Mr. Chen's Organic
Chinese Cuisine
2604 Connecticut Ave., NW
Metro: Woodley Park-Adams Morgan (red line)
(202) 797-9668
www.mrchens.com
$7-$12
You vowed the last time you ordered in Chinese food would be the last time. But that craving is back again. The only problem is that the place that still delivers this late at night causes concerns for your taste buds and throws off your digestive system.
No worries. Mr. Chen's Organic Chinese Cuisine, tucked away below street level on Connecticut Avenue just blocks away from the Woodley Park-Adams Morgan Metro stop, will solve all Chinese food woes.
Unlike many of its very unhealthy alternatives, Mr. Chen's focuses on using organic food to complement its more health-conscious cooking style. The restaurant also allows substitutions of brown rice rather than white and will steam most entrees upon request.
Though the atmosphere of the small dining room is somewhat lacking, the consistently exceptional service more than makes up the difference. The servers are friendly and attentive. A glass is never dry, nor does the food take forever to make it out of the kitchen.
If it is simply too cold to brave the elements and Metro over to Adams Morgan for your meal, it is possible to dine in the comfort of home, thanks to Mr. Chen's excellent and prompt delivery service. The minimum order for delivery is only $10, and ordering is made easy by logging onto www.campusfood.com or www.mrchens.com. Orders are also taken over the phone or by fax, and catering is available for when you need to feed a big group.
At Mr. Chen's, it is always a good decision to start out with an appetizer. The crab Rangoon is exceptional and the spring rolls are delicious as well. As far as entrees go, even vegetarians - who are usually subject to the same boring menus everywhere they go - will find a wide variety of unique, delectable dishes. The eggplant with ginger and basil sauce, a slightly less conventional dish, makes a delicious meal for anyone.
Although the vegetable dishes will satisfy any appetite, poultry, beef, seafood and pork choices also abound. Pineapple chicken is a great choice to indulge a craving for something sweet, while scallops and shrimp with ginger and garlic sauce meet the needs of those with more traditional tastes. Even better, Chen's fabulous Szechuan chicken satisfies the desire to spice things up.
And although the food sounds and tastes deliciously expensive, the prices are reasonable. In fact, Chen's is equivalently priced or cheaper than most other Chinese delivery options on campus, so it definitely won't break the fragile bank of a college student.
The one serious drawback to Mr. Chen's is that the hours reflect a normal adult's eating patterns more than those of college students. Therefore, the restaurant is closed at 1 or 2 a.m., when most college students return from partying. However, they still serve meals as late as 11 p.m. on weekends and 10:30 p.m. on weekdays, so students can get Chinese from Chen's and still eat a little healthier.
