Cheap Chinese food on the Main Line?
I'm looking for good cheap Chinese places for takeout food between Bala Cynwyd and Bryn Mawr. I don't expect stellar food, but I would prefer someplace not too greasy and I want to know which of the cheap places would be better than others. Thanks.
SG
Nov 19, 2004 10:05AM
My fave is Chung Sing in the diner-like building across from Main Line Saab on the Ardmore/Wynnewood line (Lancaster Ave.). They have eat-in lunch and dinner specials that are amazing -- for lunch, you get soup, choice of about 8 dishes (the list identifies two per day, but you can any of them on any day), which you can get with white or fried rice plus good egg roll, a dish of pickled cabbage, all for under $5. For dinner, add a few bucks and add dessert. I like the spicy chicken and vegetables, and the tofu and eggplant. They also have good takeout, and specials listed on the pieces of paper all over the walls. Takeout's not quite as cheap as the daily eat-in specials, but still a bargain. By comparison, I stopped going to Shangri-La (before the fire) when they served me Italian eggplant and tofu in a tasteless sauce, and when I complained, the owner said "Chinese eggplant is too expensive." Somehow Chung Sing manages to make it right, at Chinatown prices.
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I'm surprised Chun Sing is still open (I kept hearing it was closing, and that was a year or two ago), but I second its nomination for cheap, good and non-greasy Chinese food. And the location is actually on the Main Line, and not 20 miles away.....
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I've been wondering the same, but for the Ambler/Ft. Washington/Flourtown/Spring House area... Any good suggestions for this area?
For the record, I moved here from Roxborough and loved Lucky Star in Andorra!
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Good cheap Chinese food, now there's an oxymoron. A little bit from Amber is Lansdale, where I have found Abacus (Valley Forge Shopping Center) to serve very good Chinese food. But that may be too far for you.
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I highly recommend Golden City/Lights right across the Colmar train station on 309. Thinks its about 3 - 5 miles north of Springhouse.
Very authentic cantonese style cooking. I was there a month ago where the soup of the day was a very good conch and chicken legs soup, decent peking duck served with mon tao, frogs steamed in lotus leaf among some more notable items. Also they had in stock live mantis prawns in their tanks, along with a regular selection of live shrimp, fish, frogs etc..
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Are you perhaps Asian and talking about the REAL Chinese menu that is available (for those who can read Chinese)? I live very near Golden City and have NEVER had even a decent meal there. I always see many Asian people in there leading me to believe that I am eating the American Chinese menu and they are eating the real Chinese menu. Am I right?
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Yes, there are two sections in the menu, one with the usual americanized items like moo goo gai pan, general tso's, sesame chicken etc. But the more authentic items are also in listed in english which is why I enjoy eating there and don't have to worry about being missing out on the good stuff.
Could it be that the descriptions of the more authentic items did not appeal to you when you came across them? If you're interested email me for some items to try there...
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Without a doubt, the best Chinese in that area is East Cuisine on Butler Pike in Broad Axe. It's right near the intersection of Butler and Skippack. The owners are very caring. It's clean and pretty inside after you ignore the shopping strip location. Also has good Japanese and a sushi bar.
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Near Ambler, in Abington, Hunan Village is great and cheap. It's right by the hospital in the Clemens shopping center.
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chinese food in that area is generally crap.
Your best bet is to order off the "chinese menu" at either Lai lai or Golden City. Most of the time I'll eat at the dumpling house in lansdale when I'm in that area because it's dirt-cheap. Just don't go when the normal chef is "on vacation."
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Since I haven't gotten much of a response (and this thread has been somewhat "hijacked"), I thought I would throw out some names and see if anyone had tried them or had any comments:
-Golden China (Rittenhouse Place, Ardmore)
-Pak Sun (Greenfield Ave, Ardmore)
-China King (N. Narberth Ave, Narberth)
-Pak Yue (Haverford Rd, Ardmore)
-Szechuan Garden Inn (W. Lancaster Ave, Ardmore)
-Szechuan Express Inc. (City Line Ave, Bala Cynwyd)
Any and all opinions are welcome. Thanks!
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Since I haven't gotten much of a response (and this thread has been somewhat "hijacked"), I thought I would throw out some names and see if anyone had tried them or had any comments:
-Golden China (Rittenhouse Place, Ardmore)
-Pak Sun (Greenfield Ave, Ardmore)
-China King (N. Narberth Ave, Narberth)
-Pak Yue (Haverford Rd, Ardmore)
-Szechuan Garden Inn (W. Lancaster Ave, Ardmore)
-Szechuan Express Inc. (City Line Ave, Bala Cynwyd)
Any and all opinions are welcome. Thanks!
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The one in the Bala shopping center has good H&S soup but nothing else worth eating. Of the rest, only Szechuan Garden Inn is decent, but we have issues with the cleanliness there. I still vote for Chung Sing.
Susan H
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Thanks for your input - I'll plan to try it.
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