Going to be in town this weekend helping the kids move in, and thought we’d do takeout. Many moons ago we used to like yen ching but that is no longer there…
Iowa city recs for Chinese takeout
- Thread starter Tenacious E_rivals41982
- Start date
Yeah, that was about 23,000 moons ago...
CSB, I know the niece of the owner of Yen Ching. The whole family was at one time or another in the food industry. Her family owned Pei's in CR. The only Chinese place she likes in IC is Szechuan House on Burlington St. If you happen to speak Chinese you can coax the staff into upping the heat.
Whatever the place is called on the corner of Hwy 6 and 1st Ave in Coralville
I've never been to Long Xing on Highway 1, but I've heard good things. The OP could make a double pick up and get La Regia. It's a few doors down from Long Xing.
Interestingly enough, from my google and yelp search Long Xing and Szechuan House were two that were already at the top of my list. I was thinking the latter because it is closer to where my son's apartment is.
I'm starting to think this is more for you to brag about your kid going to U of I than it is about Chinese food.
People do say that it is the Harvard of the Iowa City - Cedar Rapids Corridor. I will say that I am quite pleased that both kids will be attending this fall - dodged some bullets on what tuition could have been elsewhere!
Always been a big fan of Thai Flavors on the corner of Burlington/Gilbert
It's the Central College of Johnson County.
Serious question, how many people think there's a discernable difference in Chinese food in the Midwest? Drive past any one of them on delivery day and you'll see one of these trucks. It's a division of Sysco. It's all the same.
It drives me insane when I have to spend decent money at any of those places, because A) I can do the same thing better at home for dirt cheap with food products from the Asian import market. And B) since it's the same prefab stuff that goes on the buffet lines anyways, we could just go do that and get variety vs being limited to one menu item.
It drives me insane when I have to spend decent money at any of those places, because A) I can do the same thing better at home for dirt cheap with food products from the Asian import market. And B) since it's the same prefab stuff that goes on the buffet lines anyways, we could just go do that and get variety vs being limited to one menu item.
lol my mom said that once. We were at some sort of family function, reunion or holiday, and I had just gotten into Iowa and she was like "People say its the harvard of the west" and I was thinking "nobody says that"
It's mostly all the same, however, if you look at the menu of Szechuan House mentioned above, they serve tripe and pork knuckles, among other things you do not normally see. So, I am thinking their food does not come off a Sysco truck.Serious question, how many people think there's a discernable difference in Chinese food in the Midwest? Drive past any one of them on delivery day and you'll see one of these trucks. It's a division of Sysco. It's all the same.
It drives me insane when I have to spend decent money at any of those places, because A) I can do the same thing better at home for dirt cheap with food products from the Asian import market. And B) since it's the same prefab stuff that goes on the buffet lines anyways, we could just go do that and get variety vs being limited to one menu item.
Szechuan House - Iowa City | Chef's Recommendation
Order chef's recommendation online from Szechuan House - Iowa City for delivery and takeout. The best Chinese in Iowa City, IA.
It's mostly all the same, however, if you look at the menu of Szechuan House mentioned above, they serve tripe and pork knuckles, among other things you do not normally see. So, I am thinking their food does not come off a Sysco truck.
Szechuan House - Iowa City | Chef's Recommendation
Order chef's recommendation online from Szechuan House - Iowa City for delivery and takeout. The best Chinese in Iowa City, IA.www.szechuanhouseia.com
Very few if any of the local Chinese spots are getting a sysco truck, they use asian specific suppliers.
szechuan House is the place to go for the most authentic food. China Star out of Old Capitol mall is tops for more Americanized(like San Fran style not panda express) Chinese take out.
Serious question, how many people think there's a discernable difference in Chinese food in the Midwest? Drive past any one of them on delivery day and you'll see one of these trucks. It's a division of Sysco. It's all the same.
It drives me insane when I have to spend decent money at any of those places, because A) I can do the same thing better at home for dirt cheap with food products from the Asian import market. And B) since it's the same prefab stuff that goes on the buffet lines anyways, we could just go do that and get variety vs being limited to one menu item.
You're not making sushi at home for cheaper you can buy a roll for.
I always thought Sysco was like a grocery store for restaurants, as opposed to completed meals that are indistinguishable between each restaurant customer. Is this not the case?
I think it’s both. I know for sure they sell premade chicken tortilla soup. I would imagine a lot of what you might get somewhere from a menu is that premade soup.
Sysco is EVERYTHING. Ready cook meals, bulk soups, pre made pastries and deserts, you name it. Never worked there, but I did interview for sales rep jobs at both Sysco Iowa and Sysco East in wisconsin when I was younger and still worked in the restaurant business. You have no idea the scope of their product til you've been to one of their warehouses. They look huge from the outside, but they are absolutely ginormous on the inside. At the time Sysco Iowa carried almost 300 different varieties of French fries. You can get basically anything and everything from them. And they have seperate brand names that operate out of that warehouse, such as the Asian Foods brand I started with earlier on that specifically markets to Asian restaurants and markets.
Unless you're literally buying meat from a local butcher or produce directly from a farmer nearly everything comes from one major food distributor or another, even if it's a subsidiary of one.
That's not to say some places don't source locally, but unless you're a Michelin star type place you're still getting most of your bulk items from a distributor even if you're getting your feature items locally.
Well?
Side note, I drove through town and up Dubuque St yesterday past the Mayflower. I love freshman season. All of those super helpful orientation people running around in short skirts and tight t-shirts. All of the hot moms walking around. The dads in the big city for the first time
Ordered Uncle Sun when I was staying in Iowa City for work last year. It was about 1am and I was hammered, but it hit the spot. /csb
Opted for long xing. We got the general Tso, chicken with garlic sauce, Mongolian beef, and Rangoons. Tso was awesome. Mongolian beef was very good, chicken with garlic sauce was pretty good. I don’t care for the rangoons. The filing was grainy and tasted sweeter than I like. Would for sure order the Tso again, but would probably try other main dishes.
Well?
Side note, I drove through town and up Dubuque St yesterday past the Mayflower. I love freshman season. All of those super helpful orientation people running around in short skirts and tight t-shirts. All of the hot moms walking around. The dads in the big city for the first time
Where do you order Chinese in Iowa city? For Mexican, if the health report for long xing is roaches does la Regia have them too?
I haven't been to LaRegia in years. I had to chuckle when you mentioned Yen Ching. That, at one time, many decades ago, used to be a great sit down Chinese restaurant. I would say to you that there aren't any real awesome Chinese restaurants in Iowa City or Coralville. I go to Taste of China on the East side of Iowa City. I know him, he's been in business for 30 years, no health report and he has massive turnover so food doesn't sit around and get stale. Long Xing was awesome and cheap before COVID. Now, I avoid it. Making a family run restaurant profitable is pretty tough. Mexican wise, there are tons of joints in town. Des Moines is far better than this college town for food and variety of food. I don't have shame in admitting that.
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