Have you been craving Chinese food but are tired of the long lines and the same old food of Panda Express in the CUB? Is your wallet looking empty after Halloween weekend?

Don’t worry, after purchasing my Halloween costume, I am in the same boat as you, so discovering the Emerald Chinese Restaurant came at a good time for all of us. 

The Emerald is located right along North Grand Avenue, right across the street from Dissmores. The restaurant is easy enough to see from the road with a bold sign. The parking lot is close to the road and smaller than I had hoped, making it hard to maneuver around in. The full menu is available online for orders using the delivery.com system, but the restaurant also has a pleasant atmosphere for eating in. 

To make sure I am giving the full report on the restaurant in question, I ordered both in the restaurant and for takeout. When I picked up my food, it was still warm and fresh and tasted just as delicious as when I sat down in the restaurant to eat. Let it be said that I do make sacrifices to ensure quality recommendations. 

Eating at the restaurant was as simple as ordering out and I was shown to the table almost immediately. The service was pleasant and the food came out quickly. My only real complaint was having too many options on the menu that sounded good, though my party and I eventually settled on some pork buns, garlic pork and General Tso’s chicken.

It was hard to hold back on account of the delicious smell when the food came out. We were given a sizable dish of rice, alongside our already large servings of food. The food was presented to us in a family style, allowing sharing across the table. 

Of the two main courses that I ordered, I enjoyed the General Tso’s chicken the most. However, both dishes tasted as good as the smell coming off them suggested. The star of the show were the pork buns that came as an appetizer. Rich pork and delicious dough, the buns did not disappoint, and I will be coming back to grab some more. 

Don’t be afraid of the prices when looking at the menu online. Though the restaurant is more expensive than a few burgers at a fast food joint, you get what you pay for. The serving sizes are quite large and despite being very hungry, I was not able to finish what I ordered. The leftovers have provided me with a delicious lunch for the next two days. 

For those whose wallets are still hurting after buying their Halloween costume but are still craving good food, I would heartily recommend The Emerald. I would say that the best way to experience the restaurant would be to gather a group of friends and order lots of different things off the menu. Then you would be able to try the breadth of what the restaurant has to offer and you won’t be disappointed! 

I give The Emerald Chinese Restaurant 11 stars out of 12. You’ll likely see me there buying some more of those pork buns!