I have finally “discovered” China Chef in Bradley.

If you’re one of the restaurant’s many fans and are wondering what rock I’ve been living under for the last four years, I don’t have a good answer. My only excuse is that when I would drive by, I would see the closed mini-blinds and doubt whether they were even open or not.

Fortunately, many of you know better, as I found a bustling — and unexpectedly large — dining room during my first visit a few months ago.

I stopped in again on Friday night, this time to dine in instead of grabbing take-out, and enjoyed a wonderful meal of egg rolls, Kung Pao shrimp and scallops, and beef lo mein. The feast left plenty of leftovers, which my husband and I enjoyed the next day.

I’m allergic to MSG, so I ordered my meal without the seasoning. You can also request no salt.

China Chef also serves cocktails, including a Mai Tai that is cleverly described on the menu as “a tasty way to start a hangover.”

China Chef is at 331 S. Kennedy Dr. in Bradley. Hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily, except Friday and Saturday when they stay open until 10 p.m.

Call (815) 932-4461 to place an order.

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Thanks to readers Jerry and Lisa, whose prodding led me to China Chef. Here’s what Lisa sent me via email:

“My favorite place when I want Chinese food is China Chef in Bradley, IL. Their food isn’t “generic” tasting like you find with these “buffet” places. They have been in this are for more than 20 years. They’re priced a little higher, but the portions are huge! Best part is that you can actually split an entree WITHOUT being charged an additional amount of money. They have a banquet room for larger parties.

They may not have a “kid friendly” menu, but there’s always the Sweet and Sour Chicken dish that you can get the sauce on the side and it becomes a lot like Chicken Nuggets. All you need is a side of fries.”

Tags: Bradley, chinese, restaurant

This entry was posted on Wednesday, February 25th, 2009 at 9:15 pm and is filed under Reader feedback, Restaurant news. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.