China City — Restaurant in Mill Creek

We have lived in Mill Creek since 2005 and dine out frequently. We have driven passed China City countless times but have hesitated to patronize the establishment because few can get it right when it comes to Chinese cuisine, in our opinion. We've always wondered what the menu was like and how the food tasted so tonight we decided to find out after reading multiple reviews on Google. When we entered the hostess greeted us promptly and was very friendly showing us to our table. The waitress that served us introduce herself, was very polite but was not very knowledgeable about the menu. We ordered a glass of red wine and a tanquaray and tonic, but the server didn't know what tanquaray was so i clarified that it was gin. Most Chinese restaurants pour heavy on liquor drinks this one was weak at best. Next we ordered lumpia appetizer, the presentation was very plain and although it was crisp and golden brown, the overall flavor was mediocre and served with a sauce that could have been bested by anything of the grocery store shelf. We also ordered calamari which was poorly timed so it came out with the entrees. The calamari appetizer was floured, not breaded, and had no color or presentation on a white plate and sadly served with soy sauce instead of a spicy aoili which is typical and, dare I say, expected? At this point we started to think this kitchen crew must be the most uninspired group of culinarians we've ever incountered only to have our thoughts supported by the 3 entrees that followed. The mushu pork was a mixture of bland and colorless ingredients piled on a plate without a hint of orange carrot, red bell pepper, green onion, sesame seeds or even a simple sprig of parsley or chopped parsley as garnish. The accompanying pancakes were cold and dry. The General Tso's chicken was simply deep fried cubes of chicken tossed in a sauce and mounded on a plate without a hint of garnish or color anywhere, not even hot peppers, green onions or sesame seeds. The third and final dish that we ordered was beef and vegetables. Although the dish smelled like garlic and the vegetables were Al Dente, the supposed flank steak was over- tenderized mystery meat with a slimy mouth-feel. As it cooled it became more slimy and less appealing. We did not take home any of the leftovers despite eating less than half of each item. None of the sauces were delicate, unique or seemingly house-made and all had a thick corn starchy consistency. Fair warning, none of the entrees came with rice so we had to pay extra for a cup of rice, which came to our table lukewarm. We laughed as we discussed the meal that was in front of us and likened it to the McDonald's of Chinese restaurants. We won't be sampling China City again. Our bill was over $100, for which we paid and tipped 15%, but considered a...

Anyone who knows me in more than a passing way knows that I'm deeply obsessed with Asian food and Chinese in particular. Last night, with the help of an Amazon Local Daily Deal Coupon we decided to give this place a spin for a celebration. The ambiance was very clean, nice and upscale and the staff were very friendly and attentive.

The prices were $3 or more than comparable plates at most other Chinese restaurants including my favorites. Was it worth it? The short answer is "no". The food was OK but it wasn't great. Most of it tasted fresh and some of the portions were decent but others were small. Taste is subjective and just to give you a base line, if PF Chang's is your favorite Chinese food then we're not on the same page at all and maybe the distraction of the shiny surroundings and upscale feel will lull you into a happy euphoria.

I would eat there again if someone else was paying but I would first try to persuade them to eat at Taster's Wok or one of the other spots I prefer. They are all lower cost and offer better tasting food. I will say that I once ate at a Chinese Restaurant in a small town in Idaho that looked like a truck stop and served us a dish that was basically standard fried chicken drenched in sweet and sour sauce. That dish was gross but some of the others were pretty good.

Other than buffets and cheapie fast food style Asian places, most of the places I've eaten have at least a couple of passable dishes and this place has more than that but why pay more for less? I'll also say that if you're a drinker (I'm not) this place looks pretty well equipped...

I'll post the same review I posted on another site.

I visited here around noon on a weekday for the first time. The decor and ambiance were nice, but I had to wait an uncomfortably long time to be greeted and seated--even though it wasn't busy. Unfortunately, that slow service became a theme for the rest of my visit.

I ordered the Mongolian beef, and my girlfriend had the cashew chicken. We both thought the food was decent, not great, though the portion sizes were on the small side. Let's just say we finished everything on our plates with nothing left to take home, which is unusual for us.

We also tried the pumpkin spice drink specials, which came in lowball glasses with a lot of ice. While they tasted okay, they only held about 4 ounces of actual drink. At $26 for the pair, plus 10% tax and a 20% tip, those two small drinks ended up costing us almost $30.

I also ordered a bottomless Coke, but with the lack of attentive service, it didn't feel bottomless. My glass went empty before I finished my meal, and it didn't get refilled until we were asking for the check. I like to drink while I eat, so the slow refills were a letdown. And I had my empty glass at the edge of the table which means I would like a refill.

Overall, it was an underwhelming experience, and I'll likely try the other Chinese spots in the area before I think...