy? As for Jackey Cafe, its consistent and they take credit cards. I eat there probably once a week for take out. I generally stick to americanized dishes like lo mein or beef chow foon and its hot, fresh and rarely has it been very greasy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
synaesthesia Posted June 8, 2008 Share Posted June 8, 2008 Ugh. I really don't get it. Soup dumplings here = yuck. They're pretty hard to make well, and the skin was just way too thick and tough. I like it more thin and tender. Also They don't have the classic vinegar and ginger that should go with them. Add that to the lack of soup, which was the least of the problems. The regular steamed dumplings had skin that was also way too thick and chewy. Doughs on both did not carry the flavor well, and required heavy reliance on dipping sauces. The fresh noodles themselves were pretty good, but the rest was just so so. I also saw what I think was a cockroach crawling on the wall. We all put down our utensils after that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DPop Posted June 9, 2008 Share Posted June 9, 2008 I also saw what I think was a cockroach crawling on the wall. We all put down our utensils after that. It probably was. My coworkers and I have seen them on several occasions at lunches there. I used to go here at least once a month for lunch, if not more. It is now well out of my rotation because of its many missteps. So sad that Chinatown doesn't have any good Chinese places... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deangold Posted June 9, 2008 Share Posted June 9, 2008 It use to be our stop before the opera. I am sure that our neighboring opera lovers are glad that we no longer go there because we used to heap the pickled garlic and pureed leek stuff on the once great roast & bbq meats. Belching garlic fumes to Wagner... what a way to go. But we too have crossed it off or list. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rieux Posted December 8, 2008 Share Posted December 8, 2008 I used to love this place for dumplings, but after today, taking it off the list. The dumplings today came to the table, thick, doughy, and COLD! I mean, no heat at all. Given the questionable hygine of the place (which I used to overlook for good, cheap dumplings) and the fact that the dumplings are now no better than City Lights of China (which is closer to home and less dirty), I think I am done here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toogs Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 I used to love this place for dumplings, but after today, taking it off the list. The dumplings today came to the table, thick, doughy, and COLD! I mean, no heat at all. Given the questionable hygine of the place (which I used to overlook for good, cheap dumplings) and the fact that the dumplings are now no better than City Lights of China (which is closer to home and less dirty), I think I am done here. Dumplings there are okay but have yet to have any soup in them. I didn't even know they were supposed to be soup dumplings. The pork belly with preserved mustard green though? That's just a fantastic dish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edenman Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 The pork belly with preserved mustard green though? That's just a fantastic dish. I don't see belly specifically mentioned on the menu. Is it the "Roast Pork with Chinese Vegetables"? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toogs Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 I don't see belly specifically mentioned on the menu. Is it the "Roast Pork with Chinese Vegetables"? No, it's pig belly with preserved mustard green. And maybe has casserole in the name. It's not on the american chinese food menu, it's on the "authentic" menu. At this link, the "authentic" stuff is at the very bottom of the menu menu Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanielK Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 Dumplings there are okay but have yet to have any soup in them. I didn't even know they were supposed to be soup dumplings. They have two kinds of dumplings on the card; one is xiao long bao, and the other is some other kind of dumpling. Both have been so poor on the last few visits, that I have crossed them off the list. I'll go occasionally for noodles, BBQ, or a couple of their chinese dishes, but what used to be my go-to spot for pre-Verizon-Center eats has fallen down the list. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edenman Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 No, it's pig belly with preserved mustard green. And maybe has casserole in the name. It's not on the american chinese food menu, it's on the "authentic" menu. Ah nice, thanks for the link. My paper takeout menu doesn't have the authentic section at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RWBooneJr Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 I go here for one thing: noodle soup, which is as good as ever. The broth is (and always has been) flavorless, but with the addition of the still good condiments on the table, it's great breakfast/hangover food. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrJ Posted November 4, 2013 Share Posted November 4, 2013 Kind of quiet on Chinatown Express here. I find a lot of its menu fairly routine but still go regularly pre-theater for their crispy spicy shrimp and their chinese vegetables. Usually have pork dumplings; ok but not great. Roast (crispy) pork can be great but sometimes is not re-heated enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandynva Posted November 5, 2013 Share Posted November 5, 2013 when you order the lo mein with the handmade noodles (which is admittedly bland and oily, but I like the texture of the noodles) they give you a pureed green oniony sauce. does anyone know what's in it? i adore that stuff, and it's the main reason i ever come here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deac Posted November 5, 2013 Share Posted November 5, 2013 was in the neighborhood with my boss and another colleague the other day and they wanted Chinese since we were near Chinatown. so I took them here, warning that it was a total dive, but delicious. and the thing to order was a noodle dish (preferrably the soup) and dumplings. we got steamed pork buns and my colleague and I each got the roast duck noodle soup, which he loved (boss loved the buns). boss ordered the lunch special pick three plate and got like fried rice, singapore noodles, and beef and broccoli. she took one bite of thing and thought it was delicious then took a bite of another and said it was cold. so she sent it back for warm food. they brought it back clearly microwaved and she was disgusted so refused to eat. so then she started going on and on about how gross and dirty the place was and how unsafe the food was. when we walked in she was saying how charming it was and that it must be good since it's full. I had warned her to only get something with noodles as I couldn't vouch for the more standard Chinese stuff. we saw the food she ordered sitting in steam trays up front when we left, so no wonder it was cold. suffice it to say I will not be bringing her back there. though I will continue to go for that soup, which I love. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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