Craving Chinese? Go for taste and price at Chen's
By ADRIENNE FRANK
Get Out

Value meal deal
Where: Chen’s Chinese Restaurant, 2945 E. Riggs Road, Chandler,
What: Orange chicken lunch special with soup, salad and appetizers ($4.25)

Cheap Chinese lunch specials are a dime a dozen. What sets Chen’s apart from the pack is their specials — priced from $4.25 to $4.95 — don’t taste cheap.

The strip mall eatery, located on the southwest corner of Riggs and Gilbert roads in Chandler, offers 18 lunch specials, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday and from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Diners can choose from assorted veggies, teriyaki chicken, Kung Pao chicken, beef with broccoli and a plethora of other Chinese food favorites.

On this Saturday afternoon, I opted for the orange chicken, which the menu warned was spicy. The special came with egg drop soup, salad, an egg roll, crab angel and sticky rice; I washed it all down with an iced tea, which was bargain priced at $1.

The soup was excellent — piping hot and flavorful — though I could’ve done without the salad, which essentially consisted of low-end iceberg lettuce (as evidenced by the leaves’ rust-colored hue) drizzled with Ranch dressing. The rest of the meal more than made up for the sub-par greens, as the orange chicken — hearty chunks of white meat (a rarity in Chinese restaurants, especially for $4.25) lightly breaded and swimming in a sweet ’n’ tangy citrus glaze — was fabulous. Granted, it wasn’t the least bit spicy, but I’ll take quality chicken over spicy, “questionable” poultry any day.

Though Chen’s fare is exceptional, the ambience is not much different from its competitors. Nestled in the corner of a newly constructed strip mall, the airy, cozy space is bright and clean. Booths run down either side of the restaurant, with a handful of tables in the middle. Colorful dried flower arrangements and Asian art adorn the walls. The result is a space that’s nice, but nothing new.

The verdict: For those who live in other corners of the East Valley, the San Tan corridor is anything but a dining destination. If you ever find yourself in southeast Chandler, though — and I do mean southeast — give Chen’s a try. It’s so tasty, you’ll be begging for a second location in your neck of suburbia.