Dish on Dining: Great China

2115 Kittredge St. (between Shattuck and Fulton), Berkeley
Downtown Berkeley
Lunch daily (except Sunday) from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., dinner daily from 5 p.m.
Major credit cards accepted, reservations for large groups only
www.greatchinainberkeley.com
My nephew Chris was in town last week for spring break, so that gave me an excuse to go out for Chinese food. Typically, I find it hard to get Chinese food as a solo diner, especially for dinner, because you can’t get to try as many dishes. So I met Chris and his girlfriend, Mary, and the three of us feasted at the Great China restaurant not too far from the University of California-Berkeley campus.

The place is still tiny, though, with only a few tables in the front and more in the back in what seems like a mezzanine? (It didn’t seem like enough stairs to make it a “second floor.”) We got there early on Friday night because the word has been out for awhile that Great China is one of the best Chinese restaurants in Berkeley, if not the entire East Bay.
The restaurant even has several house specialties that have added to its reputation. Some of them I heard from friends, such as the classic Peking duck—a whole roasted duck that needs to be ordered at least a day in advance. Also a starter called “Double Skin,” which is primarily a cold salad made up of mung bean noodles tossed with various vegetables, seafood and pork.
I didn’t order either.
That’s because the Peking duck is the dish where the crispy roasted duck skin is carved off and served with a bun, hoisin sauce and green onions. Then you eat the meat separately. It’s been a long time since I’ve eaten duck skin, and I felt a whole duck with accompanying buns would be too much for three people.
As for the “Double Skin,” it sounded interesting but I wasn’t in the mood for a cold starter.
So enough about what I didn’t order. This is what we ended up eating.


The soup tasted just as I remembered—clean and simple. But it’s accentuated at Great China by the fresh ingredients in large portions. My only gripe is that they put too much rice in the soup, crowding our bowls with the toasted starch.


The duck also came with steamed buns, which I thought was unusual because it didn’t have a slit to allow you to stuff it with some duck meat. I guess the bland buns are the chef’s way of helping your body absorb all the duck fat.

Great China’s version was presented nicely, and Mary and I both really enjoyed the prawns, which were quite huge. The walnuts, on the other hand, seemed small in comparison and tasted a bit stale. It lacked a real crunch.

I really enjoyed the lamb because it had a nice flavor that was not super gamey (which turns some people off) but still had enough of its distinct lamb flavor to make it intense and hearty compared to generically raised cattle. And it was super tender, the kind of dish one would describe as “fall off the bone” if it actually were served with the bone still in. The accompanying dipping sauce, however, was a throwaway. I didn’t feel it added to the flavor when I dipped my piece of lamb in it.


I wasn’t too concerned about dessert because we did have a big feast and there are a couple of frozen yogurt and gelato shops nearby.
It was nice having a family dinner, and Great China offers an interesting menu to help create a nice assortment of dishes. The quality of the ingredients and cooking style is nicer than most Chinese restaurants, but I wouldn’t say it’s the best. Maybe in Berkeley, but not the entire East Bay.
Single guy rating: 3.25 stars (Better than average but not the best)
Explanation of the single guy's rating system:
1 star = perfect for college students
2 stars = perfect for new diners
3 stars = perfect for foodies
4 stars = perfect for expense accounts
5 stars = perfect for any guy's dream dinner
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