Mei Mei Chinese Restaurant Revisited: A Dining Review
One Friday in early December 2021, Neighbor Roy and I dined at Mei Mei Chinese Restaurant once again. We had been there a few years ago and really enjoyed it. But over the Pandemic we avoided most indoor dining opportunities.
There were plenty of open tables when we arrived, but most filled up as we ate our lunches. The decor is fairly nondescript but absolutely immaculate. The little Chinese women servers were very attentive, scurrying from table to table.
At first, Roy ordered his usual hot tea and two egg rolls, one to share with me. I ordered my usual sweet and sour pork. It came with two small egg rolls, fried rice, lightly fried pork chunks in sweet and sour sauce. Roy ordered his go-to Chinese dish: Lo-mein with shrimp, beef and chicken in a dark sauce.
I’ll let Roy tell you about his experience.
“Jim and I went to lunch at a favorite–Mei Mei Chinese restaurant in the Safeway shopping center plaza adjacent to St Mary’s Hospital. It is rather plain, clean with an attentive waitstaff–menus promptly provided and my request for hot tea taken. I ordered my usual test dish of house Lo-mein. In China chefs are judged by their noodle-making skills, they are not referred to as a chef–but as a noodle maker. The noodles in the Mei Mei are home made and not as some Chinese restaurants–store-bought. And it really makes a difference in the taste of noodle-based dishes–the basis of all Chinese dishes. The portion was large, filled with Chicken, beef and shrimp–a deal at $10,99. I did order a split order of egg rolls, and the combination was too much for lunch–so I took home enough for a second meal. I have never had a bad meal in this restaurant. 60 years ago when I was a young man in the Pittsburgh area, almost every small or mid-sized community had a family Chinese restaurant. Mei Mei reminds me of some of these restaurants–small, clean, family-run, good food and plenty of it and should be judged by this criteria. Fancy it is not, but if you want a good, family-style Chinese meal–Mei-Mei is the place to go.”
My sweet and sour pork was delicious. My meal came with a cup of egg drop soup. Also very good.
I agree with Roy’s assessment. Mei Mei’s rates four saguaros. No deductions for the plain decor because the food is so good. Mei Mei’s does a good take out business as well.
Mei Mei Chinese Restaurant
1523 W St Marys Rd, Tucson, AZ 85745
(520) 882-7100