March 7, 2012 Lunch – China Express, Las Cruces, N.M

March 7, 2012 Lunch – China Express, Las Cruces, N.M.

We were in our court hearing on the Lower Rio Grande Adjudication until 2:30 p.m..

After the hearing we stopped at the Cash and Carry store so Jeanie could buy Bueno chili to take back to Scottsdale, where we noticed two restaurants; a KFC chicken location and a in line store front Chinese restaurant named China Express.  While Jeanie was paying for her chili I went down the strip to the China Express and saw that it was a long steam table of prepared Chinese dishes that one could order for take out or eat in at one of the twenty or so tables.  The food looked good and the price was right: $4.25 for a combination plate with one entrée and $5.25 for a combination plate with two entrees.

So I went back to Scott and Jeanie and told them the Chinese Express looked good and quick.  We needed to get on the road to get back to Albuquerque and Scottsdale, respectively.

So we decided to eat a quick lunch/dinner at Chinese Express.  We walked to the counter and a young Chinese man.  I asked him for a 2 entrée combination plate.  He took a plastic plate and asked me if I wanted rice or Noodles and I asked if I could have both and he said yes and piled a large pile of noodles and a smaller pile of rice on about 1/3 of the plate.  I then requested chicken curry and beef and broccoli and he piled the plate high with a mound of each of those.  Scott got BBQ (Shar Sui) pork and Jeanie ordered Sweet and sour chicken and Teriyaki chicken.   We all were amazed at the price for the quantity of food.  The food was flavorful and distinctly identifiable as the dish we ordered.  My curry had a spicy curry flavor and the beef and broccoli was beef and broccoli in the typical thickened dark soy sauce sauce.  I loved my dishes and the noodles were terrific also; soft and yet firm and flavored with a light chicken and vegetable sauce.  Scott’s Shar Sui BBQ pork was really great, as good as you would ever want to taste, firm and sweet with the red sauce coked well into the meat. Jeanie’s teriyaki chicken was just okay and the fried chicken sweet and sour not very good because they gave you a small cup of sweet and sour sauce and some fried chicken pieces.  But my overall impression was that this was the best food value I have seen in months.  The food was hot, tasty and cheap. What more can you ask for when you are on the road our of town and want a quick meal.

Bon Appètit