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For the very first restaurant feature I have chosen China Express - located at 1669 Camp Jackson Road in Cahokia, Illinois. The restaurant was established in 1979 by Chi Phi Lam and his wife Danh. China Express is still family owned with their sons Dave Lam and Khat Lam running the daily operation, while the parents opened another restaurant in Fairview Heights, Illinois.
Now for the real reason for choosing China Express for the first feature, it is one of my most favorite restaurants to eat at, and my #1 favorite Chinese restaurant to dine in at. I have eaten at Chinese restaurants around the country, on the West coast in San Francisco, on East Coast in South Carolina, in the Northern city of Chicago, the Southern city of New Orleans, and many other cities in between; as well as in others countries such as Costa Rica in Central America. And I must say that China Express beats them all, hands down.
Now when you eat at a Chinese restaurant in various regions the flavor and assortment of cuisine change drastically. For example, up north in Chicago the cuisine include such things as octopus and oysters (although I certainly never tried them); while in the west coast you can expect a variety of seafood’s being available. The contrast of style and atmosphere also change as well. I remember when I lived in San Francisco on 32nd Street above a Chinese restaurant (where I first acquired a taste for Chinese food), the atmosphere was very authentic with Chinese waitresses dressed in either a silk Kimono robe or the traditional Cheongsam dress, and the men dressed in oriental reversible jackets with the mandarin collars and frog buttons, and will never forget their hair in long pony tails. You really felt like you were in China, especially with all the oriental art all around you, and the traditional instrumental music in the background. Now, while all of this makes for a pleasant experience, it still comes down to the taste of the food, which brings me back to China Express in Cahokia. Although the dining area is clean and pleasant to eat in, with Chinese art and artifacts present, you don’t get the sense of being in China, that is, until you begin to eat the food. Then it is Chinese at its best, with large egg rolls to sink your teeth in, crab Rangoon to make your mouth water, sweet & sour pork or chicken to tickle your taste buds, or spicy Mongolian Beef that will open your sinus. Umm I’m getting hungry just thinking about it
all, I think I may have to go eat their tomorrow for the third time this
week.
Now if you haven’t eaten at China Express in Cahokia, let me tell you what to expect, and what you have definitely been missing. As I said the dining room is clean and pleasant to eat in, and you will find a long buffet serving table when you walk in with a wide variety of Chinese cuisine to choose from. And no doubt many people dining-in enjoying the great food no matter what day or hour you go in. So you can choose the all-you-can-eat buffet which includes your drink for $7.50 for lunch and $8.50 for dinner. Or you can choose to eat off the large selection of cuisine listed on the menu (menu linked in this web page). They do offer senior discounts and discounts for children. If you’re in a hurry (hence their name “Express”) you can take-out the Buffet-to-Go for $3.84 per lb. for lunch, or $4.48 per lb. for dinner, or once again take-out anything else on the menu. You will NOT be disappointed regardless of whether you decide to eat-in or out, or select buffet or menu. It is Chinese food at its very best!
Over the twenty plus years that I and my family have been dining at China Express, we have developed a friendship with the owners, first with Mrs. Lam (Mr. Lam was always busy cooking), then with their son’s Dave & Khat Lam and Khat’s wife Lidia, as well as with some of their staff. They are extremely kind and you always feel welcome in their presence, and that includes all of their employees. Now I’m sure you have gathered from what I have written that I strongly recommend China Express as a place to go to get some exquisite Chinese cuisine. So take my advice and plan a visit for you and your family soon, and to make it easier for you to decide I have linked a variety of coupons to save on your first visit. Thanks for ready this article and happy eating at China Express, perhaps I will see you there.
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