Happy 4701! That's right, it's the Chinese New Year.
This week marks the beginning of the Year of the Monkey in the Chinese lunar calendar. And what better way to celebrate than by ordering some Chinese food, delivered right to your dorm by the friendly people at Golden Dragon?
Let me start by saying that Knott Hall loves South Bend's finest Chinese delivery shop. When I say "loves," I don't just mean we enjoy their food. We love them like mothers love their babies, like hippies love their Birkenstocks, like Howard Dean loves screaming like a maniac.
I hardly know where to begin, as I extol the virtues of the Juggs' favorite supplier of Eastern delights.
The variety is simply astonishing. The Dragon's minions serve six-count 'em, six-varieties of lo mein. My personal favorite is roast pork, but beef, chicken, veggie, shrimp, and "house special" can all be had, and they're all pretty good. At under eight bucks a quart, it's the best deal this side of the Great Wall.
And the General Tso's chicken is some of the best I've had. What would a Chinese menu be without the contributions of the Szechuan Army's best-fed commander?
Even better, the menu is not only extensive, but entertaining. Until recently, the cover of the menu proclaimed, "We Delivery!"
And they do.
Just pick up the phone, dial 243-8800, and a half hour later you're the proud recipient of a hot, nondescript paper bag. You open the bag to find not only your order, but a treasure trove of goodies: free soy sauce, free fortune cookies, and enough free sweet-and-sour sauce to float an aircraft carrier.
If you're really lucky, the delivery guy will even bring you a calendar, featuring either serene Chinese landscapes or lovely Asian ladies.
As the smell of hot, fresh Chinese food wafts through the corridors, guys in your section start peeking out their doors. And you hear the same question over and over: "Did you get Golden Dragon?"
Of course I did, and so should you. After all, 1.1 billion Chinese can't be wrong.
