Chinese Kitchen - Westmont

Since the recommendation of Katy's Dumplings turned out so well, after a trip to Minos Importsthis morning, GWiv and I decided to try yet another JeffB RBI* restaurant, Chinese Kitchen in Westmont, for lunch.

We started off with house made egg rolls. These were somewhat skinner than average and seemed to have ever the slightest touch of peanut butter as one of the ingredients. While these weren't the best egg rolls I have ever had, they were certainly passable enough for a suburban Chinese restaurant. The egg rolls were followed by a cup of the soup of the day, hot & sour. The soup was pretty good, not too corn starchy like I have had in other establishments. We also had pot stickers. The filling was a little dense and bland and the wrappers, while of seemingly good quality, were not browned enough, so they were more like a cross between steamed dumplings and pot stickers, although not in the same league as Katy's, which is just a few miles up the road. I can't go into complete details of the rest of our meal right now. More details will follow when I get a few free minutes to post.

Chinese Kitchen
6551 S. Cass Ave
Westmont, IL
630-968-3876

* Recommended But Ignored

stevez wrote:The egg rolls were followed by a cup of the soup of the day, hot & sour.

Steve,

Though not a fan of hot & sour soup I quite enjoyed Chinese Kitchen's version, noticeable vinegar tang, generous amount of dried mushroom and the broth, nicely enhanced by a shake of the table white pepper, did not succumb to the La Brea Tar Pit sludge of most American/Chinese renditions.

I liked the pot sticker a bit more than you, though I agree the filling was a shade dense and needed a 'spark', though once chili oil was added to the mix they were tasty enough. Egg roll was fine as well, with a ...............

Oh, sorry, something just came up. I have to cut this short, I'll report on the rest of the meal a little later.

Enjoy,
Gary

Oh oh, I hope you ordered some of the HK/Cantonese specials in addition to the Chinese American fare, which I have not tried (but which should be good if they sell it, I guess...).

JeffB wrote:Oh oh, I hope you ordered some of the HK/Cantonese specials in addition to the Chinese American fare, which I have not tried (but which should be good if they sell it, I guess...).

You are in the process of being Punk'd, Jeff.

Unless, of course, you are in on this too.



E.M.

JeffB wrote:Oh oh, I hope you ordered some of the HK/Cantonese specials in addition to the Chinese American fare,

Jeff,

Sure we did, but Chinese Kitchen's egg roll was really quite good.


Enjoy,
Gary

As was Chinese Kitchen's Hot and Sour Soup.

Those are pretty good pictures of the egg roll and soup, but since Chinese Kitchen has not one, not two, but three menus (American suburban, rice and congee, and Chinese) and an impressive list of daily specials, we had to try some stuff from the other menus, too. Speaking with the manager, it turns out that the Japan Tofu with spicy and salt and the salt and spicy smelt fish are two dishes that, according to him, nearly every table orders. Who were we to argue? Now, I'm not the biggest tofu fan in most cases, but the rounds of deep fried tofu were transcendental. They were silky in the middle, coated with a delicious mixture of S&P and were served with bits of finely chopped jalapeños as well as red and green bell pepper. I couldn't get enough of this dish, which was my favorite dish of the day! The smelt were equally tasty, but not as unique as the tofu. We also had crispy skinned chicken with dredging salt which was good, but a little on the dry side, a very respectable version of pan fried chow fun and some Szechuan string beans (which was the weakest dish of the day, although not bad by any means).

Mid way through or meal, the entire restaurant filled up with a hoard of young Asians who were evidently part of some community group. They completely took over the restaurant and, as we were leaving, burst into song as a group. It was quite lovely to hear. Like little angels singing for their supper.

So, it turns out this JeffB RBI™ restaurant is another winner. It's a long haul from the city, but I'm already dreaming of my next trip to Westmont to try more of Chinese Kitchen's offerings.

stevez wrote:Now, I'm not the biggest tofu fan in most cases, but the rounds of deep fried tofu were transcendental.

Steve,

Chinese Kitchen's salt and pepper (Japan) tofu was really delicious, easily the best dish of the day.


Another good choice for Salt and Pepper Tofu is one of Peter D's favorites Hoang Thanh

Salt and Pepper Smelt were terrific.


I liked Szechuan string bean a bit more than Steve, the 'weakest' dish of the day, to me, were the potstickers, though only in comparison to the other offerings.


Chili oil was quite good, the ginger/scallion dip, which was actually intended for a daily special of Steam Chicken, did not fall prey to over salting, and the Szechuan salt for dredging salt for the crispy skin chicken a nice foil for the flavorful, though ever so slightly dry, chicken.



As Steve mentioned, it was a really sweet moment when the Church group, which is what I'm guessing they were, broke out into song.

(One of three 'church' group tables)


Surprisingly, and I almost felt like I was cheating, I found Chinese Kitchen to be mildly evocative of 'Little' Three Happiness, some similarities in menu offerings, same feel to the place, even the chairs, as Steve observed, were the same, and the manager's name is Ray. (The owners of LTH are Ray and Betty)

Suffice to say, I really liked Chinese Kitchen and am now scouring the board for other JeffB RBI's.*

I have a few more pictures, and menus, here

Enjoy,
Gary

*In recent memory JeffB RBI's include Katy's Dumplings and Carniceria Leon, both about as good as it gets.

Hoang Thanh
1129 W Argyle
Chicago, IL 60640
773-271-7328

Gary and Steve,

Glad you liked Chinese Kitchen. It is a place that basically does (did) not exist in print beyond the phone book. Clearly, the west suburban Cantonese church groups know, but I think few others would guess that the local generically named chop-suey looking place in the mini mall has the kind of menu and kitchen this place does. Surely, the western burbs are lousy with any number of Chinese takeout places and Americanized sit-downs that range from god-awful to pretty good for what they are. But the places catering to newer immigrants can be excellent.

I'd add to the menus you already posted one dish that I really found to be a great version, and it's Ray's (I guess that's the guy I talk to) favorite: salted fish and chicken fried rice. I generally don't like to get fried rice out, since it feels wrong to pay for leftovers, but the big exceptions are Thai shrimp paste "fried" rice and the Cantonese dish that China Kitchen does so well.

Finally, I completely agree about the parallels with LTH. The wok-crisp noodles with duck are nearly identical, which is to say damn good.

So, next time you are out that way, check out Westbrook Market, which is just south of CK on Cass. Not a restaurant, but a very nice place to browse the esoteric produce and Balkan liquors. Also, for others' edification, the same mini mall with CK has a decent Indo-Pak grocer, a new, sort of fancy taqueria that I have not yet tried, and a Lithuanian bar/cafe.

JeffB wrote:salted fish and chicken fried rice.
[snip]
So, next time you are out that way, check out Westbrook Market

Jeff,

I'll be sure to try the salted fish and chicken fried rice next time, don't want wait a year and then have to post about another JeffB RBI.

We did check out, on your recommendation, Westbrook Market. Nice market, enjoyable to browse. I picked up lamb chops, sweet corn and mangos for a quickie on-the-grill dinner later that evening.





Enjoy,
Gary

JeffB wrote:So, next time you are out that way, check out Westbrook Market, which is just south of CK on Cass. Not a restaurant, but a very nice place to browse the esoteric produce and Balkan liquors. Also, for others' edification, the same mini mall with CK has a decent Indo-Pak grocer, a new, sort of fancy taqueria that I have not yet tried, and a Lithuanian bar/cafe.

Jeff,

Thanks again for the recommendation of Chinese Kitchen. It is really a great place...like a little oasis of China in the wasteland of western suburbia. Westbrook Market was a good place as well (except that I doubt I would make a special trip just for the market, though). I think it's actually North of CK rather than South, no?

stevez wrote:Westbrook Market was a good place as well (except that I doubt I would make a special trip just for the market, though). I think it's actually North of CK rather than South, no?

Westbrook Market is a couple blocks north of Chinese Kitchen, at the NW corner of 63rd and Cass. They also have another store at 63rd and Woodward in Downers Grove.

The people who own Minos Imports are part-owners of Westbrook Market, and they are 100% owners of a store a couple miles south, on the NW corner of Cass and Plainfield Rd, called Brookhaven Marketplace. Between the two, Brookhaven is the "special trip" store for me. Its emphasis is Eastern European as opposed to the Asian/Hispanic emphasis at Westbrook Market. Not surprisingly, virtually all the Minos Imports products are available at Brookhaven Marketplace, including daily availability of the roasted meat products.

Brookhaven also has stores in Burr Ridge (the former Bobak's) and Mokena. Based on what I've seen, Mokena would appear to be their flagship store...

Sorry, north, not south, though they are very close, especially in a car.

Interesting about Minos. I'd note that Minos has a heavy focus on specifically Balkan and Greek products, as evidenced by the website. Between Bobak's and the Minos people's stores, the East is pretty well covered out there. Minos seems to import some very interesting wines and liquors from the former Yugoslavian countries, Romania, etc. FWIW, I like the more Mexican/Filipino/Indian/SE Asian bent of the produce at Westbrook, but they are both very cool grocery stores.

PS, Steve, you have to embrace the wasteland. There are so many oases out there in the strip malls. The Valley isn't the only place like that. Filipino delis, Indian snack shops, hand pulled noodles, it's out there next to the Just Ducky and the Fashion Bug .....

Brookhaven has an amazing selection of Croatian wines, among the best I have seen anywhere. But I always have a problem buying wine from a place that doesn't know how to properly store it...

Where Brookhaven excels compared to Westbrook is with bread, fresh seafood, and the Minos-like deli counter complete with olives and roasted meats. Westbrook clearly has better produce, and its selection of frozen seafood is outstanding. I get the flyers from both stores in the weekly ShopLocal ad package, so I can shop accordingly.

As for embracing the area, have you been to the Sikh sandwich shop next to the Uni-Mart at 75th and Janes? Or the Indian mini-mall (Bombay Bazar), with an attached restaurant called Sher a Punjab, on 63rd between Belmont and Woodward? One of these days I'll actually stop at some of these places!

Sher-e-Punjab is a branch of the Devon establishment. I had lunch (buffet) once (suburb, not Devon) and it was quite decent (avoid the dosa and chutney, i.e., non-Punjabi items). Sizzling Tandoori chicken was brought to the table and naans were freshly made in a visibly located tandoor.

I was loitering at the Indian grocery next to CK waiting for CK takeout (picked up some filled parathas and ice cream), when a couple of blonde guys came in and asked for directions to the best Indian establishment for dinner. The store owner sent them to Sher, and told me he does not much like Indian Garden/Mysore or the South Indian by Katy's, which is run by non-South Indians, he said. Said good things about the place on 83 near 75th also. I also wonder about the fancy-looking new place west on 75th behind Barnes and Noble that is associated with the huge Indian wedding/banquet hall.

Also near the Uni-Mart mini mall (75th and Janes) is a West African store advertising cow skin and hooves and a decent taqueria/tienda combo. The Korean-owned, LA-like Bosa Donut seems to be RIP, unfortunately.

Any word on these?

I tried this place today. Had the Kung Pao beef, H & S soup, and an egg roll. I thought the egg roll could have been better, and the hot mustard was not very good, but the other two items were good. Given the crowd and the fact they had 3 servers, I thought the service was slow. I will definitely go back again.

Anyone have comments on the restaurant next door: ‘something’ Café Rutu?

The chicken almond ding (here ting) was a stand out. Didn't much care for the the moo goo of som guy, oh, but wait, what I really meant was... how can 2 of Chicago's best Chinese restaurants be in Westmont?

Pouting because after the trip to Katy's we arrived and it was closed (I knew I was supposed to check on something) plan b was put into effect. Not expecting much, I was blindsided. My expectations were so exceeded I almost had a first old fashion apple fritter moment, where I'm so happy my smile turns to laughter and I can't stop remarking about it while I eat.

Vying for best dish of the year status was the tofu w/spicy and salt. Creamy egg like center between crisp pillows of fried tofu. Taste and texture wise a 10. Pretty sure it's togarashi as seasoning but whatever it is, the dish was transcendent.

But the hits kept coming. Singapore chow fun ordered crisp and spicy was both. A great dish. Likewise the Tenderloin with walnuts in blk pepper sauce. I MUCH preferred the blk pepper/walnut version over the similar Double Li dish that adds a handful of garlic. The meat was obviously high quality, the walnuts providing some tooth. They seemed lightly candied as well. Over rice another tremendous dish.

That it's 30 miles from my house is the only downside but it's well worth the ride.

Thanks Jeff. Good looking out.

Jazz-

Great to hear Chinese Kitchen is holding up. The reason great Chinese places exist out there is similar to the reason great Chinese places are in the suburbs of LA, NY and DC -- that's where the Chinese people live. Or so I'm told. To have exemplary Hong Kong (CK), Taiwanese (Fabulous (I think it is, could be wrong)), Szechuan (LSC) and Beijing (K's) style places out there is pretty cool. I used to really enjoy the trial and error method of finding decent food near the in-laws. My non-Chicago focus has shifted to Michigan lately as I spend less time out west, but with the holidays I'll be back and hope to see if anything new grabs my attention.

JeffB

I miss Uncle Lou's in Westmont and Lan Di over in Countryside. Both were Taiwanese I believe.

trying to plan where I am going for lunch today, and this is at the top of the list. I have a hankering for Chinese food and cant wait til X-mas Eve @ DOuble Li to have some.

this place accept credit cards?

jimswside wrote:this place accept credit cards?

Yep.

cilantro wrote:

jimswside wrote:this place accept credit cards?

Yep.

thanks,

I could have waited til they opened & called, but needed a quick answer in case I neede to think of a plan "b".

Plan B should always be Katy's, <10 minutes away. That's cash only, though.

cilantro wrote:Plan B should always be Katy's, <10 minutes away. That's cash only, though.

been to both Katy's many times, but with the 2+ hour drive into work today I didnt have time for a stop @ the cash station, so credit/debit card only today.

I realized I had been to this place before when I pulled in the parking lot. The last time was with a small group, and we ordered off the gringo menu(food was ok, nothing special).

This time I asked for the Chinese menu, and had one of the better lunches I have eaten out in a while.

Ordered a Wonton & Chicken Caserole, not knowing what to expect. What came out was brilliant, yet simple. A terrine loaded with excellent wontons, and topped with steamed chicken. All bathed in a chicken stock I was envious of(I have a new level to strive for at home).. This dish was great. Lots of flavors & textures.

I also had some Shanghai Vermacelli noodles, Nice, dish with a hint of curry, and pieces of shrimp, and slices of pork. Nice dish

I am a fan of szechaun beef, fried rice and eggrolls(it is what it is), so I had the lunch special with these componants as well. The szechuan beef was really nice, subtle, but interesting heat & flavors(subtle, almost fruity), and lean pieces of beef along with onions, green peppers, etc. The bbq pork fried rice was good, as well as the egg roll(which as mentioned above has slight peanut butter flavor(I still think Fabulius Noodles in Lisle has thge best egg roll in Chicagoland.)

Overall alot of food for one person for $23. My wife was happy to learn of what I ordered, and what was now for dinner tonight..


I may have a new go to place for lunch.

had the truck again today, so it was between Portillos, and Chinese Kitchen... easy decision.

Had a noodle soup with shrimp wontons, and roasted duck. Just a perfect dish for a snowy day. Same broth as the other day(wont ton & chicken, this one tasting alittle of the roasted duck. Plentiful pieces of bone in roasted duck, about 8 shrimpwontons, and a load of thin noodles. Just great and @ $5.95 a steal. Also had (1) eggroll.

Total tab with tip Was $10. Cant beat that, and I gotta get back here with a large group to try more stuff on the menu.

jimswside wrote:Total tab with tip Was $10. Cant beat that, and I gotta get back here with a large group to try more stuff on the menu.

Jim,

I know you're a "meat man" like myself, but I'd highly recommend you try the Japanese Tofu with Salt & Spice on your next visit. It's a great dish and far and away the best thing I've had there (not that anything hasn't been good to great). Yes it's tofu, but you'll quickly get over that fact when you taste this dish.

stevez wrote:

jimswside wrote:Total tab with tip Was $10. Cant beat that, and I gotta get back here with a large group to try more stuff on the menu.

Jim,

I know you're a "meat man" like myself, but I'd highly recommend you try the Japanese Tofu with Salt & Spice on your next visit. It's a great dish and far and away the best thing I've had there (not that anything hasn't been good to great). Yes it's tofu, but you'll quickly get over that fact when you taste this dish.

I have been tempted by it on the menu based on the praise it has gotten on this thread. Perhaps when I go with a larger group it will get a shot.

I was brought here several years ago by a friend who is Chinese and had a great meal here, but I forgot all about it until I saw this recent post again, and so I went there today for lunch and boy am I glad that I did.

The place is relatively small, and every table but one was taken, but I didn’t mind being seated alone at a table for 6 – that just allows for more food and magazines to be spread out. I decided to get the Japanese Tofu Salt and Spice that Steve Z so heartily recommends, normally about $10, but I asked if they could do it with the lunch special, and the waiter said he could, it would just be a smaller portion. Thus soup now came with my order, and I got the Hot and Sour, which was actually very good. And then the “small” portion of Tofu Salt and Spice came; there must have been 12-15 of the fried discs of tofu sitting amidst the jalapenos and onions. Just how big is the “large” portion, then?! Anyway, this dish was just spectacular. I love all of the fried salt Asian dishes, but this one was really a standout. The tofu melted like custard in my mouth, with the light crunch of the batter a nice contrast, and the slightly spicy jalapenos and onions added the perfect complement. All this for only $6.50! And I felt perhaps just a hair lighter than usual after eating such fried food, thanks to the tofu. Perhaps I could sometimes be a kind of vegetarian.

I will surely be back to try it again soon. Incidentally, next door was a sign for the “Grand Opening” of a possibly Czech or Polish restaurant. It looks ripe for an LTHforum taste trial from someone – perhaps me.