Home > Des Moines Restaurants > Editorial Review > Editorial Juice Review: Great China

When you go to a Chinese restaurant, you expect to be filled up. Sometimes you leave such a place well-stuffed, but also unsatisfied. Great China in Urbandale will feed your need for Chinese classics, plus you'll be well enough to hit the clubs after dinner.

THE GOOD

The food tastes authentic and the selection is wide. After much deliberation, I ordered the Pork with Scallions. The meat was lean and tender, and the vegetables were still crunchy - a big plus. The dish bore a uniquely smoky taste, a nice change from the typical sweet and sour Chinese combo. My boyfriend ordered the Chicken with Garlic Sauce. It was a very brassy fusion of spicy and sweet palettes, completely different from my dish.

The oolong tea was perfectly brewed and hot enough to last long beyond our final course. And the show-stopper: The fortune cookies came out in a dragon bowl accompanied by a spectacular smoking gold cauldron.

The service was some of the best I've had. Our waiter was attentive, helpful, and my water never fell belown 75 percent full.

THE BAD
We opted out of the assorted hot appetizers we craved because of our budget. Although we missed the beef satay and crab rangoon, our meal came out in 10 minutes flat, so we weren't hungry for long.

Even though my boyfriend's dish was listed as spicy, I thought the hot factor could've been taken up a notch and the sweet factor down a bit.

In terms of nonfood complaints, the table was a little sticky, and the decor was a bit tacky and mismatched.

THE VERDICT

The ambiance may not be so hot, but the food and the service far outweigh it. Plus, you get free oolong tea, rice and fortune cookies. Give Great China a try, and don't forget to rub the Buddha's belly for good luck on the way out.

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