You know a restaurant will be good when you walk in and the daily specials are written on a large rectangular whiteboard, with a dimly backlit menu next to it. A random Monday in February felt like a good day to try something new.
- What: Shuang Cheng
- Cuisine: Chinese
- Where: 1320 4th St SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414
- Cost: $10-20
- Distance from Bethel: 15 minutes
Featuring traditional Cantonese food from the Guangzhou region in China, Shuang Cheng has been around since the ‘90s. It remains housed in one of the original brick buildings that Dinkytown was named after in the 1940s. With the increasing development of housing and new restaurants in Dinkytown, $13.50, including tax, for the lunch special was a bargain. There were over 30 different lunch special combo options, but I chose the sweet and sour chicken, served with a side of chicken fried rice, some cream cheese wontons and, to warm up, a pot of tea.
I’ll admit it, I had to ask for a to-go box. The portions were more than generous and felt like a 3-course meal. I know some people live and die by crab rangoons, but starting off with tea and hot cream cheese wontons dipped in sweet chili sauce was the perfect appetizer. The sweet and sour chicken was, well, sweet and sour (hence the name).
If you’re in the market for a good bang for your buck Chinese lunch, make the 15-minute drive to Shuang Cheng. It’s open from 11 a.m. till 4:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon-4:30 p.m. Sunday.
Watch my video review here:
