As I mentioned in my blog post about my favorite restaurants and stores in Downtown Amherst, Formosa is my favorite Chinese restaurant in Amherst, but there are a few Chinese restaurants in Amherst. Formosa is my favorite because the way they cook Lo Mein is similar to how the restaurant I used to get that dish at back in the Bay Area cooked it. Additionally, their lunch specials are usually around ten dollars, and they have a pretty wide selection of entrees for both lunch specials and in general. It also has a ton of seating space, and they were able to accommodate me and 13 other people I went to the restaurant with once. This restaurant was also the first restaurant I ate at with my parents when we arrived at Amherst a few days before I moved in, and I also had lunch at Formosa during orientation with my orientation leader and a few people in my orientation group. I have to admit that a large part of the reason why I love Formosa is because of nostalgia, but regardless, getting food from Formosa always makes my day.
Another popular Chinese restaurant in Downtown Amherst is Oriental Flavor. During parents’ weekend, my parents gathered with other Chinese parents they met over WeChat to eat at this restaurant, and I joined them since they traveled all the way from California to visit. We had the dim sum, which wasn’t too bad. Like Formosa, Oriental Flavor has a large selection of entrees and offers a ton of variety in terms of food.
However, for those who favor simplicity, Lili’s Restaurant is a great alternative. This Chinese restaurant is located a little further from Amherst than Oriental Flavor and Formosa, but it’s still located in Downtown Amherst. The selection of dishes there is rather limited and the small seating space in the restaurant is always packed, but the food is pretty good. Lili’s is popular among my friends, but I’ve only been there once since it’s often busy, especially on weekend evenings.
Though it isn’t located in Downtown Amherst and isn’t easy to get to without taking the bus or driving a car, Ginger Garden is another great Chinese restaurant located near the Big Y, which is sandwiched between Hadley Mall and Amherst College. Though I only went once to get lunch in celebration of my friend’s birthday, I enjoyed their seafood dishes and took note of their large dining area that was able to accommodate our party of about 12 people.
As I was walking to Black Sheep recently, I noticed that a new Chinese restaurant appears to be opening soon across from Formosa. Chinese food is a popular dining option in Amherst, and it warms my heart to know that people at Amherst enjoy food that I grew up eating.