Berkeley isn’t exactly a hotspot for great Chinese food. There are several average-to-good ones, including Great China and Lotus House, but the below-average to downright gross restaurants outnumber the better ones.
Another aspect you give up when eating Chinese food in Berkeley is authenticity. Totally understandable. This isn’t Rowland Heights or Monterey Park (some very Asian SoCal cities), and the restaurants in Berkeley have to think about their customer demographics.
Recently, I tried out a Chinese restaurant called May Flower because of a Munch on Me deal. Located on University Avenue, with its storefront hidden from view, this restaurant does a wonderful job of looking discrete.
It was dinner time and there was one other table filled, so my friends and I were a little worried about the quality of the food. The Munch on Me deal was for a BBQ duck and BBQ sausage plate with rice, and it was surprisingly pretty good.
I wouldn’t say the best Chinese food, but it definitely reminded me of a typical home-cooked Chinese meal. Because of this good experience (and the good prices and clean restaurant), I plan to go back some time to try out their dim sum, which is virtually nonexistent in Berkeley.
If they can deliver, May Flower may just be my new favorite Chinese restaurant in Berkeley.
Sail with the Pilgrims at www.thefoodspotlight.com
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