Chinese Gourmet Express

Chinese Gourmet Express is a Chinese restaurant located within Penn Square Mall at 2501 W Memorial Rd FC 10 in Oklahoma City, OK 73134. As a part of the Chinese Restaurant category, it operates within a mall food court setting, which often implies a certain style and expectation of the cuisine offered. Recent customer reviews provide insights into the dining experience at this particular establishment, highlighting both nostalgic familiarity and significant concerns regarding food quality and safety.

One reviewer succinctly characterizes Chinese Gourmet Express as "Mall Chinese food," suggesting that the offerings align with the typical fare found in shopping mall food courts. This reviewer, seemingly with low expectations, notes that the experience brought back memories of their younger days, implying a sense of nostalgic comfort in the "crappy mall Chinese food." They further elaborate on specific dishes, describing the fried rice as having an "indescribably flavorless" quality, save for a "proper scorched essence." The Orange Chicken was noted for being inauthentic in color ("anything but orange") but still possessing a crunchy, sweet, and sour profile. The Broccoli Beef was described unfavorably, likened to "army mule" and featuring half-cooked fresh broccoli in a soy and oyster sauce "soup." Despite these criticisms, the reviewer concluded that while the food was "far from great or even good," it was "exactly what I wanted," suggesting a satisfaction derived from familiarity and low expectations.

This reviewer offers a piece of advice to potential customers: "like many things in life, keep your expectations low and you won’t be disappointed with your memory lane meal." This statement encapsulates the sentiment that the appeal of Chinese Gourmet Express might lie more in its nostalgic familiarity as typical mall food rather than in exceptional culinary quality.

However, a subsequent review presents a much more alarming perspective. This customer states "Most certainly I received food poisoning from this establishment not but less than 24 hours before this review." This is a very serious accusation with significant implications for the restaurant's food safety practices. The reviewer emphatically declares they will "never eat here again" and recommends the same to others unless they are "incredibly desperate for some food poisoning."

Further detailing their negative experience, this reviewer claims that "the rice was old" and that the "chicken" was "mystery meat doused in sauce to hide the fact its not actually chicken." They go on to suggest that if the chicken was indeed real, it was "definitely too old to be served." The reviewer concludes with a strong recommendation for a health and safety investigation into the establishment, urging its potential shutdown due to "bad cleaning practices and improper handling of food." This review paints a dire picture of the food quality and hygiene at Chinese Gourmet Express.

Based on these two contrasting yet ultimately concerning reviews, it is challenging to provide a balanced introduction to the environment, services, and features of Chinese Gourmet Express. The first review focuses on the typical nature of "mall Chinese food" and the nostalgic appeal of meeting low expectations. It doesn't offer much insight into the physical environment beyond its location within a mall. The service is not explicitly mentioned, but the nature of mall food court dining often implies a quick-service model with minimal interaction beyond ordering and pickup.

The second review, however, raises serious questions about the restaurant's hygiene and food handling practices, which would significantly impact the environment and service from a health and safety perspective. The alleged food poisoning and descriptions of old rice and questionable chicken are severe indictments.

In terms of features, Chinese Gourmet Express, as a mall food court vendor, likely offers a standard menu of popular Chinese-American dishes, often presented in a buffet-style or as combo meals. However, the quality and freshness of these offerings, as described in the reviews, are highly suspect. The "indescribably flavorless" fried rice, inauthentic orange chicken, and poorly prepared broccoli beef, along with the claims of old rice and mystery meat, do not suggest high-quality ingredients or careful preparation.

There is no promotional information available in the provided text. Therefore, it is impossible to comment on any special offers, discounts, or signature dishes that Chinese Gourmet Express might be promoting.

Given the serious accusation of food poisoning and the descriptions of old and potentially misrepresented food, local users should approach Chinese Gourmet Express with extreme caution. While one reviewer found a nostalgic comfort in the typical "mall Chinese food" experience despite its low quality, the second review raises significant health and safety concerns that cannot be ignored. The allegations of serving old rice and questionable "chicken," coupled with the claim of food poisoning, warrant serious consideration before choosing to dine at this establishment.

The location within Penn Square Mall suggests a high-traffic environment where maintaining food quality and hygiene should be a top priority. The negative reviews indicate a potential failure in these critical areas. Potential customers might want to consider other dining options within the mall or elsewhere in Oklahoma City that have received more positive and reassuring feedback regarding food quality and safety.

In conclusion, Chinese Gourmet Express at Penn Square Mall in Oklahoma City appears to offer a quintessential "mall Chinese food" experience, which for some may evoke a sense of nostalgic familiarity despite its mediocre quality. However, the serious allegations of food poisoning, old rice, and questionable meat raise significant health and safety concerns that should not be taken lightly. Local users are strongly advised to consider these risks and exercise extreme caution before choosing to dine at this establishment. Without any positive feedback or information to counter these serious allegations, a positive or encouraging introduction cannot be objectively constructed based solely on the available data. A thorough investigation by health and safety authorities, as suggested by one reviewer, might be warranted.