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    New China Restaurant

    3.6 (26 reviews)
    InexpensiveChinese
    Closed 11:00 am - 8:00 pm

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    NEW CHINA RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Quiet
    Good for groups
    Good for kids

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    Chicken wings (order of 16)
    Aja L.

    Okay, I was extremely leery of trying out a non chain Boone restaurant but this place came highly commended by Chinese associates of mine. The first time I walked in I saw white servers which set off alarms, though I did see Chinese cooks. I took menus and left. There's a traditional menu listing authentic dishes that would scare those with basic and infantile palates, and Americanized Chinese dishes for those who like it sugar sweet and plain. Today I went in and ordered the most basic Szechuan dish which done properly is heavenly and done poorly is a slap in the face. I ordered spicy deep fried chicken wings which I avoid eating publicly unless I'm in Black or Chinese spaces. I was the only person in there who wasn't white until an Asian couple finally came in. The wings were 16 for $15 with a side of rice. The presentation was fair to nice, the seasoning was uneven - some wings were saltier and spicier than others, and the food was NOT spicy. Seasoned, but not spicy. I specifically asked for spicy repeatedly. The server asked how the food was and I told then it could be spicier. He brought out chili oil which helped, but I prefer and expect from ethnic restaurants to not need any added. The wings came with vegetables which was nice. Compared to most Iowa Chinese restaurants it is definitely in the top. It'll do the trick when I don't want to drive in to Ames for Chinese. Bonus points for the high level of cleanliness, but I feel they were holding back on the food because I'm not Chinese.

    the front of the restaurant
    Daniel L.

    Several people have described this place as having one of the best Chinese food in Central Iowa so my friend and I decided to visit and see what they are all about. The dim lit, carpeted interior was antiquated with red lanterns that hung from the ceilings. From front to back, the layout included three rows of tables vertically arranged, and the atmosphere was subdued as we were one of the few visitors on this quiet evening. The servers were not Chinese, and they quickly handed us the "oriental" menu out of the two dining options that were available without first consulting with us. This is the first time either of us have seen clay pots in an Iowa restaurant so we ordered the Pork Hock in Pot ($10.95). Price was high but serving was humongous with plenty to take home. The clay pot was filled to the brim with tender chunky pieces of savory pork hocks loaded with flavor. Each piece was easy to bite into and there were depth in the flavor between the lean and fatty pieces. It was delicious. We also shared an order of Beef and Vegetable with Rice Noodles ($8.95). This is also the first time that we have seen a dish that resembled chow fun with thick slippery noodles stir fried with thick slices of beef and a few bean sprouts here and there. The thickness of the noodles was still slightly thinner than what is traditionally considered as chow fun and we both wished it could be stir fried a bit longer since it was on the soggy side. My friend noticed the bean sprouts were already wilted that prevented the crispy to slipper contrast in the textures that usually set the veggies apart from the noodles. We were happy with the thick cuts of beef that were semi-red in the middle, but the cuts were more chewy than necessary. Our least favorite dish was the Tripe Pieces with Spicy Bean Sauce ($10.95). The tripe was overcooked so there was little texture remaining, and the level of spiciness was flat as deep flavors from the bean sauce was missing. We were hoping for this dish to be served with Chinese black bean sauce but it turned out to be one hot mess. Prices are high as each of us ended up paying $20 per person for this meal. Fortunately, we had plenty of leftovers but we didn't like the tripe enough to bring it back. Our drinks were refilled from time to time but we also find our forks and knives sticky and unclean when we first entered the restaurant. It was a decent meal underscored by a fantastic clay pot which we hope to have plenty of in the future. My friend has a Yelp account but never writes reviews but we both agreed on a positive 3 stars experience. As an interesting side note, once we came out of the restaurant there was a chubby kid on a bike that proceeded to bow to us like the movie, the karate kid, something I haven't seen in a long time. Overall, I'm definitely interested in returning but will put more emphasis on the clay pots for the next meal.

    Shrimp Lo Mein
    Lissa G.

    This was the first time we've eaten at the one in Boone. I have to say I'm very disappointed. I had the Shrimp Lo Mein and it wasn't very good. The shrimp tasted off and there wasn't any sauce on the noodles. The crab ragoons were just nasty. I ended up only eating the white rice. My husband had the General Tso's. He thought there was a mix up and, got orange chicken. He did like the combination rice so I'll give them the 1 star.

    Tasteful decorations.
    Jeff T.

    My girlfriend used to work here growing up, and was always raving about it whenever we went to any other Chinese joint. So, when we visited her hometown, we had to try it. I was pleasantly surprised. Good, solid Chinese in small town America. The really cool part is that they do authentic Chinese menu items, but you have to know how to order them. I've been here a bunch now and we often see Chinese students from ISU here, despite the fact that there are a ton of Chinese places in Ames. New China must be doing something right to get them to come over here.

    This is how I picked it up...

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    1 year ago

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    4 years ago

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    9 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Absolutely the best!!!! Always consistent in the taste and portions of all food. The best lunch deal, cheaper than McDonalds and way better.

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    3 years ago

    Always love getting carry out with my girlfriend from here! You get a nice portion of food, for a good price, and the employees are amazing!

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    3 years ago

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    15 years ago

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    10 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Food is good but bad customer service after forgetting chow mein noodles for the order

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    4 years ago

    Yummy Chinese food and very reasonably priced. Do wish they had fine-in service back.....

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    9 years ago

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    18 years ago

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    12 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    14 years ago

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    12 years ago

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    11 years ago

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    9 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    10 years ago

    Best sweet and sour chicken and mu shu chicken I've ever had in iowa! Even my 3 year loves the food and shes super picky.

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    Review Highlights - New China Restaurant

    New China is one of the best Chinese food in central Iowa.

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    New China Restaurant - chinese - Updated June 2026

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