China Express

China Express
1519 N Lake Ave
Pasadena
626-797-4417

China Express is an Americanize Chinese restaurant in Pasadena, that is owned by Vietnamese people.  The sign says fast food, but don't think of steam tables and Panda Express.  All food is cooked to order and comes out hot and steaming!!

Located on the very busy Lake Ave, China Express has two tables inside and two more outside, but this is mainly a take out location.  Next door is Louisiana Fried Chicken, where I had a terrible experience of undercooked chicken.

Shrimp Chow Mein, $6.75 with cabbage, green onions and small sized shrimp.  This was very good.  The noodles were cooked perfectly.  The shrimp were seasoned and cooked perfectly, I would say there were about half a pound of small sized shrimp.  I liked this dish and would order it again.

Broccoli, mushrooms with Oyster Sauce,$7.45. This was a good dish until a certain point, which I will get to soon.  The oyster sauce added a salty flavor to the dish and the garlic in the dark soy sauce just added to the flavor.   The broccoli was flashed fried in a wok and came out crunchy.

But, after eating a few pieces of broccoli I found a piece of chicken and a chicken bone in this dish, as you can see in the picture below!! I couldn't believe it. I walked up to the window and told them to make me a new dish.

The picture above is the second order.  Still the same great flavor except without a chicken bone.  The only complaint I have is that there was too much oyster sauce.  The broccoli was almost drowned in oyster sauce.

Service needs to improve.  I was standing right in front of the lady and wasn't acknowledged until about 5 minutes later.  I realize you are busy but a simple I'll be right with you, when you see me, would be fine.  When I took the broccoli back, the ladies weren't helpful at all.  The cooks were much more helpful.

I did enjoy the food at China Express, but the bone in the broccoli and mushrooms with oyster sauce will prevent me from going back there again.