The Oldest Chinese in Fargo-Moorhead

Thirty years. That’s how long the Peking Chinese Restaurant has been in West Fargo. They are the oldest Chinese restaurant in the area, located in a small red building on Main Avenue in West Fargo.

Except for a twentieth century “Open” sign in the window, the building feels timeless, unique in its color and size, and stoic in its bravery in the face of countless buffets.

They have one of the most authentic interiors in the area. Almost every square inch of their dining room is covered in Asian influences, from their red vinyl benches to their red lacquer chairs with carvings to their ceiling, which is covered in green dragons.

Most Chinese restaurateurs pay no attention to the dining room, treating it only as well as state law requires; Peking is a throwback to the days when dining out on Chinese food was a family event.

I dined before the dinner rush, so I had the restaurant to myself. I stretched over a red booth, grabbing the day’s paper before I sat. The owner was my waitress.

The menu is large, covering the usual items with a few of their own additions, most notably the chicken dishes Warr Shui Gai, Almond Gai Din, and Hung Shu Chicken; Cashew Shrimp; four kinds of SubGum Chow Mein; five kinds of the American classics Egg Foo Young and Chop Suey; and eight different versions of Fried Rice. They also have four kinds of simple burgers for the Chinese-Digestively Impaired.

I had the Almond Gai Din, which is a variation of Cashew Nut Chicken, only this dish was served with peanuts and the sauce was different from other cashew dishes that are served in town. It came with fried rice, three wontons, and sweet and sour sauce. The rice was plain fried rice without any vegetables and average in taste and presentation.

The wontons were good. They were moist with grease, rich yellow skin, and a decent-sized piece of meat. Many wontons served in Fargo are as dry as a mummy and packed with as much useable meat.

The Almond Gai Din was average. The sauce was thick, with garlic, salt, and onion the prevalent flavors, and cornstarch the probable thickener. The vegetables were crunchy and the chicken was soft and bite size. The sweet and sour sauce was great. It was tangy and a light red color.

The prices are average. Their lunch menu is $6-6.50; dinner is anywhere from $7 to $13.

I ran into trouble when I tried to pay my check. They do not accept credit cards, only cash and checks, so I had to leave my license behind and run to a friend’s house in the area to get some money. The owner was understanding. She looked as if this were a common occurrence.

If You Go

What: Peking Chinese Restaurant (eat in/take out)
Where: 108 West Main Avenue, West Fargo
When: Lunch, Mon-Fri 11 a.m. till 3 p.m
Info: 277-9728