Do people actually think Royal China is good?
Posted by ExtraLucky-Pollution@reddit | Dallas | View on Reddit | 106 comments
Heard good things, got a couple recommendations saw the reviews were pretty solid. So I decided to go and my god that was the middest chinese food I've had in a long while. The MaLa Mian was honestly worse than the lime chili shrimp maruchan ramen and my egg foo young was "passable". Did they get private equitied or something there's just no chance this is what people glaze
Brassanthe@reddit
Royal China is for the neighbourhood folks (Preston Hollow) who have not discovered the Richardson or Carrollton Asian community.
ram8589@reddit
What are your favorites in Richardson?
Rakebleed@reddit
too ethnic /s
Atomichawk@reddit
As someone that grew up down the street from Royal China. I promise you Preston Hollow folks are aware of where to find “real” Chinese if they want to.
Royal China profits off the fact that it’s more upscale and within a 5 minute drive for everyone in the area. No one going there that I know tries to claim it’s “super authentic” lol
l_ally@reddit
I had a coworker who studied in China. I asked her what her favorite Chinese restaurant was in Dallas and she said Royal China. RC is for the people who don’t want to leave Preston Hollow but want more “authentic” Chinese food than Panda Express. I was shocked that she wasn’t more curious about finding a good place in Richardson or Plano.
Apprehensive-Taco406@reddit
It's the same reason people like El Fenix and Tupinamba for Tex-Mex. It's old school nostalgia and familiar to them. Royal China does the same. I do think Royal China has slid a bit over the decades. El Fenix has too but it's similar and brings a certain comforting feel.
MarkDA219@reddit
My family's Tex Mex was El Fenix growing up, when I came back from college El Fenix had fallen a lot more than a little. I've given it three chances at three locations and I've been disappointed each time :(
Crying_in_99Ranch@reddit
There's a reason they haven't discovered those areas
Houstonontheroad@reddit
Mah Jong on north Preston is my favorite
Father-Son-HolyGoat@reddit
lotta folks in this thread seem to think there is one type of Chinese, and love to shit on American Chinese as “not authentic” without recognizing the issue: there are MANY different types of Chinese cuisine from MANY different regions (grab a globe and look at how big China is…go ahead, I’ll wait.) The following is a list compiled by a Dallas Asian Food group last summer on solid example of common regions that have a foothold in Dallas:
Chinese BBQ: Fat Ni Szechuan: Sichuan Folk Hunan: Hunan Bistro Chengdu: Mifen Prince Taiwanese: Wu Wei Din American Chinese: Royal China Hot Pot: Hai Di Lao Dim Sum: Jeng Chi
This list is obviously incomplete, and doesn’t necessarily reflect “the best” of each category, but a starting point for good examples of each. Royal China is good at what Royal China does: makes American styled Chinese food.
Crying_in_99Ranch@reddit
The issue is more that they do serve 'authentic' cuisine but the menu is all over the place and they don't execute on the things they have. Dumplings or soup dumplings aren't Americanized but they don't do a great job of those. They simply aren't as good as other options in the suburbs where actual Chinese people live. And add on to that, a lot more expensive and catering to wealthier American crowds. Not a great combo to have.
theywillnotsing@reddit
The good chef there got poached by Kirin Court, or so I heard. But it was good, for a time.
PseudonymIncognito@reddit
Scuttlebutt at the time on WeChat was that their noodle guy left to open his own restaurant in Richardson (the now closed Imperial Cuisine).
Crying_in_99Ranch@reddit
Sounds like you're talking about Charlie. He's been around the block now, last I heard he was at East Wall.
Tmwillia@reddit
I LOVED that place. Explains a lot!
thatisgoldjerrygold@reddit
Need to go to Richardson. Dallas proper has basically no good quality Chinese
nikki109@reddit
I'm in Richardson, but originally from New Orleans, and the Chinese food is so different here from what I used to eat growing up in Nola. Granted, I get American Chinese like sweet and sour chicken, boneless chicken etc. But in Nola at a place like Five Happiness or Golden Dragon, they would give you a giant, lightly battered and fried chicken breast on top of your fried rice with huge, fresh vegetables in a sauce. Here everytime I order sweet & sour chicken(have never found plain boneless chicken here), it looks like frozen nuggets with some Sysco sweet and sour sauce. I've basically given up on Chinese here.
loafing-cat-llc@reddit
what restaurant in richardson is good ?
dm_me_cute_puppers@reddit
First Emperor.
ceciladam9091@reddit
The best overall experience. The very definition of "mom & pop"
xanoran84@reddit
I love king's noodles. Casual Taiwanese food and it's the bomb diggity
SipoteQuixote@reddit
I was gonna say Kirin Court, good duck, good dim sum.
thatisgoldjerrygold@reddit
Wu Wei Din and Jeng Chi are the go to recommendations. Royal china is great specifically for the noodles
collectorof69@reddit
Wu Wei din fell off
Mang9@reddit
+1 for Jeng Chi. They make their noodles and dumplings from scratch
kitsunegoon@reddit
Wu Wei Din is technically Plano. Also stop telling these people where the good Chinese restaurants are. Some white woman thought I worked at a Vietnamese restaurant the other day.
NarcRuffalo@reddit
I thought they were talking about Royal Sichuan in Richardson but it must be different. That’s my favorite but I’m white haha my former colleague from China loved it though too!
Mang9@reddit
Try Jeng Chi next door - it’s more expensive but you get more and ingredients are fresh
sisterfunkhaus@reddit
Canton is dumpy but delicious.
Jim_Nills_Mustache@reddit
Yea jeng chi is my go to now that I moved to Richardson, I used to admittedly love royal china previously but I didn’t know we had better options.
Mang9@reddit
Jeng Chi has a bakery and even does custom cakes. The place next door (f95) is a chain and many of their products are delivered and in some cases reheated.
Jim_Nills_Mustache@reddit
Wasn’t aware of that but looking at their website you are correct
kitsunegoon@reddit
Royal sichuan is very good
pegasito@reddit
What a sad waste of thought and commentary.
ExtraLucky-Pollution@reddit (OP)
Brody bro why are you in favor of bad chinese food?
pacochalk@reddit
Only non-Asians like it.
QuestionableProtip2@reddit
Exactly. You can tell how good a place is by the clientele.
kitsunegoon@reddit
Brother I don't see any east asians in the SMU area to begin with.
It's overpriced, but it's not bad.
theshallowdrowned@reddit
Huh? Royal China is a 15-minute drive from SMU.
kitsunegoon@reddit
The crowd is just a bunch of SMU kids and highland Park people. Preston hollow isn't exactly distinct.
TroyAndAbed2022@reddit
Hey if someone likes it, good for them. No judgement needed. I love panda express but I'm sure Asians wouldn't find it authentic and that's fine. I've tried a few Chinese restaurants and the tastes are not for me.
Soviets@reddit
I don't see why this is controversial. eat what you enjoy!
TroyAndAbed2022@reddit
Yeah. I said exactly that.
PreferenceBusiness2@reddit
Lol. I had such high hopes when I went there based on reddit.
I mean, its still good but its like really good pei wei with handmade noodles (I think, at least). Ultimately, its just different.
DistinctAd3865@reddit
Honestly I never understood the hype for this place. Dallas Chinese leaves much to be desired. Been really enjoying Miya though. That spot is chef’s kiss.
ExtraLucky-Pollution@reddit (OP)
It makes me sad that every place people keep recommending are absolutely nowhere near me
Bold814@reddit
No. Everyone thinks it sucks. Thats why people go there right?
Congrats on not liking it though!
xanoran84@reddit
I try to give grace when I see these kinds of opinions. There is an exceedingly broad range of expectations not only for quality of Chinese food, but also type. It can be difficult to pin down without knowing the kind of person you are giving reviews to or receiving them from. I've learned to only take reviews from certain friends/family and I won't give my own recommendations to many friends without also setting their expectations. Hopefully OP will be able to find what their looking for among the recommendations in this thread.
Bold814@reddit
I agree with in your sentiment. Why these posts crack me up is that the OP didn’t ask “Wasn’t a fan of Royal China - anyone have any other good Chinese recommendations”. It’s the condescending smugness of “Do people actually think Royal China is good”.
MarkTwang-@reddit
Their crab wontons and soup dumplings are fire. That being said, give me your Richardson and Carrollton recs!
QuestionableProtip2@reddit
When it comes to Chinese food in Dallas, it’s First Emperor or bust.
ExtraLucky-Pollution@reddit (OP)
I've been to first emperor pretty sure I only tried their lo mein which IMO is such a mainstay and a classic of chinese/chinese american food that you can judge a chinese restuarant based on how they make it and theirs was mediocre. Better than a lot of places but I very literally forgot I ever ordered there until I walked over from the alamo and was in the parking lot like "OH I've been here before " before leaving
. It's kinda fucked up how bad chinese food is in this city. I fucking miss my hole in the wall in san antonio
liquidnight247@reddit
Where in SA did you find decent Chinese food?? I tried hard while I was there for a few months for work and found nada.
ExtraLucky-Pollution@reddit (OP)
I haven't been here in a long while but Panda Inn over on wurzbach was a staple in my childhood and is most definetely one of the reasons why I have such high standards for takeout food now
spacedman_spiff@reddit
Oh so you’re not looking for authentic, just better quality takeout.
ExtraLucky-Pollution@reddit (OP)
HOnestly either or it really doesn't matter. As long as it's a well balanced and properly made dish. I love me some shitty fresh panda express but I also have no issue spending 3 hours prepping and measuring 27 ingredients for fire asf SICHUAN DAN DAN NOODLES by Myers + Chang At Home
spacedman_spiff@reddit
Myers + Chang is fusion 🤦🏻♂️
ExtraLucky-Pollution@reddit (OP)
Ya kno idky I even said myers I know they're a chinese restuarant in the UK somewherel. It's just been on my mind simply for the fact that I was mad at royal chinas for their shitty take on the dish.. Dementia is coming for me like a mfr
spacedman_spiff@reddit
Royal China has hand pulled noodles, which you don’t find many places currently. But their flavor palette is not for Chinese.
You might enjoy Sichuan Folk up in Plano.
kitsunegoon@reddit
You're gonna have to deal with the fact that the Chinese food you're used to is not remotely the same as what the average Chinese person wants. Doesn't mean it's bad Chinese food, it just means it's not conforming to the American taste palette.
ExtraLucky-Pollution@reddit (OP)
what
kitsunegoon@reddit
You're a bit slow
ExtraLucky-Pollution@reddit (OP)
You're acting like you know the foods I consume on a regular basis. The food I bought from Royal China sucked. The food from Panda Inn was great. I've eaten my way through enough Asian cookbooks and YouTube videos to know the difference between a poorly cooked rendition and a fucking authentic dish that I simply just don't like. All a dish has to be is delicious and worth the price your paying. Is that truly such a hard concept to understand
Crying_in_99Ranch@reddit
Lo mein is more of a Chinese American dish and you shouldn't use that to judge most restaurants especially if they have a regional specialty. First Emperor is more Taiwanese so tons of better choices to order from there.
ExtraLucky-Pollution@reddit (OP)
Lo mein is a chinese dish. There's different variations one of which is the classic Americanized version. Either or if you can't make a fucking good lo mein/chowmein when they're both practically the same amount of ingredients your shop is shit.
kitsunegoon@reddit
What kind of gwei lo ass opinion is this? Taiwanese restaurants absolutely should not be judged by their lo mein. Shit, most Cantonese restaurants I don't expect to have good lo mein if they're specializing in something else.
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NoImTheOneWhoKnocks@reddit
Spoken just like someone who orders "lime chili shrimp maruchan ramen" from Royal China.
Crying_in_99Ranch@reddit
It's a regional Cantonese dish but the version you see in the US is the Americanized one. Judging a Sichuanese or Shanghainese restaurant on how they make an Americanized dish is pretty ignorant.
DefiniteDooDoo@reddit
IMO First Emperor is goated but I’ve never had their lo mein. It’s also best with a group so you can order lots and share.
If you want to give it another shot I recommend the sesame bread, eggplant, crispy fish, and kung pao.
QuestionableProtip2@reddit
Definitely best with a full table.
mudokipo@reddit
Next time you go to First Emperor, you have to order their Hakka dishes.
spacedman_spiff@reddit
OP’s standard of Chinese is the Panda Inn in San Antonio. They’re looking for takeout not authentic.
Big_Car_7725@reddit
Sichuan Palace or Kirin Court in Richardson would be better for you.
WeGotTheFunk21@reddit
My family went there often in the 1980s when I was a kid. I still go there regularly. The food and service are excellent. They use very good cuts of beef, chicken, and pork with good-quality vegetables. They have an outstanding collection of teas, not just a pot of jasmine.
I have had Chinese food in San Francisco and New York City. Royal China by default is not as spicy as other parts of the country. They know their customer base. But if you like your food spicy, they will be glad to accommodate.
I think you guys might be arguing about regional and personal preferences. Is really good barbecue only from Texas? Kansas City? St. Louis? Carolina? Alabama? Is there only one good barbecue place in Dallas? Is it Teri Black‘s, Cattleack, Strouderosa? Your-favorite-place?
ehaney312@reddit
Royal China and Howard Wang's exist off people with more than taste and an inability to drive to a neighborhood that isn't Preston Hollow
etchasketchpandemic@reddit
I mean - I get what you’re saying but I live in Oak Cliff and driving to Richardson or Plano for dinner is just not realistic. I go to Royal China when i have a craving for that type of food because I don’t know of any other place that’s a reasonable distance. I’m not gonna make a two hour round trip for lemon chicken.
Suggestions are welcome and encouraged!
Its-Brucey@reddit
Really surprised to see all these comments. I would never say it’s the best Chinese in the Dallas area or anything but I love Royal China and so do most people I know who have been. And my social circle involves a lot of foodies.
I tend to order dishes like the pork chop rather than hole in the wall Chinese mainstays when I go there though. Maybe try ordering a bit differently if you go again?
taysal86@reddit
Royal China is great but agree you have to know what to order. Get soup dumplings and dry stirred beef and if you dont like those then you can say you dont like the place. But i would have a hard time believing someone if they say they dont like the dry stirred beef!
ChefHod@reddit
I have to agree. Their much lauded dumplings were below meh.
l_ally@reddit
They tasted like dirty dish water to me. I kept asking my husband if he tasted it too but his threshold for food is broader than mine.
ComfortableReturn441@reddit
man i went there like 6 months ago after seeing all the hype and walked out so confused. the dumplings tasted like they came from freezer section and the sauce was just... bland? maybe it used to be good and went downhill or something but i dont get why people still recommend it
animalhappiness@reddit
I liked it. For Dallas proper it is pretty on-par Chinese food - look around, there are really very few Chinese places, and virtually none of the classic white box and fortune cookie to-go Chinese places where the owners' kids are doing homework in the corner.
It's overpriced, but what isn't here? Or anywhere nowadays for that matter?
Miya Chinese and Wok Star are both pretty good as well, but not an appreciably better price point.
If you're willing to go up to Plano or even Richardson you will get a lot better Chinese, even so fairly authentic Chinese.
When I say Chinese I mean American-Chinese.
SuretyBringsRuin@reddit
If there were only a reasonsbly good and tasty one that delivered in the Uptown/downtown area, I’d be overjoyed. But, have tried many and none are quite worth it.
theywillnotsing@reddit
I know where you should go if you want that homework kid in the corner vibes. Genroku. Not a bad thing on the menu in my opinion.
animalhappiness@reddit
Never heard of that. Thanks
NoImTheOneWhoKnocks@reddit
People who know Chinese food don't "glaze" Royal China at all. It's pretty well known that it's mediocre food. I think you just discovered that finding good food of any kind takes a certain amount of effort on your part in order to identify people's taste before you trust their suggestions. Reviews aren't trustworthy either, just yesterday there was a post from D Mag about the rampant manipulation of google reviews by restaurant owners.
Icy_Lengthiness_9147@reddit
Royal china USED to be great (at least from what I can remember, I was a literal child) back when Buck was still alive. It was my family’s go-to when I was growing up, I still miss their pu pu platter and shrimp toast. After he died and his son took over, they completely changed the place and re-did the menu, and they ruined it. I haven’t been back since.
Nowadays I’m a pretty big fan of Bushi Bushi Dim Sum.
Tmwillia@reddit
We used to go there for the lunch special when I worked at Borders. Mr. Buck once wouldn’t let my co-worker order a tofu dish, telling her “too Chinese for you”.
Royal China is a “someone else is paying” restaurant now.
elgarcon@reddit
If you're coming from somewhere like NY or San Francisco, then yeah, you're going to be disappointed. I grew up in NY, where my local Chinese place was in a tiny strip mall, not big enough to have more than two tables, run by a family of immigrants that had been there since the 60's.
To this day, I have not found any place in Dallas that has come anywhere close to as good, and restaurants like that are literally in every town or on every block.
Regarding Dallas and Royal China, I'm with you ... very much over-hyped and over priced for what you get. I haven't eaten there in years and don't actually look for good, authentic chinese much these days because every time I feel disappointed (at least comparing it to the spot I grew up going to in NY). So I just accept that if I want Chinese, I will get something passable from whatever place on Uber eats I can get a discount on.
PseudonymIncognito@reddit
Several years ago it was pretty good and did a good job of presenting well made upscale American-Chinese staples along with some more "authentic" offerings and hand-pulled noodles and house-made dumplings. I went back with my wife about a year and a half ago and it just felt very mid.
Crying_in_99Ranch@reddit
People like it because it's a Dallas establishment and it's been around for 50 years. The standard for Chinese food back then was pretty low. There's tons of way better places in the suburbs now.
liquidnight247@reddit
So another Campisis…they exist because they’ve always been there oof
rumdrums@reddit
I think the people here don't understand that a lot of us enjoy going to classic not-very-good/heavily Americanized Chinese places every now and then. Sometimes I just want the comfort of the bland Chinese food I grew up with.
Crying_in_99Ranch@reddit
I think that's fine but Royal China does market itself as a higher end restaurant that serves authentic dishes as well but they just don't execute as well on those, especially for the price point. The Americanized Chinese places don't even try to be authentic or fancy and I think that's totally fine.
Practical_Art536@reddit
Yes. It’s good.
matt7688@reddit
Had the EXACT same experience. It was really not good. Totally unimpressed. I took my Chinese friend from New York and I was straight up embarrassed.
I made up for it by taking him to get sloshed at Inwood Tavern afterwards though so all was forgiven.
h4tchb4ck@reddit
Been there a few times because of the hype. It's not good. China Blue and Hong Yuan Noodle in Plano are our current spots.
Guardian500@reddit
Hongyuan rocks. I miss steam dumpling
mudokipo@reddit
Whoa whoa whoa, don't tell people about our spots- I don't want another good restaurant getting Jeng Chi'd
ExtraLucky-Pollution@reddit (OP)
I fucking hate living on this side of town man anything half decent is so disgustingly far ill never go there
Resident-Surprise206@reddit
When you want good Chinese the rating has to be 3.5-3.9 read the comments you have to make sure people say the either the service was bad or they really didn’t care much for you but the food was tasty. Also look at the style of Chinese food they’re offering. Szechuan, Cantonese, Cantonese BBQ, Hunan. Some of them have specialties!!!
You can differentiate them mostly always when you read the chef specials or they’ll mention it on their menu.
Will say the offerings in Dallas proper are pretty mehh… unless you’re ready to cough up a pretty penny for those new elevated Chinese places that are opening in Dallas.
I do like fortune house but hate Greenville Ave so I go to the original location in Irving. First indicator is fried rice for me. If you can’t make a good proper fried rice that’s flavorful taste the veggies, and allium! Good toasty notes from the rice versus what some places are doing which is just rice and soy sauce I walk away.
Good Chinese spot are no bs straight forward get you want you need and you’re out the door.
dikbut@reddit
We go on work’s dime pretty often so I can’t complain. I always just fill up on soup dumplings.
forte99@reddit
This place exists on its reputation. I’ve never been served hot food (temperature) yet. So done with this place. I drive to Richardson now for my fix…
jameebaiser@reddit
It’s probably decent for the area. We go to First Chinese (cash only) or Canton; it looks to be a bit more north if you’re at the Royal China I’m looking at.