China Kitchen in American Fork worth a visit
The fresh Orange Chicken from China Kitchen. The Chinese Restaurant serves classic Chinese dishes from its location in American Fork.
The potstickers from China Kitchen in American Fork.
The broccoli beef from China Kitchen.
The potstickers from China Kitchen.
The Sweet and Sour Chicken at China Kitchen in American Fork.
My wife and I, and two of our kids, were in the mood for a new Chinese food experience this past weekend, so we decided to give China Kitchen in American Fork a try.
We’re definitely glad we did.
China Kitchen, located in a strip mall at 648 E. State St. in American Fork, took over the location about a year ago that previously housed the popular China Light restaurant. It is pretty nondescript outside, but was inviting inside. We especially enjoyed the faux grape vines that covered the ceiling throughout the restaurant.
Though the restaurant’s occupancy is listed at 49, through much of our visit, we felt like the only customers there. Then again, we were. We chalked that up to timing, as we stopped in mid-Saturday afternoon between other errands. Toward the latter part of our hour there, a few additional patrons started trickling in.
Service was very friendly and pretty prompt — but considering we were the only diners there at the time, that should be expected. Still, our two servers answered our questions and the staff even made a few alterations to the items we ordered to suit our individual tastes.
We started off with an appetizing order of potstickers and a bowl of Chicken Sweet Corn Soup. The pot stickers, accompanied by a special house sauce, were delicious, but we were really enthralled with the soup. The soup came in a large serving bowl and included an individual cup for each of the four members of our group. There was plenty for seconds and thirds by the time we finally polished it all off. It was, to coin an old coffee slogan, good to the very last drop.
We were equally enthusiastic about our main entree selections. Three of our party opted for chicken-based choices, including Cashew Chicken, Sweet and Sour Chicken, and Chicken Lo Mein. My wife ordered the Cashew Chicken, but as we mixed and shared a bit of our portions around with the others at our table, she noted, “I think I like everyone else’s choices better than my own.” That is indeed a rarity for her — and she thought her own choice was great as it was.
The Cashew Chicken can also be ordered with almonds instead and includes zucchini, celery, onion and carrots in a house sauce. The Sweet and Sour Chicken mixture also features bell pepper slices, onion, carrots and pineapple.
I ordered the Tangerine Beef, and loved it. It took a moment for the sweet taste of tangerine to kick in, but when it did, there was no denying it. The slices of beef, dipped in batter and stir-fried with tangerine peels and chili pods, were delicious. This dish is advertised as being slightly spicy, but we pre-ordered it mild.
The entrees were all abundantly sized, and accompanied by cups of steamed rice, allowing for plenty of leftovers.
We also sampled a pair of smoothies — the Mixed Berry, and Coconut. They were both excellent complements to our meal.
We got a bit of a shock when we saw the amount of our final bill — and noticed that a 10-percent across-the-board discount had been applied to our total. Apparently that’s just how they roll at China Kitchen when it comes to dinner. What’s not to like about that?
CHINA KITCHEN
Where: 648 E. State St., American Fork
Hours: 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Monday to Thursday, and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Closed Sunday.
Prices: $2.59-$11.95
Info: (801) 756-6560, chinakitchenamericanfork.com