Last winter Mr. T read The Zach Files, some series with a kid who kind of time travels and has really bizarre experiences. Because of Zach, he wanted to try Chinese food.
I've had a long love affair with Chinese food myself, starting in college (Hong Kong Cafe'!) and most recently China Moon. China Moon was minutes from our old house and when I was pregnant with Mr. T I ate there every week. It's a greasy little dive in a strip mall, nestled between a laundromat and the town's grocery store. The lighting is dim, the windows are a little dirty, the decor is a random mix of 1970's wallpaper and brass-finish with some Oriental touches hanging from walls and ceiling. The dining area is the same size as the kitchen, and the same cardboard box of cups has sat against the door between the two spaces since I can remember.
Mr. D is lukewarm on Chinese food so to have someone request eating it was a thrill for me. I was happy to bring Mr. T to China Moon, the location is terrific (across the street from their karate school, next to the grocery store I shop at) and the prices are pretty cheap. I know their food is fresh because the trucks are there EVERY DAY dropping off produce and seafood. And frankly? Nothing beats the deep-fried crispy goodness of egg rolls and crab rangoon.
I ordered for Mr. T the first time, introducing him to the crab, chicken-fried rice and some chicken and mixed vegetables. The next time he pointed to the backlit menu photos and said he wanted noodles. Ever since he's been a Pork Lo Mein boy.
The hostess barely speaks English, but she's friendly and smiling, anxious to get us our food fast and hot. The drink refills are free and if you don't look too closely at the filthy linoleum floor (hard to do anyway in the dim light) you can sigh deeply and tuck into the fresh pile of rice and steaming vegetables.
Yesterday we reached a new level of bliss at China Moon. It was lunchtime and I told the boys we could go there before grocery shopping (usually we have take-out at dinnertime, occasionally we dine-in). I had completely forgotten: China Moon's lunch buffet! All you can eat and drink!
Imagine the delight on their faces--all the crab rangoon they could eat! Bamboo sticks with barbequed pork, fried fish, egg rolls, chicken fried rice and dumplings! But no Pork Lo Mein. I explained to Mr. T that Vegetable Lo Mein is almost the same thing, try it! But the hostess? Even though they were taking down the buffet in fifteen minutes, she had the cook make up a fresh plate of Pork Lo Mein just for us. And fresh crab rangoon, too.
Full to bursting, we waddled out--for $12.50 plus tip we got to sample an array of great food. And sit in a booth! (Seems the owner went to an auction and replaced one of the two rows of tables with booths!)
China Moon, we can't quit you.
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