I truly believe that one should “never judge a book by it’s cover” when it comes to restaurants. There are times when I pick a random place to go and when I get there reconsider my selection. This would have to be one of those places where I really did reconsider based on the outside looks alone. This was very close to my hotel and I didn’t want to stray too far and most of the reviews I read said this was the best Chinese food in Philadelphia.
It’s located in a rather isolated strip mall with a very large parking lot. The outside is very nondescript and it didn’t appear as though there were a lot of people. But I remembered to always give it a chance and if the food literally didn’t pass the sniff test then it there was a TGI Friday’s right in the front of the hotel. And I am so glad I had the courage to venture in.
The man behind the counter was very nice and friendly and welcomed in as if I was a regular. The menu was very generic and if you’ve been to one of these Chinese restaurants you know exactly how the menu looks. I told him I was from out of town and wanted to know what he recommended. I ordered the shrimp with mixed veggies and wonton soup.
As I waited for my order, I noticed that the place was relatively busy with lots of tables filled with people having a weeknight dinner. I also noticed a lot of regulars coming and going with their take out orders. I didn’t have to wait long for mine and decided to take it back to the hotel room – remember I was a little sketchy about this place to being with.
Once I opened my to-go container I knew I was in for a treat. The shrimp was sautéed with with bok choy, snap peas, mushrooms and broccoli. The sauce that it was cooked it had a lot of natural flavor from the veggies and was rather health. The wonton soup was a welcome bowl of warmth on a rainy Philadelphia night.
As I think back on my experience I know that the food wasn’t anything out of the ordinary. It was healthy and satisfying even without all the glitz and glamour that I sometimes seek out during my food adventures. I think what made the food a little more than ordinary was the experience. I went from feeling uncertain about the place to walking into something familiar. Just drives home the point that you should be open to trying new things, even if you’re not sure of it.