Chong’s looks like a typical, fast food restaurant.

There is only outdoor seating on plastic tables and chairs with no umbrellas or awnings, so don’t expect to be protected from the elements.

To start ordering, you can just walk up to the front window to view the food, which is premade and kept warm in pans heated by hot water.

The person taking your order just scoops the food up and puts it into Styrofoam containers.

Then you walk around to the right side of the building to pay for and pick up your food.

Chong’s is right on the corner of Crenshaw and Manhattan Beach boulevards, and is not a peaceful nor a particularly nice place to eat.

There is so much traffic noise, it is sometimes difficult to hear what your friends are saying.

To make matters worse, the trashcan inside the eating area was overflowing with garbage and I had to ask for a towel to wash off my table.

There were a lot of EC students at Chong’s, probably because there aren’t any lines and you get your food very quickly.

The inside, where the food was cooked, looked clean, so I went ahead and ordered some food.

That was a mistake, but I was hungry and didn’t have enough time to go somewhere else before my next class.

You may place your order and get your food in less than five minutes at Chong’s.

The prices are a bargain. The combo plates are: one entr?e plus two sides for $3.69; two entrees plus two sides for $4.25; and three entrees plus two sides for $5.25.

On the menu under combo plates it says, “Always hot, always delicious.” My order wasn’t hot nor was it delicious.

I ordered combo No. 1 with orange chicken and savory rice.

The quantity is good, more than enough to fill the average person, but the quality was poor.

I found this statement on their website: “Fresh and Tasty, Wholesome and Good Value, are tenets we live by at Chong’s.”

OK, so it was a good value. But it wasn’t fresh, or tasty, and even I’m not crazy enough to consider orange chicken wholesome.

The food was warm, not hot, and the breading around the chicken was hard, like the orange chicken had been sitting in that pan for too long. The rice was flavorful, but dry.

It is posted on the website that Chong’s never uses MSG, but I got a headache and a violent mood swing after eating there, which is usually what happens if I eat MSG. Maybe it was just a coincidence.

I tried a little of the broccoli beef from my friend’s plate and it was too salty and the broccoli was overcooked. The chow mein was fine, but neither tasted great.

I would recommend ordering the “bowls” because those are cooked in a wok once you place your order. However, you may have to wait a little longer for the bowls to be cooked.

They have teriyaki chicken or beef bowls, vegetable stir-fry bowls and Shrimp vegetable bowls from $4.25 to $5.95.

It’s strange that the menu would say, “Fresh-Healthy-Value-Delicious.”

All that could reasonably be considered healthy was the steamed rice and the steamed vegetables; they did have a Chinese chicken salad, but I don’t know how healthy it really is.

The rice was flavorful, more so with soy sauce; however, it was still dry and only warm.

The food was very mediocre and left me unsatisfied.

Perhaps I ordered the wrong meal, but I woudn’t want to try it again.

Chong’s serves typical plates of various Chinese fast food.

Even though the food is served quickly, Chong’s loses a few points for lack of flavor and serving the food warm.

If you want more information or to view their menu, you may visit their website at www.chongscuisine.com.

You may also call Chong’s at (310) 327-8818.

Review

Restaurant: Chong’s Chinese Food.

Rated: A great value, but lacking in flavor

Details: Features familiar favorites such as chow mein, beef and broccoli etc..

Bottom line: Value? Yes, definitely a bargain. Delicious? I didn’t think so.