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| - This place is located inside the Super L Market at the COFCO center. It's as if Panda Express and Sam Woo got together and spawned a child restaurant called Hong Kong Express. In this case, it wasn't Sam Woo, but Taiwan Express (it merged with HK Express). The result is a 3-in-1 place in an L-shaped configuration; a western style chinese fast-food line (similar to Panda Express) on one side, a BBQ meats counter at the corner, and a "more authentic" made-to-order counter with seating on the other side (what used to be Taiwan Express).
They proudly advertise "2008 Top 100 Chinese/Asian Fusion - Top 100 Chinese Restaurants in the USA" - were the options that bad for chinese restaurants in 2008?
I haven't bothered with the fast-food line, so I can't comment on the food there. It doesn't make sense to me to go "chinatown" and eat westernized fast-food - just go for the authentic stuff if you're here.
The BBQ counter is typical chinese BBQ - BBQ pork, roast duck, and - well, not much else (at least I haven't seen much else selection-wise whenever I've visited). Flavors are pretty much on point - but nothing special. If this is what you're after and you're in this neighborhood, you might as well get it here; otherwise it's a trip out to Chandler or Glendale - or make it at home.
The "authentic" takeout part is where I'll focus this review. I've tried their soup noodles, curry, noodle dishes, and steamed dumplings. Overall, good flavors, but not the greatest cuts of meats. It retains the Taiwanese style of food (even if it's called Hong Kong Express). On our most recent visit (2011-05-04) we ordered the beef noodle soup and wonton noodle soup. The beef noodle soup is spicy and also uses preserved vegetables in the broth - flavorful but probably not for every ones taste. The beef wasn't tough, but definitely wasn't tender; just seems like a lesser quality cut of beef. It is served with thin flat rice noodles, which helps balance the strong flavors in the soup. The wonton noodle soup is served with egg noodles. Flavors are good, but the shrimp-and-pork wontons are surprisingly hard. Either they used too lean a cut of pork in their filling, or the wontons have dried out (frozen?).
Price-wise, it's very reasonable.
Ambience-wise, well, you're inside a chinese supermarket at a fast-food counter with fast-food tables - use your imagination.
We stop here if we're shopping at Super L and looking for a quick meal - but won't necessarily go out of our way to come here. If it requires a trip, there are other places in the valley that are better options.
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