In general, I order just egg rolls to go and eat them in the car in the parking lot so there aren't any questions. (BTW, the service inside at Kow Kow is absolutely stellar, which is why I get them to go - good service makes me feel bad when I don't clean my plate, causing me to down a plateful of food I'd otherwise ignore completely. Catholic guilt, ya know.)

Mhays wrote:In general, I order just egg rolls to go and eat them in the car in the parking lot so there aren't any questions. (BTW, the service inside at Kow Kow is absolutely stellar, which is why I get them to go - good service makes me feel bad when I don't clean my plate, causing me to down a plateful of food I'd otherwise ignore completely. Catholic guilt, ya know.)

Or you could always use Mike G's method that he links to upthread:

Mike G wrote:How to eat at Kow Kow

Best,
Michael

Mhays wrote: Catholic guilt, ya know.

At a Jewish chinese place!

I love this city.

Michael, anyone at Kow Kow mistaking me for a doctor needs more nourishment than eggrolls can offer...

Bumping this thread to report that after an absence of several years, Kow Kow is once again serving their excellent vegetable soup (proudly proclaimed on a paper sign taped to the wall). Although only vaguely Chinese in makeup (corn starch being the most "Chinese" of the ingredients), I've loved this soup since I was a child. Its return has brought me great joy.

Kow Kow Vegetable Soup


Coupled with one of Kow Kow's textbook perfect eggrolls, it makes for a great snack.

Kow Kow Eggroll




There are very few other dishes on the menu that I actually enjoy, although there are a couple. Usually, this is my order with the rest of my meal coming from somewhere else.

Kow Kow is still going strong after all these years.

Kow Kow
6755 N Cicero
Lincolnwood, IL 60646
847-677-7717

Holy crap, that's a good looking eggroll !!!!

I see plans within plans.

This thread makes my day.

boudreaulicious wrote:Holy crap, that's a good looking eggroll !!!!

This should be their slogan.

Glad to hear. My last couple visits to Kow Kow, although the egg rolls were still top-notch, the décor was (and probably still is) out of 'The Restaurant That Time Forgot', and since then had subbed out China Chef on Lincoln Ave. in Morton Grove.

Will have to try that vegetable soup.

jnm123 wrote:Glad to hear. My last couple visits to Kow Kow, although the egg rolls were still top-notch, the décor was (and probably still is) out of 'The Restaurant That Time Forgot', and since then had subbed out China Chef on Lincoln Ave. in Morton Grove.

Will have to try that vegetable soup.

For me, decor that cries out "The Restaurant That Time Forgot" is a feature, not a bug.

stevez wrote:There are very few other dishes on the menu that I actually enjoy, although there are a couple. Usually, this is my order with the rest of my meal coming from somewhere else.

Kow Kow is still going strong after all these years.

Kow Kow
6755 N Cicero
Lincolnwood, IL 60646
847-677-7717

Steve, I'd like to know what other dishes you will eat here, if you would please share. Cabbagehead and I have an occasional fondness for Kow Kow. Our kids roll their eyes, although they will eat the egg rolls if we carry out. Next time, we will try the famous vegetable soup; we usually get their okay wonton soup. We have found the Hong Kong Steak to be pretty decent when we want an entree.

EvA wrote:Steve, I'd like to know what other dishes you will eat here, if you would please share.

Eva,

Please don't expect some secret menu revelation, because Kow Kow has really deteriorated into a two trick pony for me (veggie soup and egg roll). If forced to eat something else while I'm there, I usually opt for Chinese style shrimp (or pork) and egg. It's basically an omelet made with peapods, water chestnuts and some other Chinese veggies along with your choice of pork or shrimp. Kind of a sauceless egg foo yung. The special steak kow that Gwiv pictured upthread is also pretty good.

Like jmn123, I usually opt for China Chef in Morton Grove instead, if I'm looking for a full meal.

stevez wrote:

EvA wrote:Steve, I'd like to know what other dishes you will eat here, if you would please share.

Eva,

Please don't expect some secret menu revelation, because Kow Kow has really deteriorated into a two trick pony for me (veggie soup and egg roll). If forced to eat something else while I'm there, I usually opt for Chinese style shrimp (or pork) and egg. It's basically an omelet made with peapods, water chestnuts and some other Chinese veggies along with your choice of pork or shrimp. Kind of a sauceless egg foo yung. The special steak kow that Gwiv pictured upthread is also pretty good.

Like jmn123, I usually opt for China Chef in Morton Grove instead, if I'm looking for a full meal.

Thanks. I didn't expect a great menu secret--just hoping there was something we hadn't tried that would fill out the soup and eggroll meal! We like China Chef, but it's a lot longer drive for us to scratch the Amer-Chinese itch.

With the imminent closure of Kow Kow, I called an audible today, and got a couple of egg rolls to snack on while waiting for the ribs in my WSM to finish cooking. Although I plan on going back for a "last supper", and will probably join Pigmon's 4 minute egg roll meal on Wednesday, I've just got to say that the egg rolls I was served today were the best batch I've gotten from Kow Kow in quite some time (not that they aren't usually great). These were picture perfect (how about the irony of not having taken a picture), and stuffed with generous chunks of pork and shrimp. It seems as if they really upped their game for the final week of service. Get over there before it's too late.

Fair warning to those looking for a final fix. A friend stopped at Kow Kow tonight for carry out egg rolls (including one for me) and was told they are dine in only and 1 per person.

Hi- They just had a segment about the restaurant on the 10:00 news on Channel 5. It said they are officially closing on Sunday, and there were many customers that they interviewed that were disappointed that they were closing. I am sure the publicity they just got on tv means that even more people will try to hit the restaurant one last time. Hope this helps, Nancy

No egg rolls are available on Saturday, either dine in or carry out. There was a sign on the door.

This Kow Kow 'impending death' phenomenon is as curious to me as it is fascinating. Yes, their egg rolls were good. So were those at Pekin House (gone, Devon & Bell), Lin's Garden (gone, Milwaukee Ave. in Niles), even the place I used to deliver for, Ah Fong (gone, originally Church/Gross Pt. in Skokie, then moved to near the Skokie Swift Station on Dempster). Will this end in a rebirth of sorts, like the faux-closing of Fondue Stube on Peterson, which turned out to be not so, and angered me in the process for the possible manipulation?

It's almost a case study in human behavior, more for those who link food & memories. (As an aside, I have no use for those who don't. ) We remember the dear departed tastes as part of our childhood, young adult years, and so on. But sometimes it's we who change. A place like Superdawg, amazingly, is the same, the same, the same, although I heard that at one point the Bermans switched from David Berg dogs to something else--maybe it was only a rumor. And certainly, I can't wolf them down like I did 40 years ago. Same with Eastern Style Pizza, specifically their Eastern Style Beef on garlic bread. In the 1970's & 1980's, the store on Dempster in Skokie was my go-to pickup before a drive-in movie, with an RC cola or harder beverages. Now? I stopped for one last November--the first in many years--at their remaining store near Touhy & California. It was still nearly a foot long, on that flaky, hard Gonnella bread, but I struggled to eat half of it. Yikes!

Time passages, I guess. But still, there's China Chef. Peace out.

Kow Kow egg rolls are available today and tomorrow, cold only for heat and serve. FYI they are $3 each now. Wendy said they got the cooks to come back to make a batch, but because they are only making egg rolls, the labor cost is high. And yes, the egg rolls do come with sweet and sour sauce and hot mustard. To order call Wendy at 847-677-7717.

Fin

stevez wrote:Fin

Gotta love al fresco dining!

=R=

I'm going out on a limb and saying they are going to miss Summer of 2017 opening.