Great China (Berkeley)
With lines usually seen stretching around the block on many weekends, Great China is an underrated restaurant at the edge of Downtown Berkeley. Having even been featured on the Michelin Guide for its quality, Great China provides diners with amazing Chinese food that is accessible to both locals and students alike.
Sitting on the corner of Bancroft and Fulton Street, Great China’s brutalist concrete exterior is unassuming and somewhat blends into the surrounding scenescape. However, the inside is completely different. The restaurant’s brutalist architecture lends itself to a unique design inspiration where the building looks like part restaurant, and part art museum. Wooden furniture, modern art installments, and soft white accent lighting also help to bring a chic aesthetic that is surprising and unexpected when initially viewed from the outside.
Great China’s menu spans an expansive variety of food, ranging from traditional, family-style plates of meat and vegetables, to a plethora of soup and specialty dishes. While most dishes here are not wildly expensive, their best value is found at lunchtime during their lunch special hours from 11:30 AM to 2:30 PM on every weekday. The lunch special comes with a choice of rice, soup, salad, spring rolls, fruit dessert, and your choice of entree from the specials menu. The value is outsized for its price (around $16-25 before tax and tip for most options, prices may vary over time) and it makes a great choice for those wanting a quick lunch on the way to classes or work.
However, while the lunch special and its sides are a great deal, here are a few of our favorite, standalone entree dishes if you are unable to make it for the specials or are coming for dinner:
The twice-cooked pork ($24.95, pictured above) is a mix of pork belly and pork shoulder cooked in a light savory sauce. The taste is easygoing and is a nice departure from the fried pork dishes above. However, my personal recommendation would be to try the fried pork dishes first as they have an edge in taste and texture over this dish, especially for first-timers to Great China.
The ma po tofu ($19.95, pictured below) is a large serving of soft white tofu that is served in a savory, sweet and sour sauce. While some variations are served spicy, Great China’s leans more on the mild side. It is accompanied by wood ear mushrooms and scallions, giving it a great mix of textures along with its uniquely sour flavor profile. The dish also gently numbs your tongue due to the Sichuan peppercorns, which is a novel feeling that some other Chinese dishes also have. While it may feel unusual at first, it is a favored sensation in these types of dishes amongst diners.
The sweet and sour pork ($24.95) is an unmistakable favorite from Great China. Presented in its signature red and orange glaze, the pork is breaded with the perfect amount of crunch and has a delicately balanced flavor profile. It is not too spicy, making it a great choice for any diner, and its large portions make it great for sharing with the table as well.
The tang soo yook ($25.95) is another variation of fried pork that comes with a sweet honey glaze. Compared to the sweet and sour pork, the tang soo yook is crunchier and the lighter sauce means that it can be paired with any dish. While the sauce is “technically” described as a sweet and sour one, most diners will agree that the sourness is subtle and secondary to the sweeter top notes. And again, similar to the dishes above, this dish’s portion size makes it a great option for sharing.
While not pictured, some honorable mentions include the Mongolian beef ($25.95), walnut prawns ($26.95), and the kung pao chicken ($23.95), to name a few. To reiterate, while the entrees can be ordered by themselves, most of the ones mentioned in this article can be chosen as a lunch special entree as well, which makes it a great way to try out multiple dishes over time while keeping the costs down.
In addition to the food, Great China is also known for having a great wine and spirits selection.
So, whether you are treating your parents out during homecoming weekend, or just grabbing a quick meal in the middle of the day, Great China is a fantastic restaurant that is adored by locals, and for good reason.
