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| - Between 6 hungry people, we ordered:
1) Indonesian Fried Rice
2) Crispy Beef
3) Crispy Tofu
4) Chicken Lo Mein
5) MaPo Tofu
Platters are around $7 each and everything is cooked fresh to order. The flavors are amazing here and the service is amazing, the food comes out quickly. It's feel-good, home-away-from-home cooking. It's no wonder there's always a lot of international students and a few home-grown midwesterners eating here - they've discovered one of the best spots for Asian food in Champaign. (And the engineering quad is also right across the street!)
It's not a fancy place. You'll clean your own plates when you're finished and when you order, you'll be given a number which they will call out from the counter. You can grab your own silverware, napkins and cups of water/tea from the big kettles near the cash register and clear your own dishes when you're finished. But what they lack in pomp and panache they make up for with good food and cheerful service. Simple as that.
If I had to choose to order one thing consistenlty, it would be their crispy tofu. Hefty wedges of soft tofu are lightly breaded and fried. It's served topped with strings of fresh green onion and this incredible thick garlic dipping sauce, which I would eat with plain rice. It's that good! And it's my favorite.
The Indonesian Fried Rice comes with a fried egg on top and their MaPo Tofu comes spicy (chilis bring it on), in a very sharable portion. Our dishes also came with the soup of the day, something along the lines of egg drop soup with tomotoes. Here you will get an affordable meal with amazing Taiwanese-Indonesian-Chinese flavors.
When i was a student here, I would mostly order take-out and the portions would last me at least two meals. Come here if you want a filling, hearty meal that will nourish your heart and soul. Dining in is great to eat family style since the dishes are shareable. If you come consistently enough, I think you'll find your favorite dish that you'll want to order every time. The owners are incredible people who take great pride in their restaurant. They know they are a beloved spot on campus and treat their patrons in the same way.
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