Best China has been our standard Chinese take-out joint for the last 8-9 years, a once-a-month or so answer to “What’s for dinner?” Located next to Food Lion, 5243 Hwy 557, Best China is consistently a good, fast choice for basic Chinese cuisine.
What do I mean by “basic Chinese cuisine?” You’ve seen the menu at strip malls all over the place: Sweet and Sour Chicken (or Pork, or Shrimp), General Tso’s Chicken, Sa-Cha This or That, Hunan Chicken (or Beef, or Shrimp, etc.), Lo Mein, Fried Rice, and of course, the Happy Family Meal. I think all of the menu’s, sauces, ingredients, condiments come from the same supplier. There might even be an “Open Your Own Chinese Quick-Restaurant” kit somewhere with the same starter supplies.
When we used to live in Tega Cay, there was a Chinese restuarant that operated out of the BP gas station. Once you got over the thought of buying dinner and gas at the same place, it was fine and dandy and rather convenient. That was the first time I’d ever heard of the Happy Family Meal, but since, I’ve seen it at a number of Chinese quick-serve restaurants in various parts of the country.
The deal is, with the take out menus, there is very little elaboration on the menu. Who knows what is Sa-Cha?? And what is Moo Shu? Trying to get clarification over the phone is often like trying to speak with the customer service representatives who are on the other side of the world, pretending to be in Chicago. But that’s another blog. We’ve just learned to order what we know, or take a chance with a different dish and pick out whatever offends (in my son’s case, anything that didn’t breathe at one time.)
The other night, we actually dined AT Best China. We’re having some work done in our kitchen, so we went out to dinner. There are a few booths and tables inside Best China, fine for a party of four, but a bit challenging if you have a bigger group. Service is fast and friendly. I took the opportunity to ask the waiter abou the Sa-Cha Shrimp, which was described on the menu as “A most unusual hot spiced dish with vegetable. A must try.”
“Tell me about the Sa-Cha Shrimp,” I asked the waiter.
“Shrimp, celery, mushroom, carrot, zucchini, brown sauce.”
That cleared things up. Brown sauce? I’m guessing they get a big can of Brown Sauce from the generic supplier. I’m guessing NO ONE knows what is in Brown Sauce. Each dish has either Brown Sauce, Garlic Sauce, White Sauce, or Sweet and Sour Sauce.
Well, the menu listed it as “Must try,” so I figured I must try. It was just fine. Had I ordered it for my family, they would have picked out most or all of the vegetables (which were plentiful), and just eaten the shrimp (which were nice size, adequate quantity.)
My son ordered Sesame Chicken (fried chicken bites, Brown Sauce, very few pieces of broccoli), and my husband ordered Shrimp with Broccoli. It was all good. Plus, I’ve crossed off a “must try” from the bucket list of life. Truly, while the dish was good, I’m not sure it lived up to the “must try.”
So, Best China. Expect the expected, and you’ll not be disappointed! 5243 Hwy 557, Lake Wylie. 803-831-5540. Expect about any call-in order to take “Ten minute”.
Thanks for reading my restuarant review. For more info about Lake Wylie, Lake Wylie events and activities, visit www.LakeWylieInformation.com.
