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Life & Arts

888 satisfies Chinese take-out cravings 

Speedy service, succulent soup 
characterize this near-campus restaurant

by JOHN-MICHAEL HAINES 
The Daily Cougar

Located 10 minutes away from campus, 888 is an excellent Chinese take-out place that serves up zesty stir-fry, savory soups and greasy noodles. Unfortunately, the restaurant is only worthy of dine in for those who have a rushed lunch break. 

The Taiwanese Chow Mei Fun, which is thin rice noodles tossed in a generous portion of beef, shrimp, chicken, green onions and julienne carrots, is a tasty break from the usual combination fried rice. 

Though the flavors were pleasant at first, the dish quickly leaves you feeling heavy. 

The rice noodles, meats and vegetables were perfectly cooked, but all were soaked with grease to the point that the dish felt sloppy. The Chow Mei Fun shows a slight lack of restraint and skill on the cook's behalf.

Soup is without a doubt what this restaurant does best. The Wonton soup includes fresh-cut green onions, broth infused with the very essence of homemade chicken and vegetable stock, and delectable pork and mint dumplings. Each spoonful of broth tastes perfectly balanced and warm with a welcoming aroma.

The dumplings have a unique mint flavor and a moist texture locked in by the broth. A bowl of this is filling and is only $2.

The egg rolls at 888 are big and a lot less greasy than most.

The Garlic Chicken is a very

simple chicken and vegetable stir-fry paired with a colorful sweet and spicy sauce that is pleasingly complex. 

Though at times it can be overpowering because of the many different tastes contained in the sauce, it achieves a level of zest without being too spicy, too sweet or even too salty. 

The chicken and the vegetables were prepared to the standard taste and texture, but fail to impress. What keeps this dish from being great is the choice of ingredients in the stir-fry, not the sauce. 

Atmosphere is laid-back and consists of a small, blandly decorated room with tables, booths, and a TV that is blaringly loud and set to news or sports. 

In many ways, the setting seemed to cater more to the employees than the customer, so carry out or delivery is recommended. 

The service is average, though food comes out fast in true Chinese take-out fashion. Parking is never an issue. Prices are fair at dinner and low at lunch. 

Send comments to dcshobiz@mail.uh.edu