Imperial Cathay — Restaurant in Shreveport

I never leave dubious reviews but after suffering all evening, I want to make sure anyone else in my situation won’t have this experience. I am highly sensitive to MSG and in the past this restaurant has been very accommodating, allowing me to enjoy Chinese food again. All you have to do is request “no MSG, please.” It was clearly stated on my receipt but not honored when the order was filled. I was so starved for the food and distracted by my phone conversation that I consumed all of it at one sitting. I fell a dull pain in my head but I dismissed it as “surely NOT”! The pain got worse, of course. At about 9pm, I am sobbing, crying, full blown pain. My whole evening ruined. I took some Tylenol and Benadryl and the pain began to subside. About 11 pm it was a ping inside my head. I am sorry to say that I will not be going back. When you go to a restaurant you are trusting that they will get it right EVERY time, not to have an occasional outlier. Especially if that outlier is YOU. So I hope they will see this review and admonish their staff to be more CAREFUL. And to you , the reader, place an added emphasis on your special orders, to better ensure that it is...

The place comes highly recommended by some people that I know. I ordered the orange chicken with sauteed vegetables and egg drop soup. The order was packaged without the required care. In a plastic bag, I received the sauteed vegetables, egg drop soup, and the sweet and sour sauce emerged in a full, 1 centimeter tall puddle of vegetable juice! When I reported the concern to the restaurant, the person who took my call nonchalantly apologized and said that they would let the cook know. No refund or any other compensation was offered. I would have politely declined the compensation when it was offered, because that is my style (not so much for other people at times). However, a company that prides itself on good food and the satisfaction of its dinners (in-house and takeout) would have offered something to keep the customer happy (even if it was a free cup of soup with the next order). Offering NOTHING was unacceptable and speaks loudly to customers who would potentially return. I spent over 15 dollars on lunch alone (not including the delivery fee). I won't be ordering from this place again, because their actions speak louder...

This was our first trip here on a recommendation from a family member and we weren't impressed.

We went at lunchtime on Saturday and had no problem getting a seat. It is a very nice clean building

We ordered the Mongolian Beef & Sesame Chicken. The Chicken Chowder Soup they brought out was more akin to chicken and dumplings than any soup I've had. And it didn't taste like any chowder I've ever had either. My wife looked it but I didn't. The Mongolian Beef was a huge disappointment and tasted closer to what you get with Beef & Broccoli at most Chinese joints. Very little flavor with just beef and onions. I could have easily eaten it with mashed potatoes. The fried rice was the other disappointment of our meal It really wasn't fried rice like I've had before. It was bland and you might as well just order white rice.

The highlight of the meal was the Sesame Chicken. It had big chunks of chicken breast and was fried and seasoned well.

Will I go back? Probably not. It just didn't impress us at all. Nice building, great service but the food...