The Lingnan Express

The food is good but they are often not open when they say they are. Checked the website menu and it said open Friday 11 to 9. Went there at two o’clock and although I could walk right in the unlocked door, I was told they’re closed. It would be courteous to customers to update the operation hours on the website. If you’re expecting a tightly run operation like CFL and Lingnan downtown, this is not it.

Round eyes in Edmonton desperately need to try good Chinese food so they can identify it when it is served to them! Lord knows that the Lingnan Express does not offer it. I know now to avoid its sister establishments, the Lingnan and Chicken for Lunch. Do yourselves a favour, folks, and take a pass on this over-​hyped, over-​rated establishment.

We are over the moon that the Lingnan Chinese restaurant decided to open up their first Express location in St. Albert!
My husband and I have been patiently anxiously stalking their twitter and Facebook site awaiting the grand opening! Much to our surprise, we were driving by the location on Hebert road yesterday and thought we saw an Open sign!
Upon arriving home, I immediately checked Facebook and twitter but there weren’t any updates yet. So I phoned their downtown location and spoke with Mandy who confirmed they opened yesterday! Hip hip hooray!
I called my hubby at work and we set the wheels in motion to plan for our inaugural Lingnan Express Lunch for the next day!
One of the reasons we are OVER the moon is because we have a toddler and a baby who has been sick for a few months, so needless to say, we haven’t gotten to enjoy a Valentine’s or Birthday meal out in a few months! Let alone a normal date night… What are those? At least now we can bring home the city’s BEST Chinese food to the comfort of our home!
Flash forward… It’s today! Today is the day!
Went down to Lingnan Express this morning when they opened at 11am! I was so excited to see Amy, Miles, and Mandy there! (If you haven’t seen their television show, check out Quon Dynasty on the Food Network and get to know the family!) Mandy quickly came out from the kitchen and greeted me upon entering the restaurant. I had to tell her how excited I was that they opened up in St. Albert.
While perusing the menu, which includes 5 different $ 9 lunch combos (available daily from 11am — 2pm), Amy (the Mom) arrived at the restaurant. She is just as bubbly in person as she is on the TV show and we have been going to their restaurant in downtown Edmonton for 10 years now.
I expressed my undying gratitude for the new location and Amy and Mandy explained that they have always loved their St. Albert customers and knew that St. Albert was the first place they wanted to open an Express location — I feel so lucky! They let me take pictures of the restaurant for the Unilocal review and Amy even insisted I take one with her :-)
I ordered Combo #1 and Combo #4 to go — and I apologize but their take out menu doesn’t break down what exactly all I ordered. I know Combo #1 was Amy’s famous Crack Chicken (Dry Chicken) with Ginger beef, fried rice, mixed veggies and a veggie spring roll. Combo #4 was Beijing style Kung Pao Chicken and I can’t remember the 2^nd item — sorry! Also with mixed veggies, a spring roll, and chow main.
The Crack Chicken/Amy’s Special chicken in #1 was perfect! Just as addicting as ever — and perfectly moist and dry! The ginger beef was a little over done — a bit difficult to chew — but I’m not complaining! Still some of the best darn ginger beef in town.
Amy was so cute, she warned me that all their equipment is brand new and it takes a little while to get used to cooking on new equipment — to essentially break it in. She warned that it might take a little while to get up to her standards. Just love that woman! The mixed veggies were cooked perfectly and the rice was also perfect — not an easy feat for Chinese take out. I LOVED all the stir fried broccoli — LOVE LOVE LOVE it when the mixed veggies isn’t mostly onion and celery.
Combo dish #4 was awesome and I we loved it! Although, I will double check the picture next time in the restaurant because the Kung Pao Chicken was Beijing style but it was only the chicken on top of the noodles in my dish — no peanuts or veggies with the Kung Pao? I was the first customer of the day so it may have been in the transition of being completed since I did go at 11am :-) But the sauce was spot on — Delish! Hubby loved the 2^nd meat item in Combo #4 — Wish I could remember what it is.
And the best part of all? The EGG ROLLS are to die for! If you haven’t had a Lingnan Egg Roll you are in for a treat! $ 2.50 each and well worth it! They are GIANT and filled with savoury curry goodness! You will love them!
So very, very happy for the Lingnan! And looking forward to our Saturday cheat meal more than ever now that we can just pop out and grab some of Amy’s Crack Chicken and an Egg Roll to go!
And before I zipped out the door to take my delicious Lingnan Express food home to the fam, Ms. Amy gave me two gorgeous chopsticks that my daughter fell in love with the minute I got home! And for a 3 year old, she’s pretty darn good at picking up rice with them!
Next time we will order off the dinner menu!
Hip Hip Hooray! The Lingnan made my family’s day!
*Check out the pictures I uploaded*