Cheap Eats 2009: Full Key

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Reviewed by Todd Kliman , Cynthia Hacinli , Ann Limpert , Kate Nerenberg , Rina Rapuano

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Great food, low prices, lots of fun

Full Key

2227 University Boulevard W.
Wheaton, MD
Phone: 301-933-8388

Cuisines:
Chinese, Cantonese

Opening Hours:

Wheelchair Accessible:
Yes

Nearby Metro Stops:
Wheaton

Price Range:
Inexpensive

Dress:
Informal

Noise Level:
Chatty

Reservations:
Not needed

Special Features:
Late Night, Weekend Brunch, Kid Friendly

Best Dishes
Roast duck; roast pork; soy-sauce chicken; clams with black bean sauce; stirfried snowpea leaves; Lotus Root Delight; soy sauce noodles; shredded pork with pan-fried noodles; pepper-salted pork chops; congee with beef, squid, and peanut; black-pepper beef hot pot; eggplant in hot garlic sauce; eggplant casserole with salted fish and chicken; Hong Kong-style shrimp dumpling soup; shrimp over rice, with scallion-flecked egg sauce; Peking-style shrimp with broccoli;

Reader's Rating:

5 out of 5

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Why go: In a pinch, sure, you can make do with the oily stir-fries and murky saucing of the corner takeout joint. For all other times, there’s this 13-table, Hong Kong–style bandbox, a vivid reminder of how good Chinese cooking can be. The soups, casseroles, and glazed, roasted meats are fresh, authentic, and irresistible.

What to get: Sizzling beef hot pot (the real-deal pepper steak); shrimp-dumpling soup; shrimp and rice drenched in a light egg sauce; deep-fried, five-spiced-spiked pork chops; Cantonese honey-roasted duck and chicken, cleavered into strips and bathed in soy sauce.

Best for: Going with a group and taking advantage of the round tables with lazy Susans.

Insider tip: Don’t count on a cold Tsingtao beer—the place doesn’t have a liquor license.

Open daily for lunch and dinner.

>> See all 2009 Cheap Eats Restaurants here

Zorba's Cafe

Hong Kong Palace

Reader ReviewsWrite your own review

Authenthic as you can get!!

vamorm — October 15, 2009 7:22 AM

I come from a Chinese family and ever since I've moved here about 6 years ago, this is the only place that has even come close to the home cooking that I love to eat. I've also been to many different chinatowns in other larger metropolitan areas. More ...

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