China 1 — Restaurant in Riverview

What can I say about this place? It is the best chinese takeout around these parts. The food reminds me of really really good northern/central NJ style chinese food. For most of you, you can stop reading now.

For those that want more info, the following is the consensus of 4 family members (one of which is half chinese/half thai if that is relevant)...

We drive 11 miles each way to get take out from this place. Yes, it is that good. We pass 8 other chinese restaurants on the direct route to China 1. And yes, we have have tried them all. There are other China 1's that are a shorter distance from our home, we have tried them too. We have yet to find a Chinese take-out place that compares to this place.

Here is our run down... Fried dumplings, heavenly. Dumpling sauce, perfect too. Wonton Soup, great. Massive amount of wontons in it compared to other places (and they are cooked perfectly too). Hot and Sour soup is great too. Kung Pao chicken, Schezwan chicken, chicken with broccoli, chicken with garlic sauce, egg foo young, general tso's chicken, sesame chicken... all great. Schezwan beef... awesome. Pork fried rice. Doesn't matter if it comes with the lunch specials or on its own, tastes great and not greasy.

Only negatives... They won't share the dumpling sauce. I can make good dumplings from scratch, but I have yet to crack the perfect dumpling sauce recipe. I wish they put more broccoli into the General Tso's chicken. But not everyone likes broccoli.

Neutral... Some people might find the guy working the front a little grumpy. Get him talking about NYC, and you might get him to crack a smile. My view is, he is all about getting his job done and has no time for chit-chat. He has to answer the phone non-stop for 11 every day and has to juggle a zillion orders. He also has to know the place is the best, my wife and I tell him that every time we are in there. And anyone that knows what's good for them, knows my wife is always right.

Note... I said fried dumplings are heavenly because they were my dads favorite. When he was cremated, he had a...

UPDATED: 3/5 We decided to do take out here last minute and it was easy to order and not too busy on a Friday afternoon for lunch. It was kind of hard to understand the cashier when they spoke but I eventually made it out when they asked if I wanted eggroll or soda. Bourbon Chicken: 2/5, we were able to make it spicy but it wasn’t as flavorful even though it smelled very good. Beef Pepper Steak: 4/5, it was delish. Vegetable Lomein: 5/5, probably the best lomein I’ve ever had. The pork fried rice that comes with it is very plain, bland and no flavor whatsoever. Overall, it’s not a bad place but it’s not a place I would do takeout often at.

ORIGINAL REVIEW: 2/5 I don't think there is much to expect from these Chinese fast food places but you should always expect the bare minimum. For $17, we got the beef and broccoli quart and bourbon chicken combo. The rice that came with the beef and broccoli tasted weird. It tasted like a box and I wasn't too fond of it. The beef and broccoli had so much more other veggies that it might as well have been veggies with a hint of broccoli. The guy who calls out your order mumbles so no one really knows who's order is coming up. My first and definitely my last time here. I should've waited the 15 minutes for fresh chicken wings at Publix. Never again making...

I come here all the time for my lunch break because the food is good. Today will be my LAST day. I ordered a dinner combo on the phone with a woman, got honey chicken and rice called right back with the same lady let her know I changed my mind I did not want honey chicken just lomein and rice instead I knew of the up charge didn’t care. She said okay. I walk to pick up my order and he says honey chicken? I said no I called back and let her know I wanted rice and lomein he swung the back around with an attitude and told me well you didn’t say that. And basically threw my food on the table behind. How rude and disrespectful, I kept my composure told him just give me the food as is, I don’t even care atp. Still he felt the need to tell me multiple times it was MY mistake .. no apology nothing. Keep in mind I was nice the entire time never made the mess up a big deal. Start treating the customers that keep money In your pockets and food on your families table with RESPECT. will not be giving a single dollar again. Plenty of other places that will treat you kind and serve you...