A qualified Cantonese restaurant in Sichuan cuisine

Royal Palace (Troy, MI) – Solid Cantonese/Sichuan Spot for a Pre-Water Lantern Festival Bite We stopped here in Troy before heading to Detroit’s Water Lantern Festival—and it worked perfectly as a casual pre-event meal! It’s a Cantonese restaurant with dim sum, but we heard their Sichuan dishes are good, so we stuck mostly to spicy picks. Plus, it’s right across from Maiko (the matcha dessert spot we’d been wanting to try)—double win! Here’s the lowdown 🥢! 🌶️ Sichuan/Cantonese Dishes: “Qualified” – No Misses, But No Standouts Given my low expectations for Chinese food in Michigan, this spot was totally acceptable—nothing terrible, but nothing worth a 1-hour drive alone: Beef Tripe with Ginger & Scallions: 🫚 A must for tripe lovers! Tender, well-seasoned with fresh ginger and scallions, and packed with that classic savory flavor. Hard to go wrong with this one. Lamb Spine Hot Pot: 🐑 Not as good as YP Bor Yan’s, but still decent. The lamb spine was tender, though the broth was less rich than I hoped. The upside? Tons of veggies in the pot, plus delicious frozen tofu that soaked up the broth—great for sharing. Double Pepper Chicken: 🌶️ My friend thought the chicken was a little undercooked, but I didn’t mind. It was slightly under-seasoned, though—could’ve used more salt or spice to kick up the flavor. Qiaojiao Beef Soup: 🐂 Not authentic Qiaojiao beef (a Sichuan friend said the beef should be thinner), but still tasty if you don’t know the real deal. It’s a mild, nourishing broth (no spice at all)—dipping it in the sauce makes it way more flavorful. Stir-Fried Water Spinach: 🥬 Simple but well-done—crisp, garlicky, and not overcooked. A nice fresh balance to the spicy dishes. 🍵 Post-Meal Dessert Win: Maiko Matcha Don’t leave without popping across the street to Maiko! Their “Special” matcha dessert is a must—loaded with matcha ice cream, mochi balls, cake, and red beans. The texture is super layered (creamy, chewy, sweet), and matcha lovers will go crazy for it. It’s the perfect sweet finish after savory Chinese food. 📍 Logistics & Price Location: 5087 Rochester Rd, Troy, MI 48085 – 1 hour from Ann Arbor, ideal if you’re passing through Troy or heading to Detroit. Wait Time: We got there at 5:30 PM on a Saturday, and the restaurant was pretty empty—no line, no wait! Cost: ~$35–$40 per person (after tip) – fair for the portion size and quality. 🌟 Final Verdict: Good for a Detour, Not a Special Trip Royal Palace is a solid pick if you’re in Troy (e.g., before a Detroit event) and craving Chinese food. It’s (qualified)—nothing amazing, but far from bad. Pair it with a Maiko dessert, and it becomes a fun little stop. Just don’t drive an hour from Ann Arbor only for this—save that for spots with more “wow” factor. #UniversityOfMichiganAnnArbor #MichiganFoodie #TroyMichiganEats #DetroitFoodie #LambSpineHotPot #ChineseFoodMichigan #MaikoMatcha