Chapter Eight - Chinese Food and the Local Treasure

CHAPTER EIGHT

Chinese Food and the Local Treasure

THERE’S SOMETHING SPECIAL about Chinese food.
It’s comforting, affordable, and always hits the spot.

Growing up, we ordered Chinese more than anything else. It was the perfect balance of quantity and quality, which for someone like me who always leaned toward "more is more," that was an absolute dream. Big portions, fair prices, and enough leftovers for the next day. Perfection.

At one point, we lived within walking distance of this great little Chinese place tucked into a tiny shopping plaza. I’d walk over, grab a bag full of deliciousness, and come home feeling like I’d just unlocked the ultimate cheat code.

My go-to? Spicy Mongolian beef.
(For the record: I love my food as spicy as legally allowed. Spicy everything. Period.)

But the crown jewel of my Chinese food journey was a local spot, an old family-owned place we went to for years.
Xenia China Inn.

I was practically a toddler when we started going there. One day, I left behind my most prized possession: my baby blanket (which, fun fact, I still have to this day). We went back to the restaurant later, and they had it saved for me, ready to be reunited with its rightful owner. That gesture defined the place for me. Community, care, and familiarity.

Xenia China Inn became a family tradition. Birthday dinners, small celebrations, random weekend nights… we always ended up there. I still remember the fried potstickers, the delicate menus with the cool Chinese characters, and the warm, welcoming energy.

Even in school, I remember the cafeteria trying their hand at General Tso’s chicken and orange chicken, a valiant attempt. The chicken might have been overcooked, the rice a little dry, but somehow the flavors still scratched the itch.

Chinese food isn’t just food. It’s atmosphere. It’s memories. It’s one of the few cuisines that can make you feel full, happy, and nostalgic all at once.

Shout out to the classics:
Orange chicken, General Tso’s, potstickers, spicy beef, and all the comforting, flavorful, sodium-packed goodness.