China Chalet
“My family hails from Sichuan so our standards for home cookin' are snobbishly high.”
“The server was very attentive as well as friendly in suggesting dishes since we are not accustomed to szechuan cuisine.”
“Classic dishes – Mau Tofu (spicy,) Eggplant in Garlic Sauce (spicy,) Steamed Fish, Peking Duck, Bok Choy with Mushroom ( vegetable.)”
China Chalet
Takes Reservations: Yes
Take-out: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes
Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
Good for Kids: Yes
Good for Groups: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
Caters: Yes
Price range.
$$ Price range $11-30
8 reviews
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Excellent Chinese food. Probably the best in the area. The food comes out extremely quick during lunch service. They seat you quickly and can bang out your lunch in 30 minutes or less.
I normally get the chicken broccoli lunch special which is served with a white rice that had vegetables in it. The chicken and broccoli comes out perfectly, couldn't ask for it better. Lunch specials are normally served with soup. I get the wonton soup. The wontons are not shaped the way you normally see from a Chinese restaurant. They are smaller and made with a much thinner dough. Lunch is always under ten dollars.
This place has china authentic Sichuan food. Amazing.
Standout dishes include the 3 pepper sichuan chicken and Mao Pao tofu. if you go there, i highly recommend focusing on the Sichuan dishes and ask the waiter "what's fresh" or "what's good". if you go there and get chicken with Brocoli, you will find it run of the mill.
I travel to china frequently and some of their items are as close to the real deal as you will find in the US. I prefer this restaurant to any Sichuan restaurant I have tried so far in NYC.
I'm shocked this place only has 4 stars. Shocked.
It deserves at least 4.9999 stars for being the best Sichuan restaurant in the state. My family hails from Sichuan so our standards for home cookin' are snobbishly high. I don't even think any place in Manhattan or Flushing could oust China Chalet for its quality, authenticity and consistency.
The chef-owner also hails from Sichuan and will sometimes stop by our table to talk to my parents in the local dialect. Trust me, he knows what he's doing in the kitchen, and the food speaks for itself. I moved out of state, but every time I come home, I have to come here and order the following staples:
—Fish in a Pond (I think that's what it's called in English–see Chef's Specialties near the last page)
—Mapo Tofu
—Dan Dan Noodles
—Sichaun Fried Rice
—Duck
Recently, I discovered Sichuan-style hot peppers, which wasn't on the menu but because they know Sichuan food, they were able to whip it up exactly like it's done in the old country. Spicy. Dangerous. Delicious.
Lastly, I must mention that this is NOT your hole-in-the-wall Chinese fast food. This place has class. The setting does justice to the quality of the cuisine. Unfortunately the mess I make as I eat is positively correlated to the deliciousness of the food. It's a wonder how they get those stains off the pristine white tablecloths. Hats off to the chef and his staff.
Three words… Spicy Pork Dumplings. Those get a 5 star review from by themselves. I'd give this a 4.5 star review, but cannot because of the system. A very high quality Chinese meal that was served quickly, with high quality and decent serving size. I was one of few Americans in the joint, so that clearly speaks to the authenticity of the meal. I really enjoyed this meal and would come back again if I'm in the area.
Food is ok, not really authentic Szechuan. Some classics like gan bian fei chang were not on the menu.
Had the classic dan dan noodle and wonton in spicy oil, both were overly sweet and lacking a savory balance. I had the eggplant dish and hubs had a Mongolian beef, both were regular Chinese food level, nothing too spectacular.
Oh well, would only eat here if I was super hungry for Chinese and too lazy to drive to my other Szechwan go to's in Wayne and Wallington.
Excellent excellent place, this place has lived up to the Yelp hype in my opinion. Or that I'm just a fan of Szechuan food and easy to please haha. It's located in a pretty bustling shopping center with plenty of parking. The restaurant wasn't very hard to find and it is pretty big, bigger than I thought so could seat decent amount of people.
Of the 4 dishes we've ordered I actually liked the string beans 干煸四季豆 the most even though that's not really a spicy dish. But the flavor of it tastes just right and the texture felt right. The other favorite of was the Dan Dan noodles 担担面. I was expecting it to be pretty spicy but it turned out not at all. But the chili oil really give it a nice flavor and fragrance that I haven't seen in other Szechuan restaurants yet.
The Braised Beef with Napa Cabbage 水煮牛 was pretty good as well but I think here I should've gone with the fish as traditional was done. Next time definitely going more for their seafood options.
Lastly the Crab meat Spinach 蟹肉菠菜 was a relatively light flavored dish compare to the other three. It was nice to cleanse the palette with something lighter and as well as getting the veggie requirements.
Very satisfied with the meal and service was good, we didn't have to wait for orders to be taken or water and tea to be refilled. I had an excellent time here and only lament that its not closer to the city. This place is definitely worth a trek out, there's even a Trader Joes across the street so that could be a nice lunch/dinner stop for grocery runs 🙂
I'm a fan of Sichuan cuisine, so I really hoped to love it. However, it was just so-so.
I'd been looking for a new place since Chengdu 1 in Cedar Grove up and moved to Sommerset. Unfortunately, China Chalet isn't nearly on that level. Not even close. This is an Americanized Chinese restaurant with a Sichuan theme more than an authentic Sichuan restaurant. Given that information, their food is absolutely fine. It's not wow, but it's a decent Chinese meal.
The staff is very friendly. Both the front and waitstaff are polite and courteous.
With an open mind, I'll go back and try it again. Hopefully with a larger group to try more items. I'd love to find a go-to Chinese restaurant. Calling this the best in the area may be true, but if that's the case, we have a pretty sad state of affairs on our hands.
I was really craving some Sichuan food and as always turned to Yelp for some good recommendations in the area. Stopped by to order a few dishes for carryout and thoroughly enjoyed what I had! I've only been exposed to sichuan food for a few years and often indulge in lunch spots in NYC. I'd say this restaurant has dishes comparable to ones served in Cafe China or Szechuan Gourmet in Midtown. Very impressed to have a great spot in Morris County!
For my first time visiting, I had to stick to the classics: 3-pepper chicken, Dan Dan noodles, and spicy pork dumplings. The sauces really know how to make a first impression with its spicy, oily, flavorful, sweetness- so bad for you, which is exactly what makes it sooo good.
I will definitely make my way here again, hopefully to dine in. Can't wait to try my other Sichuan faves like Ma Po Tofu and the fish in spicy broth!