New China Carryout

Five stars, and I genuinely wish I could give them more. If you’re looking at New China Carryout and hesitating because it’s a tiny, no-frills storefront tucked into a strip mall, with no dining room, just a counter and a menu on the wall: stop hesitating. That is exactly where some of the best Chinese takeout is hiding. We have tried dozens of Chinese carryouts around Northern Virginia and DC over the years, and plenty in other states too. New China is, without exaggeration, the best we’ve found. Nothing else around here touches it. The portions are absolutely enormous. The food is consistently fantastic. Their General Tso’s is the kind that ruins other General Tso’s for you, and the Kung Pao chicken is outstanding. You order dinner and somehow leave with enough food to feed a small expedition. But what finally made me sit down and write this review happened last night. We showed up around 9:30pm looking for a late-night General Tso’s and Kung Pao fix. The woman behind the counter absolutely lit up when we walked in. She thanked us over and over for coming, and told us we were the first people who had come in or ordered ALL NIGHT. That honestly broke my heart. Because this is exactly the kind of place I desperately do not want to see disappear. A tiny, unglamorous, independent neighborhood carryout quietly making phenomenal food while more and more of our choices become giant chains, ghost kitchens, fake-local corporate brands, and interchangeable garbage. So here is my plea to everyone around Annandale, Falls Church, Fairfax, Arlington, wherever, “Please take the chance on this little place!” Don’t judge this one by the storefront. Don’t expect mood lighting, reclaimed wood, Edison bulbs, or a $19 cocktail. There isn’t even anywhere to sit. Walk up to the counter. Order a normal amount of Chinese food, and receive a take home a bag that weighs enough to sink a small ship. Then you’ll understand. New China Carryout deserves to have a line out the door.

I purchased combo egg foo young and pepper steak. The food was bitter as if cooked in old grease, no seasoning. Horrible tasting food. I wasted $37 on horrible tasting food. I would not recommend this restaurant!!!!! Keep your hard earned money and spend it on a place that actually values their customers and serves good food. I ended throwing the food in the trash!!! Not worth it.