China King
Lam’s Garden
21 S. Court St.
More than a buffet...
This is not your everyday buffet. This restaurant has a lengthy and reasonably priced menu in addition to buffet items. They are also the only place that allows its patrons to fill up a carry out container with anything from the buffet for $3.50 a pound. The buffet itself was not very diverse; however, it didn’t look like it had been sitting out all afternoon.
10
Lui Lui ‘s 8 Station St.
965 E. State St.
Chinese or Japanese, you can’t go wrong here...
Gorgeous flat screen TVs on the front and back walls of the restaurant serenade patrons with daytime dramas, Sportscenter and The Ellen DeGeneres Show. If you’re debating between Chinese and Japanese, a very thorough menu for each is sure to satisfy either craving. The restaurant has a full sushi bar and the dish everyone likes, General Tso’s—named after Zuo Zongtang, a general from the Qing Dynasty. I recommend the Hunan general’s finest chicken and perfectly spiced Szechuan beef.
$ $$
A wall of awards greets customers as they enter the restaurant. After my meal, it was obvious that the accolades were well-deserved. The chicken was drenched in a savory and spicy sauce, with plenty of rice. Quick service, an extensive menu, lunch specials for less than $6 and 11 different brews for less than $3 are tough to beat. Also, I was a huge fan of the classic tunes such as The Beatles and Don McLean’s “American Pie,” to name a few.
$ $$
$$ China Panda
934 E. State St.
Simply the best in town...
12
Chinese, Japanese...and Italian?
While it’s not exclusively a Chinese or Japanese restaurant, Lui Lui’s has a small but delicious number of Thai, Chinese and sushi dishes available every night. However, a majority of the menu is focused on pizza, pasta and other “gourmet” Italian entrees. The elegant atmosphere is perfect for a first date and relaxing enough for a night out with friends. Tuesday is sushi night, offering some of the most authentic and fresh seafood in town. Despite meager options for ethnic cuisine, the General Tso’s was an easy pick and undeniably the best in Athens.
$$ $$
10 or 15
Grand China Buffet 1002 E. State St.
Peking Express
The typical, generic Chinese buffet: 20 percent composed of American foods like mac ‘n’ cheese and pizza. However, it has the best fish tank in town—home to huge snakeheads and Bala sharks. My fortune cookie read, “Lady luck is on your side. Play lottery today.” I bought five $1 scratch offs and won $4. So, I decided to get four more and lost it all. Fun fact: the fortune cookie was introduced right in the heart of Rice-A-Roni country in San Francisco.
When it comes to the best bang for your buck, $4.25 is second to none. Three entrees and a hefty side of rice or lo mein is enticing to anyone looking for a sizeable dinner pickup. However, this place gives the worst Chinese food hangover and the servers are the toughest to comprehend verbally. Over the course of my four years in Athens, I’ve seen the price increase from $3.50 to $3.75 to $3.95 to the going rate of $4.25. And who said inflation affected only oil and cigarettes? 3
They have some sweet fish...
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5 N. Court St.
Damn, they raised the price again...
No Republican has ever won the presidency without carrying the state of Ohio
$ backdrop | 2008 | fall
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