Joey's Top 10 Chinese food places in Cache Valley

By Joey Hislop

November 14, 2006 | Just about everybody gets a hankering for some Chinese food every now and again. Just like eggnog, the craving for some fried rice or an egg roll usually comes around at least once a year. Next time you get the urge for some good kung pao or tiny spicy chicken, you need go no further than the valley to find the right Chinese food restaurant to satisfy your hunger.

Whether you're looking for the pleasant atmosphere of a sit-down restaurant, the ease and convenience of delivery or a quick take-out option, Cache Valley has more than its share of places to choose from. Ten to be exact. And if you're considering some good Chinese grub tonight, or for lunch this afternoon, here's my personal top 10 places to go. From the good to the not so good, it's all here.

Each restaurant was rated on a combination of factors including price for quantity of food given, taste, menu simplicity and service.

No. 10: Feng Shui (Cache Valley Mall location) -- Since there does actually have to be a last place, I had to give it to the Cache Valley Mall location of Feng Shui (pronounced "fung shway"). Having a restaurant in a mall is never a good idea if you're attempting to produce quality dining. Having a delivery option without providing a printed menu available for people to take home and use when ordering delivery is not a good idea either. Yes, they do deliver. No, they don't have a menu to take home. Sorry. In fairness, I should say that they didn't skimp on quantity when dishing out the $9.58 three-entrée combo my wife and I ordered and they do have a Mongolian barbeque that we didn't try. However, the food was a tad bland and the variety was kind of bad unless you like nothing but chicken (that's all they had).

No. 9: Mandarin Garden -- Coming in at ninth is the first surprise of our countdown. Mandarin Garden is one of the longest-running Chinese food restaurants in Logan. However, after my latest visit to Mandarin Garden, I have to say things have slipped a bit lately. The service was fine, but like Feng Shui, the food was bland. I ordered the Kung Bo Chicken lunch special (known elsewhere as "Kung Pao") which appears on the menu with a two asterisks next to it indicating its extra spiciness. I've had spicier food in a Lean Cuisine. Price-wise Mandarin Garden isn't bad at all. The entire meal, which included an egg roll and ham fried rice (which I substituted for steamed rice), cost only $5.18 with the student discount.

No. 8: Wok On Wheels -- Number eight was a tough decision. Wok on Wheels has been a staple of my college kid diet for years now. Primarily a delivery establishment, Wok on Wheels also has a dine-in area and a drive-thu window. If you are planning on making a delivery order, be advised that WOW has an $8 minimum for orders that they bring to you. What this means is you'll have to add a couple egg rolls to your $5.49 single entrée order, which already comes with one egg roll and fried rice. In terms of taste, Wok on Wheels holds its own. My recommendation -- the kung pao chicken.

No. 7: Grand Buffet -- Our No. 7 entry, Grand Buffet, is the valley's new kid on the block. While the atmosphere was nice, the variety was not as enormous as advertised and the overall buffet seemed a bit overrated. In the cost department, Grand Buffet was decent. A buffet for two cost under $15 with a tip and they do offer crab legs occasionally. The food was pretty tasty. Grand Buffet offers Japanese dishes as well as a slew of Chinese dishes and a dessert bar. Even though I rated it pretty low, I would go back again.

No. 6: Panda Express -- Number six, Panda Express, is only this high up in the countdown because of its nicely colored place and the delectability of the food, and definitely not for its authenticity. While most of the places in this countdown serve a pretty Americanized menu, Panda Express tops them in all in that department. Let me reiterate -- good food, but the place is about as Chinese as South Dakota. Also, it doesn't help that they don't give you much food for the price. And what's worse? They don't even try to fool you. Their menu shows a three-entrée plate with not much on it. I would gladly give a waiter a tip if it meant being full after the meal. The above mentioned three-entrée plate will run you $6.60 plus tax, and even more for shrimp dishes, and doesn't include a beverage. I would like to say, however, that Panda Express does have the best vegetables of all the places I visited. If you like good, crisp green beans, go to the Panda.

No. 5: Feng Shui (Main St., Smithfield) -- Next, is it worth it to drive across the valley for better Chinese food? I think so. Especially since Feng Shui of Smithfield barely resembles its Logan (Cache Valley Mall) location in terms of taste and accommodations. As far as price is concerned, the Smithfield location is about middle of the road, with an average dinner costing under $10. The food isn't bad at all and they seemed to be better able to produce a take-home menu for their customers. My personal recommendation -- anything with seafood. Best seafood in the valley.

No. 4: Royal Express -- Coming in at four, Royal Express has a soup-nazi-like simplicity with a menu that is simply yummy. Though it's not the tastiest of our countdown, it was still rather tasty and has improved a lot over the past couple years. The price isn't bad either. For a "value combo" which includes rice or lo mein, two entrees and a beverage, I paid only $7.25. The regular combo, minus the drink, costs only $5.25.

No. 3: Rice Garden -- Number three is my wife's personal favorite. Rice Garden, located at the entrance of the 400 North Smith's grocery store, is one of eight Utah locations and has no dine-in, but who cares? A two-item combo, which includes rice or chow mein, costs only $4.89! You get enough to fill your stomach without emptying your wallet. Rice Garden also rates high in the taste department. The food at all eight locations is among the most authentic in the valley and is prepared by a real Chinese chef. Imagine that. Trust me on this one. If you like Chinese food, you'll like this place. My personal recommendation -- the kung pao. Rice Garden makes it spicier than anywhere else in the valley.

No. 2: Formosa Restaurant -- Coming in at No. 2 is what I've been told is the most authentic Chinese food (even though, in reality, it's Taiwanese) restaurant in the valley since Great Wall went out of business. Formosa Restaurant has, in my opinion, the best rice in town with the exception of just about every Japanese restaurant. Formosa is a sit-down restaurant that also does take-out, but no delivery. Oh well. I would leave the comfort of my living room for this stuff. The prices at Formosa are not bad. A lunch special, which comes with rice and soup or salad, will cost $5.95 plus tax. The dinner special however is where it's at. For $7.25 you get one item of your choice, chicken lo mein, rice, two fried won tons and your choice of soup or salad. For 70 cents more you get two extra fried shrimp. Not bad for a full meal. My recommendation -- the chicken with snow peas.

No. 1: China King Buffet -- That brings us toNo. 1. The king of Chinese food restaurants in Cache Valley is aptly named and definitely lives up to it. The China King Buffet, located on Main Street in Logan, is what you're looking for in a buffet -- everything. The food is good, there's lots of it, especially for the price -- $5.25 for lunch and $6.99 for dinner -- and to top it all off, China King had the one thing you like to see in any restaurant: cooks who eat the food they serve. China King's delivery service is easily the best in town. While it's not the cheapest, delivery orders come complete with fried won-tons, all the rice you can handle and tons of food. My personal recommendation -- the chicken lo mein.

Well, there you have it. My personal Top 10 of Chinese food restaurants in Cache Valley. May all your fortune cookies tell the truth. Enjoy!

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