Over the next few weeks, when you're not shoveling pigs in a blanket, dip, champagne and quiche, you are most likely to order Chinese food for delivery or take-out. A recent survey conducted by the food delivery mavens over at Seamless Web confirms this: 20% of delivery orders on Christmas Day are for Chinese Food. So, what number to dial? We asked friends, readers, and 7x7 staff members about their favorite places to order from, when they don't feel like lifting a finger. The favorites follow below.
1) People describe Abacus' Chinese food as "clean," and the restaurant's light touch with pork is notable: see the delicate mu shu pork with pancakes and softly scrambled eggs, or pork belly braised in sweet shao shing wine sauce. Round things out with sauteed green beans and housemade pot stickers.
2) U-Lee is where it's at for Russian Hill/Nob Hill Chinese food delivery. Prices are good, all of the chow fun renditions are balanced in flavor, and the baseball-sized pot stickers make your living room table feel fesstive in a snap.
3) One of the best ways to experience Mission Chinese Food is by ordering take-out. You bypass the lines, and can hiss, gasp for air, and guzzle beer with little embarassment, after firing up your mouth with super spicy kungpao pastrami, and lamb noodles. Be advised, the heat of ma po tofu doesn't deaden in next day leftovers.
4) By far the favorite among readers, Wonderland has an interesting vegetarian menu, and solid renditions of spicy Szechuan fish, Mongolian beef, and General Tso's chicken. Relatively quick service and relatively friendly staff make this a regular on many folks' lists.
5) Kung Pao chicken, war wontons, turnip cakes, Szechuan eggplant and pork buns, Big Lantern's huge menu is a crowd pleaser, and reliable delivery in the Mission means demand is high.
6) Large portions, out-of-the-ordinary dishes like spicy eggplant with chicken and shrimp, and a heavier hand with heat in some dishes make Eric's Restaurant in Noe Valley stand out. They don't do delivery, but many of you will get off the couch for Eric's Hunan/Mandarin specialities, like wonton soup, Shanghai chicken, and chow mein.
Is your Chinese delivery jam missing from this list? Tell us where you order from in the comments.
Carolyn Alburger is the editor of Eater SF.
