China House Restaurant

Kids loved Carryout from this dive but it is now closed. Spring Gardens off 16^th Street is now our go-​to place for Chinese.

China House is now closed.

My grandfather came to this restaurant in the 1960’s when it was run by his friends. I have always wanted to try this place, but the parking is difficult. I only ordered some carry-​out, i.e. hot n sour soup and shrimp lo mein. I would have to try other dishes to really do a better review. However, the lo mein was very sub par. I was not impressed with the menu selection. There were quite a few Montgomery Blair High School students there.

I actually came here based on a recommendation from someone that I know who lives in the area.
So, when I got the chance, I visited China House to order something.
They are a Chinese-​American place. The restaurant is quite small – but, rather dark inside. The proprietor there is very warm and attentive (and speaks very good English).
Since nothing on the menu jumped out at me particularly, I ordered one of my default items (curry beef), which is a kind of a test dish that I get when I go to a Chinese restaurant that I have not been to before (especially, one that specializes in the less authentic Chinese-​American fare).
While the curry sauce was serviceable – good, for want of a better word, the beef itself was just awful. It was extremely mushy. It is hard to exaggerate how mushy it was. It was like eating baby food or flesh that had been pulverized in an acid bath.
Immediately, I knew why. They had gone overboard when they were tenderizing the meat. Most, if not all, Chinese restaurants subject the beef that they use to some kind of tenderizing process. Many will bathe or marinate their beef in a baking soda solution. The process can teeter out of control depending on how much baking soda is used or for how long the meat actually sits in the baking soda solution.
Visually, the meat looked as it should have – in long strips with a bright sheen from being stir fried and from the glaze of the curry sauce.
However, biting into the meat and chewing it was like encountering the Three Mile Island of beef. It had been through a melt down.
I don’t know if they were breaking in a new chef who had not yet perfected how to tenderize meat or if a veteran chef had been careless or distracted. Did someone have the Redskin game on in the kitchen?
Maybe, they do a commendable job on other dishes. I don’t know. I am sure that they do because every restaurant surely does some dishes (perhaps, many dishes) well.
It is just that I will not be back to investigate that possibility.
Go, Redskins!

Sorry, worst Chinese restaurant in town, not sure who is going there but they can do better. Go West on University Blvd into Wheaton instead.

They deliver to our new house!
Good solid Chinese food. Husband loves the Singapore Rice Noodles. We always get the steamed dumplings and most of the time they are good.
Plenty of vegetables in the entrees.

So this is the place that I lost my dumpling virginity at.
I had heard from various people that their dumplings were good and I had never had one before. We ended up here for dinner one night, so I decided to be adventurous and give ‘em a whirl. Now all that was missing was a Guns N Roses song and it would have made the night all the more memorable.
The food and portion sizes were decent. The dumplings were good (although according to my dumpling connoisseur boyfriend, not mind blowing, but I thought they were yummy). The host was very pleasant and happy and was always saying thank you, which I thought was totally cute. Will definitely return!

I have been going here off and on for 13 years. This is a great place. Cheap prices, great portions and friendly staff.
Their dumplings will blow your mind! My other favorites are cashew chicken, orange chicken and general tso’s chicken… Try this place, you won’t regret it.

say what? i am the first to rate this place?
this is one of my go to places for down and dirty and good last minute cheap eats. china house gives you a bucket load of chinamerican food (without the baby corns and excessive water chestnuts) for a darn good price.
i really like their singapore rice noodles.
dine in or take out… they give you plenty for little $$