Chang's House: A Truly Unique Dining Experience
by: Gourmet Ray*
I arrived at Chang's House around 5:30 hoping to avoid the evening crowds. To my delight, there was plenty of free parking both in a small lot next to the restaurant, as well as in the street.
The restaurant's décor seemed reminiscent of a suburban New England home, and I took a seat in a cozy waiting room while waiting for a table. The space was remarkably clean—I didn't see a speck of dust—and a few strings of indoor Christmas lights added a festive touch, without being overly tacky.
It didn't take long to be seated; within a few minutes I was led into the dining area by charming Chinese gentleman who seemed quite intent on making my eating experience a pleasurable one. Although his accent at times made his words difficult to understand, I was eventually able to decipher his greeting message. With a smile, my waiter proclaimed, "You are always welcome at Chang's House, where we will never call the police if you don't leave."
The atmosphere and the cordiality of the wait staff at Chang's House was only surpassed by the quality of the food. While most restaurants present patrons with lists of entrée choices, Chang's House actually encourages customers to walk into the kitchen and pick out their own food. In fact, I was even allowed to cook most of the meal myself, ensuring that everything was prepared exactly to my specifications.
I felt remarkably at ease throughout all of this process. This was, in part, because my waiter stood at the kitchen door and frequently looked over his shoulder, ensuring that no one would disturb my meal preparation. I was particularly impressed that my server thought to bring a firearm with him. It was remarkably satisfying to know that a restaurant staff member cared so much about my safety.
The food I prepared was delicious: a succulent lobster in a rich butter sauce. Sure, lobster is not a conventional Chinese food, but with such remarkable service and food selection—as well as free desert, wine, and silverware—Chang's House is hardly a conventional Chinese restaurant.
Chang's House is located off of Route 9 in the residential district. It is marked with a small sign above the door that says "Welcome to Chang's house."
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*And by Gourmet Ray, we mean Daniel Riehs.
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