While its name may lack originality, the menu at the Lunch Café is incredibly diverse. The little shop, nestled between Moco and The Lunar Rogue, features different styles and types of Asian cuisine. Everything from sushi to bulgogi.
I made my way over on Friday afternoon and was overwhelmed with the options. I had my heart set on trying their bulgogi, but a sign by the cash register noted it was only served after three. I’ve heard wonderful things about their sushi, but it’d been a while since I’d had any Chinese food. I settled on the Chinese combo box A which came with fried rice, chow mein and an egg roll. I ordered a side of four chicken balls because I didn’t think it would be enough. I was wrong.
This little restaurant offers dine-in or take-out. You order up front at the counter and pay immediately. I ordered a beverage, then I settled in at the corner table next to an unused door that had plenty of sunlight shining through. It was clearly a slow afternoon and it was a perfect time to catch up on some readings for class.
The atmosphere was simple but felt clean and comfortable. The bright room had about 10 to 15 small tables and a counter with stools. There was a large TV, on mute, on one wall. Over the speakers, late ‘90s and early 2000s R&B and pop music played softly and sporadically. It felt like the owners of this mom and pop shop had found my stash of burned CDs from my preteen years. You know, the ones you hope no one ever finds, filled with guilty pleasures. (I might be dating myself here.)
The combo was on my table within minutes. I barely had the chance to read two pages of my book. By the end of the next paragraph, my chicken balls came out to join the rest of the meal. The food was hot, still steaming in fact.
The chow mein was pretty crispy despite the sauce and the heat. It was by far my favourite part of this Americanized-Chinese dish. The fried rice was good and it came with peas but no egg. I’m not a fan of peas but these were fresh and they didn’t overpower the rice. The egg roll was super crispy but the inside didn’t seem to have any veggies. It was more like a roll of processed pork. Still, it didn’t taste bad, it was just different.
The chicken balls weren’t bad, but they were deep fried to a hard crisp. The breading wasn’t thick and fluffy like most restaurants. It was thin and crunchy. Inside they were heavily processed. It kind of felt like I was eating a hybrid of McNuggets and chicken balls.
Both dishes came with a hefty helping of sauces and they were good, but generic. Overall, the quality of the meal was pretty standard of what I’d expect from any Americanized-Chinese food place. Where Lunch Café really shone was its prices. The whole meal only cost about $13.50 including tax and drink. This was outstanding compared to similar combos at other restaurants. There was so much food, I had to take almost half home with me.
Unfortunately, they didn’t provide a tipping option on their debit machine. It was too bad since the customer service was excellent. Employees always had a big smile on their faces and were incredibly helpful and sweet. I’ll be sure to bring cash next time for them.
Overall, I’d encourage sushi-lovers to give the café a try. I’m not sure I’d return for their Chinese food, simply because it’s a little out of my way. Their customer service and care however, does encourage me to go back another time in the future and give their bulgogi a try.
Atmosphere
****
Food
***
Service
*****
