China 1 - Madison, WI

CLOSED late(?) 2013
 

518 Grand Canyon Dr

 

According to friends, China 1 is one of the better Chinese restaurants in Madison.  Not that Madison has good Chinese restaurants but that it is one of the better ones of those existing.  It also offers a large menu of authentic Chinese food as well as dim sum on the weekends.  We chose the buffet for this visit.

 

China 1 has the typical Chinese offerings as seen above and the offerings do little to distinguish Chine 1 from the competition.  As typical, some offerings are very good, some good, some meh, and some that should have remained in the kitchen. The mei fun with the wok hay flavor garnered favorable comments.

China 1 also offers very much atypical of Chinese buffets. They have Beef Flank Soup on a small table away from the buffet islands. This was good steeped in a heavy but just right anise flavor with a moderate spicy bite. My quibble was the broth was not boiling hot.  Bring it on.

 5/25/13 Forego the buffet and try some of the more authentic Chinese items on the menu.

The clay pot dishes are satisfactory but can't hold a candle to the Toronto restaurants.