Editor Pick
The Mandarin Restaurant
- September 8, 2006
- Rated 4 of 5 by
MilwVon from Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Another great ethnic restaurant in our little metropolitan city of Ames! Serving home-style authentic Mandarin and Szechwan cuisine at great prices, this is another in our family list of dining choices. Great for last-minute carry-out, we enjoy dining at or from Mandarin whatever the reason.
I am particularly partial to the fried wontons, although I must admit their homemade egg rolls are pretty darn good, too. They cook all dishes to order and do not use MSG (an important consideration for those of us with that nasty allergy). I have tried many of their dishes, but in just 2 years, the menu is too vast for me to have sampled it all. Some of my favorite entrees include the orange beef, cashew chicken, sweet-and-sour chicken, and beef and broccoli.
When it is just to two of us or carryout, there is more rice than we can typically eat. It is a rather heavy white rice, but cooked well without leaving it soggy or too moist. I actually like it, although it was something that had to grow on me over time.
Hot tea comes with your meal if you opt, although I'm usually drinking just water with lemon. David enjoys their iced tea, which is probably your run-of-the-mill Lipton or something like that. He says it's good, so that's all that matters.
Your meal closes with an almond and a fortune cookie. If you want, they do have a nice variety of sherbet, which I have enjoyed with my cookie(s).
All in all, this is a keeper, and we recommend it.
From journal Living in Cyclone Country - Ames, Iowa