Lai Inn

Awesome egg rolls

I've been here once, and probably won't return.  There are simply too many better options for Chinese cuisine in the area, with better tasting food that take credit cards.  If you are going to be cash or check only, you need to have food that blows me away to get me to come back.

The service was good, and the place was immaculate.  The buffet looked a bit underwhelming when I looked at it while waiting for my take out order of Kung Po Chicken.

The Kung Po tasted more like Kung "No".  There were a smattering of chilis in the meal...but overall it was just bland.  Additionally, I hate it when places are so obvious with using green peppers and onions in abundance to cover up the fact that they are cheap with the meat.  I was eating green peppers in bland suace by the end of my meal.  The only redeeming quality the meal had was the absolutely gargantuan chicken wings that came with it, and the fried rice with what appeared to be pieces of sausage...interesting.

I just can't see myself going back in light of these facts.

This place is just down the block from me, so its unfortunate it has gotten on my "never go to again" list. No delivery, which was alright since like I said, I live down the block, but then I find out when I get there (they don't have the courtesy to specify on the take out menu) that they don't accept credit cards. Only cash or check. Nobody should be writing checks these days, and I'm definitely not going to support a business that is too cheap to pay the nominal fees to accept CCs and expects ME to suck up the ATM fee (Wells Fargo ATM across the parking lot in SA).

Especially when the food is overwhelmingly mediocre. I got special combination J - tiny portion of rice, 1 egg foo young with pretty terrible gravy (I ended up giving most of it to my dog, and I have to admit, she loved it!), and a fast food-like egg roll. I also got the dumpling soup - it had enough msg to make it fairly edible. There was nothing "fresh" about any of the food.

I will definitely not be returning, and this place was bad enough to inspire my first ever Yelp review!