Golden Crown Inn fortune not good

The Flavor Samurai and Flavor Flav / Foghorn staff

For this installment of Economic Crunch, we took advantage of the cooler weather and walked from the Harvin Center to the Golden Crown Inn at 2739 S. Staples St. It was an easy walk that left plenty of time to get back to campus for our next class, and, most importantly, offered several items for less than $10, making it a perfect fit for a hungry student on a budget.

With so many fast-food places and Mexican restaurants near campus, the Golden Crown sounded like a good chance to try something different.

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The Flavor Samurai

We stepped inside and saw a few people picking up to-go orders. Within a minute we were taken to a table near the kitchen and our waitress handed us menus. The setting was quiet and peaceful, not unlike most Chinese restaurants, but even more so because the restaurant lacks a buffet that seems to be the staple of many Chinese eateries. The dining area small and rectangular, but not so small that I felt claustrophobic.

The restaurant offers daily lunch specials that include rice and an egg roll. I ordered the broccoli chicken with white sauce and fried rice, plus a water. The food took just a few minutes to make and was served hot. The chicken and veggies tasted pretty good as the white sauce added flavor to both. However, I took a bite of the fried rice and it tasted a bit dry as if it had been sitting out all day. The chicken and vegetables, though, both tasted fresh, especially considering how quickly they were prepared.

Our waitress, a nice Asian woman in her late 20s or early 30s, made us feel like guests in her home as she checked up on us frequently. The staff is friendly and they do make you feel like you are welcome and that is a plus in my book.

The checkout process also was quick and before long we were out the door.

Overall, the Golden Crown Inn may not the best restaurant in town but it definitely is not the worst either, especially for Chinese food.

 

Overall rating: 3/5

Price of meal: $6.85

 


 

Flavor Flav

The restaurant’s location, about a five-minute walk from East Campus, makes it perfect for Del Mar College students. Unfortunately, the Golden Crown Inn does not have quality food whatsoever. I’ve never experienced such horrible Chinese food in Corpus Christi.

Upon entering, the staff was very friendly and showed me to my seat. However, the tables are too close to one another and the dining area felt quite cramped. The room temperature also was extremely unbearable and there simply aren’t enough ceiling fans to cool down the restaurant.

I ordered the spicy chicken from the lunch specials menu, which is offered from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily. The food only cost about $6.25 plus tax. Another few minutes went by and it arrived on time.

I am very picky with Chinese food, and what the Golden Crown served did not taste great. Furthermore, the food presentation looked OK at best. The spicy chicken special came with an eggroll and rice, but the chicked lacked flavor and was a bit dry. The was not much spice added, either.

My experience with Golden Crown Inn was thoroughly a disappointment. Although the staff was terrific, I wish the food had some flavor.

For those looking for Chinese Food, there are several other options in Corpus Christi with better food.

 

Overall rating: 2/5

Price of meal: $6.85

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