Frequently, the Shreveport-Bossier Journal’s always-hungry reporter has lunch at a local restaurant and tells you about the experience.
By ANON E. MUSS, Journal Services
When eating out, it is hard to find consistency.
The food. The service. The overall experience. Everything coming together to make for a pleasant, enjoyable restaurant outing.
I’ve eaten at Imperial Cathay (6359 Youree Drive, Shreveport) many times. I can only remember two instances where something went wrong. On both occasions, I sent my food back because it was not hot. Two-out-of-a lot isn’t bad. But it had been several months since my last visit. So, on a recent Sunday after church. I invited a friend to join me for lunch. I wanted to see if Imperial Cathay was still as good – as consistent – as I remembered.
If you don’t know Imperial Cathay’s reputation, it’s right there for you to see when you walk in. On a table by the door are awards the restaurant has won over the years. More proof of Imperial Cathay’s popularity is that there is usually a bit of a wait to be seated. But since my friend and I went to early service, we apparently beat the church crowd, arriving at Noon.
One thing I have always appreciated about Imperial Cathay is that it doesn’t smell. Now, let me explain. I don’t mind the aroma of Bar-b-que – or any other type of food – when I’m outside the restaurant. But I don’t want to smell BBQ, Seafood, Italian food, or any other kind of food once I’m inside. I want a clean palette, if you will. Imperial Cathay serves Chinese Mandarin food, but you wouldn’t know it until you sat down and looked at the menu.
We were taken to a table (Imperial Cathay also has booth seating) by a friendly hostess. If you have an opportunity, grab a table next to the long aquarium. Instead of looking out the window or watching other people eat, you can check out different kinds of colorful fish swimming through white castles and over bridges. One thing I’ve always admired about Imperial Cathay is that they sure know how to keep a clean aquarium. I have had a few aquariums over the years, and they never looked as clear as the one at Imperial Cathay.
So, you know how when you go to a Mexican restaurant, the server brings you chips and sauce? At Imperial Cathay, the server (in our case, a nice lady named Fei) brings you their version of chips and sauce – a bowl of Fried Wonton Strips, with dipping sauces and hot mustard. But beware, you run the risk of filling up on those wonton strips!
Imperial Cathay offers 30 –that’s right – 30 lunch specials, seven days a week from 11am – 3:30pm. You can have anything from Dai Chin Chicken, to Beef with Broccoli, to Empress Shrimp. 10 of those 30 choices have a red pepper icon by them on the menu, letting you know those dishes are spicy. Each entrée comes with your choice of soup, a spring roll, and fried rice.
I live on the perimeter of Chinese Mandarin food. I’ve never taken a deep dive into Mongolian Pork or Shredded Beef Szechuan. So, true to form, I ordered Sweet & Sour Shrimp ($12.50), and water with lemon.
My friend is much more adventurous. She likes several things Imperial Cathay serves. So, she chose China Town ($12.50), which is a plate of a lot of different things. My friend also had a Diet Coke.
At Imperial Cathay, I’ve never waited long for my meal to be served, and this day was no exception. And, I would not have to send it back for not being hot. Smoke was coming from the fried rice, as well as the shrimp after I took my first bite. There were seven decent-sized shrimp on my plate, topped with and surrounded by slices of bell pepper, pineapple, and onions. There was a nice-sized serving of fried rice, and a fairly large spring roll.
The shrimp were outstanding. They were breaded just right, so as not to take away the shrimp’s taste. The rice was what you would hope – warm and soft. The spring roll was full of whatever is in a spring roll. And there was one thing – perhaps the most important thing – I haven’t mentioned. My food came with a bowl full of sweet and sour sauce. It was thick red, and so good, I could have gulped it out of the bowl. However, I embarrass my friend enough, so I was on my best behavior and used it only as a dipping sauce.
Speaking of my friend, her plate was a combination of shrimp, chicken, beef, cabbage, broccoli, carrots, and mushrooms. She loved the variety. Everything was hot and tender. My friend said her meal was just the right blend of sauce and spices, and wasn’t too heavy. And there was plenty to eat. So much that she asked for a to-go box.
Any good Chinese restaurant puts a bow on your meal by serving a fortune cookie, and Imperial Cathay is no different. I don’t put much emphasis on what’s on a piece of paper inside a cookie, but the fortune is fun to read, and often, the message is thought-provoking.
The cost of our meal before tax and tip was $27.95. For comparison, a few days later, I dined at a Shreveport-Bossier restaurant and paid $66 (including tax and an automatic 18% gratuity) for two salads and a glass of tea. So, $27.95 for the quality and amount of food we enjoyed, in a very nice atmosphere? You bet I’m giving Imperial Cathay Four Forks. I would return and go out of my way to do so.
From the food, to the service, to the surroundings—Imperial Cathay continues to deliver what many restaurants can’t – consistency.
1 Fork: Would rather eat a box of dirt
2 Forks: Will return, but only if someone else is buying
3 Forks: Will return and look forward to it
4 Forks: Will return and go out of my way to do so
Is there a restaurant you would like the Journal to visit for lunch?
Email SBJRestaurantReview@gmail.com.
