Stopped in for carry out. Got large egg drop soup. Just had surgery and on liquid diet and have been going to lots of Chinese places and this place is top of the line. Best atmosphere so far I've seen. You can tell the owners really care because even the outside of the place is fixed up nice.
Review Source:This is a NNK local favorite. Great Fortune has been around for about 15 years now, and that's saying a lot for an area where restaurants come and go like the wind. I have had take out from there many times, and had eaten in their old location. But that had been years ago. My wife ate there about a month ago with my mom and really enjoyed it, so when my brother suggested them as "something different" for family dinner, we eagerly agreed.
The new (to me) location is what was first a Burger King in front of the strip mall where their last location was. They've made the interior nice, and have a separate bar, although unfortunately nothing interesting was on tap.
Family started with beef terayaki and 2 Pu Pu platters for apps, all meeting family approval. Very good Chinese mustard to accompany. Of the entrees, the favorite was the fried calamari my mom ordered. It was a huge portion of calamari, fried perfect and tasty. My crispy pan fried noodles were great, my brother enjoyed the sweet and sour pork, and my wife raved about the shrimp and mixed vegetables in brown sauce.
Service was mostly good - only complaint is that we were parked in a large table in the corner and because of the location (and amount of food we ate) we had to handle our own plates when entrees came. But otherwise, server was polite and prompt, and everyone left happy with full bellies and some with food to take home.
My wife and I are semi-regulars (five or six times a year), and we are pleased with food and service most of the time. Tonight (New Year's Eve) was a major disappointment. The waiter looked like he was on his way to (or from) the gym (i.e., green t-shirt over grey "long johns," pants, and gym shoes. The Dragon & Phoenix had no lobster in it. The food was not very hot (temperature). When I asked about the absence of lobster, I was told that I probably ate it and didn't know it. I politely said I know what lobster tastes like. They brought me three bites of lobster in a dark brown sauce that is much hotter than what came with my meal. The waiter needs some training AND the manager needs to review quality control issues with the owner and the chef. We will go back but not soon.
Review Source:GF has been a favorite of ours for more than 10 years. Â Very few restaurants have staying power in this rural area. Â Most are gone within 2-3 years. Â Great Fortune endures because it serves excellent food and has very friendly owners and staff. Â The menu is extensive and the prices are very reasonable. Â A fair comparison is to suburban Chinese restaurants in Richmon or DC areas -- not dim sum palaces or "gourmet" Chinese restaurants.
There are no better chicken wings anywhere!
It's ok. I wasn't impressed with my meal. The bite of my dad's spare ribs I had tasted off. The waiter was endlessly obsequious.
There's a vegetarian section, though the preparation reminded the vegetarians in our group of the age old problem of vegetarian food prepared by non-vegetarians (without sensitivity to the way meatless food tastes or should be prepared; convinced that all vegetarians want to eat is vegetables).
Better than going hungry, but just.