There’s nothing like good Asian food. 

That’s never truer than at QQ Kitchen. With a bright, appealing dining room and cheerful, attentive staff, the small restaurant, located in a Secor Rd. strip mall, is the perfect place for a casual meal. Both visits, our servers seem genuinely invested in making sure our meals turned out well, bringing a level of care and dedication one rarely sees outside of more luxury locales.

On our first trip, my dining companion and I each ordered a hot and sour soup ($4.99), with tofu, carrot, bamboo, egg, and black pepper, alongside vegan dumplings ($7.99) and the tofu summer rolls, served with a peanut sauce ($6.99).

The hot and sour soup is one of QQ kitchen’s many great vegetarian options, with a satisfying peppery flavor that warms the whole body. The tofu rolls come with lots of vegetables, a good texture, and large portions of both food and sauce to dip it in.

Bill of Fare

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With the ability to substitute any protein for another in any dish on the expansive menu, we ordered the broccoli entree with crispy tofu lathered in a rich brown gravy ($13.99) and the General Tsao’s chicken ($13.99), which is deep fried in a spicy garlic sauce. Both dishes come with a light and fluffy white rice so delicious is threatens to steal the show.

Our meals were filling, with flavorful sauces and big portions. While both dishes are standard at any Midwestern Asian restaurant, QQ Kitchen’s top-tier preparation of these staple meals is enough to satisfy any diner.

The General Tsao’s chicken could have benefited by including more than just chicken and rice – a few vegetables would break the monotony up. Other than this minor note, we left our first visit plenty satisfied and with leftovers to boot.

On our second visit we each started with an appetizer of crab rangoon ($6.99) each. Beautifully presented and wonderfully sweet, getting two orders was a good decision, as we polished both sets off in short order.

My sweet and sour chicken ($13.99), which came with deep fried chicken and pineapple, carrot, green pepper, and onion draped with the usual orange sauce, was another delicious choice from the entree section of the menu. With more vegetables than the General Tsao’s chicken, the balance of this dish was much stronger. 

My dining companion opted for one of the chef’s specials, a menu category containing an array of more sumptuous and, as a result, slightly pricier dining options. His choice, the bulgogi ($15.99), was comprised of sliced beef stir fried in a Korean BBQ sauce over shredded cabbage and topped with green onion. The tender beef was filling and savory – definitely worth the extra dollar or two.

Our only note was that QQ Kitchen has unusual hours, closing from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. every day, capping the evening at an early 7 p.m., and not opening at all on weekends. This makes a casual visit for anyone working outside the usual 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. shift more difficult, which is especially unfortunate for a restaurant whose strengths lie in its casual atmosphere and timely, high-quality food.

Bill of Fare

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Both visits demonstrated QQ Kitchen’s confident, consistent skill in making staple Americanized Chinese dishes that extends to a broader range of East Asian cuisine. With an incredible vegetarian selection, prompt table service, and attention to detail in both dine-in and takeout meals, QQ Kitchen will slot perfectly into anyone’s favorite restaurant rotation – as long as your schedule fits their hours.

First Published October 19, 2023, 1:00 p.m.