Hong Kong Restaurant in Merced Tops Alternatives

Having recovered from the last Chinese restaurant I visited, it is now time to visit another option in the great search for a good, reliable Chinese place. Hong Kong restaurant, in the Raley's shopping center, has been an object of interest to those who visit Mel's cafe on the other side of the grocery store. Its placement in opposition has forced Mel's to change its menu somewhat, possibly creating greater diversity of Asian cuisine in our fair city. Curious about whether this new contender deserved its place as competition, I decided to go and check it out.         

The first impression was positive. Hong Kong is much more richly decorated than either Mel's or New China, with interesting art and brightly colored furniture. Mirrors on the walls give an interesting and possibly unintended infinity effect, which is a fun thing to play with when waiting for one's food. Service is friendly; my server in particular was a nice woman who kept up with all of the orders efficiently.           

The diversity of dishes is very good, and they are well priced; the lunch specials in particular are an excellent value. Vegetarian dishes are served, with about the range one would expect from a Chinese restaurant, not particularly wide, but existent. One may order a lunch special containing a good variety of options for around eight dollars, which includes the main course and two sides. Noodles can be ordered crispy, soft, or stir-fried, which renders even further degrees of options for customers. No matter what your favorite Chinese dish, it is very likely that you can find it here for dinner.    

Before the rest of the order came, I was treated to the egg drop soup, which was a distinct improvement over the last batch I ate. It was flavorful and full of egg, with a slightly spicy broth. The Kung Pao chicken, ordered at medium, is not impressively spicy and is served over a bed of excellent crispy noodles.

The pork-fried rice is deliciously smoky, with robust pork flavor imbued throughout the rice. A side of scallops and vegetables with peanuts accompanied the order, and they were delicious as well, giving an interesting accompaniment to the rest of the meal. There was ample food to justify the cost of the order, which was a pleasant surprise. I even found that I needed a carry out box after I finished my meal. At the end of the meal, I found that my fortune cookie contained advice rather than an actual fortune - which was a disappointment, but did not really detract from the experience of eating here.

Hong Kong turned out to be a reliable Chinese place. They serve plenty of delicious, varied dishes, with enough food to even make two meals in some cases. The lunch specials are fabulously priced for the amount of food and they do not scrimp on flavor. The pleasantness of the décor makes Hong Kong an enjoyable experience to eat. I would recommend this restaurant to those looking for a good Chinese place.