Ginger Root

Unless you really love sesame chicken or rice, this is probably not the place you want to come. They have: long line, inconsistent quality, and sometimes flies flying around the desk you sitting at

Yikes.
I knew I was in trouble when I walked in and the whole kitchen (which is displayed in front of you) was young white college kids. I was unable to tell that this was the case originally because the line was out of the door! I guess there aren’t many options on Wisconsin’s campus for dining around lunch time. I figured… ok, line is long, this MUST be good right?
The place has 4 or 5 items of the day that you can pick from and they are per-​prepared somewhat in the style of Panda Express. Now while I dislike Panda Express, this place was even worse. This was awful. truly awful. Bad rice, badly cooked chicken, terrible sauces and the worst egg roll I have ever had.
It honestly tasted as if a couple of college kids opened up a restaurant because they loved Chinese food and just winged it.
Don’t waste your time here… if you have a car… take the time to head downtown to something proper.

Had always stayed away from asian fusion (what’s that??) for the past 4 years or so. We are spoilt for choice with so much authentic asian food here in madison. But ever since my parents visited last year they surprised me by liking it, so I have eaten here a couple more times since then.
I miss the last semester where the seasame chicken would be nicely done. They were evenly tossed around and stir-​fried till a light golden brown. However, ever since fall semester began, the handful of times I’ve been back resulted in me having eggrolls that are burnt and seasame chicken that are overcooked or unevenly stir-​fried.
Would decrease my visits unless things get better. Giving them the benefit of the doubt that it’s still the beginning of the academic year and many of the people working there are new.
You also have to go at highly ‘strategic timings’ that do not coincide with the end of class time. Otherwise this place will be so packed you’d find the end of the line all the way to the daily scoop! Well this will be a place I would consider only if it’s winter or if you are lazy to walk far to get other (better) options for food.

Don’t let the long line going out the door fool you. Ginger Root is no good, and the only reason it does any business is because there are no other viable options in walking distance in this area for students.
It’s really frustrating too, because the first time I came here, I actually thought it was kind of good. I had a fried tofu dish, and while it needed a bit of flavoring from the sauce bar, it was cooked decent, and was a fine experience. Every other time i’ve come here since, they haven’t had that dish. Instead, my only option every time has been the veggie stir fry, which is horrid. Super oily, no flavor, and the veggies suck. The most common veggie I found in mine is those mini corn cobs. Seriously? I wouldn’t even feed that to cattle, let alone a human being.
So because the stir fry stinks, I have no other choices, and I therefore don’t eat here. I even asked before if I can get the red curry without shrimp, and they said that I couldn’t. So nowadays, my only visits here are when i’m in Union South and decide to look at the menu and hope in vain they added another veggie option. Like seriously, get rid of that stir fry and add in that tofu instead. If you did this, Union Staff, i’d easily up my rating to a 3. But with the way it is now, i’ll just walk the extra 3 blocks to Hong Kong Café, thank you very much.

I always find myself gravitating towards Ginger Root when I’m at Union South, not because I find the name particularly attractive or their menu particularly appealing, but because it is (sadly) one of the healthier options there. The portions are also extremely generous for the price. A $ 5/​small bowl (your choice of rice + one entrée) can usually tide me over until dinner.
Other than that, there is not much to say about Ginger Root. If you are a fan of Panda Express, you might find some comfort in the look and taste of the food here. If you are looking for ‘authentic’ Chinese food, you’ll be hard pressed to find something here that will meet your standards.

Asian fusion is about right — the Thai
curries basically come across as a mess that really taste nothing like Thai curry I’ve had in more authentic Thai restaurants. I have tried a few other dishes and at least give them points for trying — the meals typically look colorful and appetizing and with enough fish sauce, chili paste, or soy sauce, you can transform it into something edible. Other pros, the dishes don’t seem greasy which is a plus to me. The prices are also super reasonable.

If the only thing worth getting here is the sesame chicken, why bother? I took a year moratorium to see if things would improve. Nope, nope, nope.
I occasionally make the mistake of getting their stir-​fry just to see what it tastes like. It certainly doesn’t taste like any of the vegetables in the dish are actually there. Completely coated with oil, it masks all the taste in the dish. It’s suspect whether ginger is actually used in any of the available entrees; it’s a mundane expedition through flavorless textures.
The menu has hardly changed in the two years+ since opening, other than adding the ‘big bowl’ of soup. For all the options for chinese around the area, this place only has the convenience going for it.
Maybe it’s time for the students to rise up and demand some better options at the Union South as we pay over $ 250 a semester for the building from our seg fees. :)

Unless you’re someone who could eat sesame chicken for days, Ginger Root is typically associated with lackluster lunch options and loooooong lines at noon. It might be because it’s the only decent option for students nearby who can’t be bothered to bring their own lunch or eat somewhere farther. The typical lunch selection includes beef with broccoli, red or green curry with chicken or shrimp, sesame chicken, and a veggie stir-​fry. The consistency varies, sometimes it’s too salty, sometimes it’s not salty enough, sometimes there’s too much vinegar, and the rice generally makes me sad.
BUT WAIT!
Their dinner option, which I tried for the first time today, is something to look forward to. It’s choose-​your-​own stir-​fry, with the option of 3 veggies, 1 meat, choice of sauce, and choice of rice, all for under $ 7. Since it’s made to order, it can be a bit of a wait, but then there’s the sesame chicken bowl again, which would help you cut the line and save you from having to make any decisions.

Quality food. I got a bowl of chicken and seasame rice with 2 Crab Ragoon for $ 5.75. Pretty cheap if you ask me. The small bowl is plenty large for 1 hungry person or two average (ly) hungry people.
Crab ragoons were not the best I’ve ever had, filling had a lot of interesting spices I’m not used to but they weren’t bad.

The fried rice is typically too dry, chicken can be impressive if you are there for a fresh batch. Overall it’s a hit and miss, more often a miss. Considering the masses of college students, faculty and staff that go through the line. Also that it needs to fit into a college budget, I probably shouldn’t be surprised that my taste buds are rarely blown away.