Egg Roll King is classic, old school salt-of-the-earth American Chinese food. The fake wood and red vinyl seats, the amber lights, the menu taped to the glass that divides the kitchen from the dining room complete with sun faded pictures of the lunch combos – all evoke a sense of ‘70s steez. There’s a fish tank that looks like it hasn’t been cleaned since then either.
Callum Standish: arts and entertainment editor
The chow mein is sort of their bread and butter, their meat and potatoes, their noodles and veggies if you will. With onions and sprouts, bouncy, greasy noodles and an iconic savory flavor the chow mein absolutely delivers. The Styrofoam container was near-overflowing with enough for two meals.
It tastes like how you remember Chinese food as a kid or how it looks in an animated movie. It’s filling, salty and oily in the best way. Call it good munchies or a hangover cure, whatever the mood, find an excuse to get over to the ‘King and get yourself a plate.
Molly Myers, managing editor, and Fabian Marian, reporter
The chow mein portion could feed a village. We really liked the texture. The vegetables were super crunchy and the sauce evenly dispersed. There were a couple noodles really clumped together that I particularly enjoyed.
Egg rolls? Bomb. Bussin. The dough was slightly sweet and crunchy. The egg rolls with the sauce was a perfect combo.
Fabian was freaked out by how cheap it was. For two egg rolls, a massive pile of chow mein and a sprite our bill came to $15.75.
Ariana Powell: editor-in-chief
The Teriyaki bowl sold at Egg Roll King. Taken by Ariana Powell on April 10.
The yellow rimmed sign outside the restaurant forebodes the truth hidden behind the counter inside Egg Roll King.
Once you walk through the door, grease fills the senses, but in actuality the food feels and tastes clean, almost healthy.
Their teriyaki bowl is full of perfectly basted chicken on a bed of soft rice, a perfect halo of flavor. The bowl, at first glance, looks like a small portion, but after only a few bites, I was full.
The restaurant’s crab cheese fried wonton appetizer was perfect as well. The smell gives off the same grease that blankets the restaurant’s interior, however the flavor proves that false.
Initially I was worried imitation had been used, but it’s clearly real crab and the proportion of crab to cream cheese is perfect. Once again the portions were so large, I couldn’t eat all of the fried wontons.
I just wish there had been more wonton filling.
Nathan Chiochios: sports editor
Egg Roll King might be my favorite restaurant in Chico. The food is good, especially for the price, and the vibe is very cool. The restaurant itself looks a little rundown, with pieces of the roof missing and a water fountain in the middle of the lobby that doesn’t even work.
I ordered the lunch special, which is $8.99, and comes with chow mein, fried rice, your choice of an entree and a drink. I chose the pot stickers, which I’ve never gotten before, and I got a Dr. Pepper as my drink.
The pot stickers might be some of the best I’ve ever had. The bread was very chewy, and the meat inside was very fresh. The chow mein is also very good, as its very chewy and fresh as well. The fried rice, while usually my least favorite part of the meal, is still great and is some of the most interesting rice I’ve had.
Grace Stark: news editor
I have always enjoyed Chinese food restaurants with a small-town feel and good food. Egg Roll King has just that, and is perfect for large meals or a snack that fills you up just enough.
The egg rolls are an entree and just $1.25 each, so three costs just around $5. I was pleasantly surprised by the larger size compared to other egg rolls I have ordered from different restaurants, and each bite was full of each ingredient as well as the crispy wrapper.
The sauce is a must-have, and adds a sweet but not overpowering flavor when dipping the egg rolls in it.
For me, egg rolls are a perfect snack and something I can always be in the mood for, and these egg rolls satisfied this craving perfectly.
The Orion staff can be reached at [email protected].
