Hunan

8066 Morgan Circle
Bloomington, MN 55431
952-881-2280
http://www.hunanrestaurant.net/

Category: Chinese

Rating (Scale 1-10, with 10 being the highest):
Food: 9
Service: 7
Ambience: 4

Recommendation: Excellent. This strip mall Chinese restaurant consistently serves the best lunch buffet in town.

This Chinese restaurant is tucked away in a strip mall in Bloomington. The décor isn’t much to speak of and the restaurant probably only has about 20 tables. It tends to get busy at lunch but the crowd (and the food) turns over quickly. There are usually only a couple of servers and although they are understaffed, the servers are friendly and try and take good care of your needs.

The lunch buffet here is spectacular. It’s not as large as some other Chinese buffets (it has 8-10 entrees), but you will find that the food is well flavored and cooked perfectly every time (we know because Nick himself has been there over a dozen times). Their Spicy Chicken is excellent (it’s not terribly spicy), as is there Shrimp and Pork Stir Fry, Fried Rice, Egg Rolls, and Chinese Green Beans. The Stir fried Potatoes with Onions is a must try! It is unlike any other dish normally found in Chinese buffets. Other staples such as Beef with Broccoli and the Buddha’s Delight aren’t spectacular but still very good. Most of the dishes on their lunch buffet are a mainstay but they tend to change one or two out on a regular basis. They also have a dinner buffet on the weekends, but we haven’t had a chance to sample it yet. Hunan also makes a killer mixed vegetable stir fry where you can pick the sauce you want the vegetables to be stir fried in.

$. Buffet costs $8. Dinner entrees range from $5-$15.

Update (April 30, 2008) – After several return visits, we’re glad to report that the food hasn’t changed a bit. It’s just as described above and the restaurant is as popular as ever. You can rest assured that the food served at lunch is fresh because of how quickly the dishes turn over (during really busy times you may have to wait a few minutes for certain dishes to get replenished). The Egg Rolls might be their biggest asset – crispy and flavorful, especially with a dash of the nostril cleansing mustard. The Hot Sour Soup is excellent as well, but we’re not as impressed with some of the appetizers like the Cream Cheese Wontons, which are too crispy. Our favorites are still the Spicy Chicken and Chinese Green Beans; the latter get a quick fry in the wok and still maintain their natural color and texture.