Best Chinese takeout in Niles area

We used to love Chinese Inn, Milwaukee & Harlem, until they closed, (I think because of the lawsuit) and cant seem to find anything good in the area.

Palace Restaurant in Morton Grove...nuff said

Palace Restaurant
9236 Waukegan Road
Morton Grove, IL 60053

Never being to Chinese Inn, are you talking about Americanized Chinese food like orange chicken, egg foo young, atomic red sweet and sour sauce over some kind of deep fried something, or are you looking for more authentic dishes like what you would find in Chinatown? Both have their merits, although I think its much more difficult to find the latter types of restaurants in the North Shore area. That being said, there are places that still serve a decent bowl of wonton noodle soup or beef and chinese broccoli chow fun in the niles-ish area.

China Chef in Morton Grove is very comparable to Chinese Inn in Niles.... Actually is better. I grew up in Niles and was sad to hear this small family business being closed because of a unfortunate food allergy lawsuit which a small place like this would bankrupt in a minute. I used to love the fried rice, egg rolls, chili oil and all the cheap lunch specials at Chinese INN.....

At China Chef the following items standout as very well done for Americanized Chinese food:
-Egg Rolls
-BBQ Pork Fried Rice (similar taste /look to Chinese INN)
-Mongolian Beef
-Hot & Sour Soup
-Filipino Fried spring chicken (really tasty with no flour coating unlike KFC)

China Chef
5920 Lincoln Avenue
Morton Grove, IL 60053
(847) 967-6050
http://www.chinachef.org/
http://www.yelp.com/biz/china-chef-morton-grove

At China Chef in Morton Grove, don't forget trying the Filipino-influenced pancit guisado. Somewhat similar to pad thai.

China Chef has some really good Filipino dishes- the pancit and the lechon fried rice (might be an off-menu item, but they have it) are our favorites. We stopped getting the regular pork fried rice once we knew about the lechon.

China Chef is indeed tasty. If you live near the north end of Niles, I recommend 168 Chinese in a strip mall at 8922 N. Greenwood (Niles); they have a really good Cashew Chicken, with dark sauce. We went to Mee Mah (4032 W Peterson Ave, Chicago) a lot, which isn't terribly far considering Caldwell turns into Peterson; but we lived on the south end of Niles. Whatever you do, do not, even in the event of starvation, go to Ing's China Buffet (which also did takeout the last (Last!) time I was there) at 6249 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, a short walk from the southern border. Starving would be a merciful alternative.

I've had food from 168 Chinese years ago, and it was so bad, could not go back again.

Always thought China Chef was more of a Filipino type menu, as opposed to Chinese. Also would like something closer to Oakton and Greenwood with the option of delivery!

Brushman4 wrote:Always thought China Chef was more of a Filipino type menu, as opposed to Chinese.

No. Not at all. It's Filipino owned and there is a page of Filipino specialties, but the menu is mostly typical Jewish Suburban Chinese and, I'll agree it's some of the best in the area.

Not sure why I would order Chinese food from a place owned by Filipinos. Would you order Filipino food from a place run by Chinese?
Also I need a place closer to home with the option of delivery.

Brushman4 wrote:Not sure why I would order Chinese food from a place owned by Filipinos.

Umm, because it's good

Some of the best pizza I ever ate was from a place owned by Mexicans. Many of the best American restaurants are owned by Greeks.

Brushman4 wrote:Not sure why I would order Chinese food from a place owned by Filipinos.

Because the world is cosmopolitan.

Brushman4 wrote:Not sure why I would order Chinese food from a place owned by Filipinos.

Because you asked for the place with the best Chinese takeout in the area and people are telling you that this is the place.

Brushman4 wrote:Would you order Filipino food from a place run by Chinese?

Yes. It's like asking if you would eat Macanese food at a restaurant that was not run by Macanese.

Brushman4 wrote:Not sure why I would order Chinese food from a place owned by Filipinos.

The name of the family that owns China Chef is Fong. There has historically been a large Chinese diaspora, including large numbers of people who moved to the Philippines. A good friend of my mom's, Betta Lee, is one of those folks. The could be Chinese AND Filipino.

China Chef can be very good, and it can be kinda indifferent. I haven't figured out yet which days have the better chefs. Of whatever ethnic background.

Giovanna

deesher wrote:Yes. It's like asking if you would eat Macanese food at a restaurant that was not run by Macanese.

I'm guessing this is Way too subtle.

China Chef is just fine, food fits nicely in the Cantonese/American playbook along with Kow Kow, Palace Restaurant, Orange Garden and, my current favorite of the type, House of Wah Sun on Lincoln.

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I am certainly lamenting the loss of our family favorite.
Pekin House, Nankin, Kow Kow, were all places where our family ate out in the 1960's and 1970's, but take-in? Only one! Young's on Waukegan in Glenview.
I would not try to claim that the food there was gourmet, or even that it would please all who tried it, But, my family had been eating there since I was in a high chair, literally. I grew up on it and so did my children. 50 some years and the egg rolls, egg fu young, sweet and sour chicken, fried rice were the best. To me. Now your opinion may not coincide, but one thing that can not be argued - their food was consistent. The food I ate as an adult in my 50's tasted exactly as I remembered in my 40's, 30's. 20's, well,... you get the idea. And this is the issue about food - it evokes emotion. And as more and more people leave this earth, the approach they used in the kitchen disappears. Recipes are altered, ingredients become unavailable, ...and nothing remains as it does in our mind.
So, here I am, once a week or so, trying all the Chinese restaurants within driving distance, hoping to hit that taste I crave. Please continue with suggestions - I am open-minded. But sad.

I wish you the best in your search. To my taste, Young’s Chinese ranks as one of the absolute worst meals I have ever experienced in a restaurant. I overlooked the mildew/smoke/ sour unwashed smell as I can overlook surrounding if the food is good.

It was not. Inspidly bland yet offputtingly sour soups, badly cooked rice (under and over cooked in the same dish) and just terrible preparation. Imagine buffet Chinese sitting on a steam table then dropped into old off flavor deep fat oil to heat up then served.
I have had better meals in a Malawian jail cell.

Octarine wrote:I have had better meals in a Malawian jail cell.

But, how were the portions?