While driving in downtown Winona recently, I saw a restaurant I had never heard of. Winona isn't that big of a town, surely I have heard of ever restaurant they have to offer. Turns out, I just never wandered that far west of Huff Street.
Chong's Noodle House, located at 578 E. 4th St., was a delightful surprise. Even though my friend and I arrived 15 minutes before closing time, we were greeted warmly and welcomed. Our food was brought out very quickly, and piping hot.
Jessica ordered the noodle salad, and she said it was great. Cold noodles, shredded carrot, and chicken were tossed together, and topped with sliced egg rolls. The cold noodles mixed with the hot egg roll was a nice contrast, and the carrots added a nice bit of sweetness, Jessica said.
The pad thai I ordered may be what was missing in my life. I haven't been able to find good pad thai outside of the Twin Cities, but I found it here. For those of you who aren't familiar with pad thai, it is a stir fry dish with rice noodles, tofu, fish sauce, sprouts, and red chili pepper. It is often garnished with peanuts, and can contain a variety of other meats. The pad thai at Chong's contained tofu, chicken, and shrimp, three of my favorite foods. It was so good, words are currently failing me, and I may be drooling a little bit on my keyboard.
So why is Chong's Noodle House a good choice for Broke Foodies? Because it's broke people-friendly. Jessica's noodle salad was under $7, and my pad thai was $7. This meal could easily have been $30 anywhere else, but we made it under $18, including tip. This would be a great date place for someone who is struggling with cash, but still wants to impress.
It's not often that while walking to the car after dinner, I'm still raving about my food. It's not often that later that night, I'm still talking about my pad thai. And it's not often that I can afford to eat out, and still be impressed. I strongly recommend Chong's Noodle House to my fellow Broke Foodies in the Winona area.
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Their Pho is incredible, but it requires a slightly more adventurous palate. They're always accommodating though, and will gladly take out anything you don't want.
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ReplyDeleteChong's is one of the best restaurants in Winona because of the high quality of their food and reasonable prices. The Pad Thai is the most accessible even if you've never eaten Tai food before. I have introduced many friends to Tai cuisine by bringing them to Chong's and all of them have raved about the Pad Thai. I also believe that their appetizers are among the best I've ever eaten. Chong's is a diamond nestled in a quiet Winona neighborhood that you'll return to once you've discovered it.
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