Chang's House

I come here semi-regularly - often enough to know a number of the dishes, but not so often that the staff recognizes me. The man at the counter is always proud to show me the wide variety of veggie items on their menu, which is endearing. The menu has an entire vegetarian section that features mock meat substitutes. It also has a separate section dedicated to bean curd, most of which is vegetarian/vegan.

I like this place. I wouldn't go out of my way to go here - after all, it's about the same quality as many other Chinese fast-food takeout joints - but if you're in the area frequently like I am or if you live nearby, it's a good place to grab a quick bite after a night out or if you're pinched for time.

Note: they use lots of MSG, and they add oyster sauce to many of their dishes. That said, they are happy to hold either of these ingredients if you ask.

The selection is large enough- as well as the slew of very positive reviews. A meat-eating friend and I went there. He was rather neutral to his dish. I got the faux orange chicken. The broccoli was under-cooked but the "meat" was... somehow it was overly chewy, dry, sharp, crusty, and difficult to swallow. The decor on the inside was intriguing with little room to sit. It was also a little slow.

Chang's has a good selection of both mock meat and tofu dishes that are fairly cheap for the portion size. My favorite item on the menu is the "chicken" lo mein...it's the most delicious lo mein I've ever had, although it is VERY greasy. I'm also a fan of the general gao's or sesame tofu. Spring rolls are good, thicker than average, but also extremely greasy. I can't speak for the restaurant itself since I always get delivery.