Restaurant Reviews: The Great Wall of Kutztown, Pennsylvania

There seems to be a unique sort of problem that plagues eating choices when it comes to college towns. Although many, many restaurants tend to spring up in a small area, rarely do any of them set themselves apart, and appear to be going after anything more than a quick dollar. Of course, this happens with nearly all types of restaurants, and those serving Chinese food are no exception. While it can sometimes be difficult to find a good Chinese restaurant, those in the Kutztown area have nothing to fear from the Great Wall, located in the Weis Plaza at the end of Main Street.

The Great Wall is part of a plaza chain that also contains an Italian Restaurant, a Weis food store, and a National Auto. Thus, there really isn't much to see when looking at the restaurant from the outside. The inside is fairly clean and although it is very simply decorated, it manages to look nice without appearing cheap or over-dressed so-to-speak. There are a number of tables as soon as one walks in, and those represent the area that one can eat within the restaurant. There really isn't a whole lot to see either inside or outside of the restaurant, but it is very clean and one can tell that the staff works hard in creating a nice environment for customers. Still though, despite the eating area inside, most patrons opt for take out.

While it is difficult to judge a book by it's cover, this does not stop many from judging a restaurant simply by the way that it looks from the outside or inside. Thus, while the Great Wall may not have lavish decorations or an interesting building, they do manage to make some good food. The menu is typical of almost all Chinese Restaurants. There are combination platters, vegetable and chicken dishes, egg rolls, soup and everything else that one can probably imagine. Still though, no matter what dish one tries, it seems to have been prepared very well and always tastes good. The soups are excellent and the vegetables are always perfectly cooked, crisp and juicy. One cannot go wrong with one of the combination platters, which include a meal, egg roll and a drink.

Even though the food is very good, perhaps one of the other nicest things about the Great Wall are their prices. While they may not be as cheap as China King, which also resides on Main Street, they are still fairly low for the area. In this case, perhaps we can say that the higher prices reflect the higher quality of the food. Still though, one is not going to be spending a great deal of money to get lunch or dinner at the Great Wall.

Of course, none of this is to say that the Great Wall is the best restaurant in the Kutztown area, or even the best Chinese Restaurant (a couple excellent choices in Reading) in the surrounding area. But, simply put, it is a good choice for those looking to grab some quick Chinese food on the go. Their prices are very reasonable, their atmosphere is friendly and nice, and everything goes into making it a very positive dining experience, whether the food be taken out or eaten in. There are plenty of choices of where to eat while one is in Kutztown, and while the Great Wall may not be your first choice, it is definitely a good place to grab a meal.