Lucky Chinese Food (Santee)

Thanks for stopping by to read mmm-yoso!!!, a food blog.  Cathy is writing.

During the height of the pandemic, when "eating out" was kind of scary, The Mister and I had many "to go" orders from Lucky Chinese Food, a Szechuan-Cantonese restaurant located near our home since 1996.  Recently, we have been able to enjoy eating inside the restaurant.  
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E5654B45-5F62-4D57-8498-CE43445968FC Walking the door, the area to the left is where you order To-Go; the original 'footprint' of Lucky.  The restaurant expanded to having Sit-Down in 2014.
442B904A-83B0-4C92-8692-BBE655A860E2 Wonton crisps along with house-made sweet and sour sauce are brought out while you peruse the menu.  A pot of hot tea (choice of jasmine, oolong or green) is $4.50.

C4DFCCE1-9A63-4809-AD77-29F471694F94C4DFCCE1-9A63-4809-AD77-29F471694F94C4DFCCE1-9A63-4809-AD77-29F471694F94C4DFCCE1-9A63-4809-AD77-29F471694F94C4DFCCE1-9A63-4809-AD77-29F471694F94C4DFCCE1-9A63-4809-AD77-29F471694F94C4DFCCE1-9A63-4809-AD77-29F471694F94
186FD950-B4D8-4136-8B75-F98497CE6DC3 The one item we always ordered to-go are these lettuce cups ($10.79).  Minced chicken, water chestnuts, carrot, white and green onion, toasted almonds served with a half head of lettuce, hot mustard and hoisin sauce.  This appetizer can stay in the refrigerator and still tastes good later in the day.  It was our Covid-19 staple.
A633E966-CC02-4522-989E-4AF5938D2C6E778D8B49-20D3-4F1C-846D-E518A487432E The wonton soup ($9.99) has a rich, deep flavored, chicken-pork broth and is filled with chicken, shrimp, vegetables and large pork filled wontons.  As you can see, more fillings than broth- a meal all by itself.
442B904A-83B0-4C92-8692-BBE655A860E2 Spicy pork ($14.79).  The pork is stir-fried with bell pepper, bamboo shoots, zucchini, carrot, celery and onions in a house-made Kung Pao sauce.  The pork is tender, the vegetables are still crisp; this is such a perfect melding of flavors and texture.  (Entrees are served with a choice of steamed rice, brown rice, chow mein or (as above) Singapore noodle).
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Seafood Chow Fun ($16.99) was a recent order.  The wide noodles have the smokey 'wok hei' flavor and the shrimp, fish, scallops and bok choy/peas/carrots are each distinctly flavored.  This is a large serving, easily shared and satisfies a craving.
90D389C0-0F2E-4E43-9409-B32BF072311C Sesame chicken ($15.79) is properly fried so the batter remains light and crisp even on the bottom pieces of the serving dish.  The sweet and spicy sauce has a bit of heat (not too much; you can taste the batter as well as the chicken with each bite).

A great spot in East County.

Happy Lunar New Year to everyone, especially all the rabbits (or cats) celebrating their year.

Condolences to all impacted in Monterey Park. 

Lucky Chinese Food 9740 Mission Gorge Road #8 Santee, CA 92071 (619)596-2978 Website5AD9130D-EB9F-46D9-88BE-BA115E514043