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| - Living in Arizona, my husband and I seem to be on a never-ending quest for good quality Americanized, and or authentic, Chinese cuisine. As native New Yorkers and from living abroad in Singapore, we have certain expectations when it comes to Chinese food. On a recent search for Chinese restaurants that deliver in this area, I stumbled on Dao Kitchen Asian Bistro, and, when I saw their menu, I was instantly drawn to Egg Foo Young (New York Style). You see, Egg Foo Young has become my foodie test for how good a Chinese restaurant is in Arizona. Unfortunately, the majority of places serve up tiny patties that should be an egg omelette, but have more of a cake-like texture, leaving you to question where the actual egg is. Then, they pile on your choice of pork, chicken, beef, or shrimp, instead of adding it to the actual omelette. So, I was immediately drawn to this 'New York Style' indication in the menu, and knew we had to try Dao Kitchen.
Last night, we decided to dine in at Dao Kitchen Asian Bistro, and discovered that this is really a great hidden gem in Peoria. The establishment is not fancy, but quite neat and clean. The wait staff is courteous and attentive, our drinks and complimentary Fried Wontons were on the table in less than 5 minutes, and the food we ordered arrived about 10 minutes later.
We had the House Fried Rice and House Lo Mein, which were both delicious, and the Lo Mein actually reminded us of the La Mein we had at our favorite Chinese restaurant in Singapore. Another dish we ordered was the General Tso's Chicken, and although the chicken was not lightly battered and crispy, it was tender and the sauce was quite similar to that of many restaurants back home in New York. Then, there was Dao Kitchen's Egg Foo Young, which had the boasted being New York Style on the menu, and I am happy to say it did not let me down at all. When the plate of Egg Foo Young with pork arrived at the table, my eyes were treated to three large egg omelettes stacked upon the plate with a bowl of brown sauce. I was teeming with anticipation, and could not wait to taste. The Egg Foo Young was actually egg and not cake-like in texture, and they actually put the pork into the omelette--kudos to the chef!
Overall, our meal was quite satisfying. The portions are large, and the prices are average. We have definitely found our go-to Chinese restaurant.
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