214 W. Main St

Havana, IL

Yesterday, for Dauson’s birthday, we went to the local Chinese restaurant for lunch.  In the past, we have always ordered their General Tsos Chicken but this time, we are vegetarians.  Chicken was out of the question.  So, because of our dietary changes we had to venture off the beaten path and order something new.  Boy were we glad we did!

China Town is a quiet little place tucked in to the not so bustling downtown of Havana, Illinois.  This is our home town, well at least Dauson’s hometown and my new home having moved here with him nearly 7 months ago from Maine.  It’s a quaint little mid-west town of no more than 3,600 residents, a sleepy little town that takes life as slow as possible.  Lots of farmers.

So, as you can imagine, there are a lot of “meat and potato” type restaurants around here.  We are not exactly “meat and potato” type people any longer since meat is no longer part of our eating pleasure.  China Town offers the perfect little departure from the standard.

This is a family owned and operated establishment run by a wonderful family from China.  We’ve made a point of befriending this family, as well as we can with the language barrier and have discovered much about the Chinese culture.  This time, we brought them some of Dauson’s birthday Spice Cupcakes with Cream Cheese frosting.  YUM!  And in return we were given a tasty plate of fried dough sprinkled with sugar.  So simple, so good.

After reviewing the vegetarian selections we decided to try something neither of us has had before… Moo Shu.  The Mu Shoo Vegetable is a glorious concoction of cabbage, sprouts, shredded mushroom, egg and other veggies sauteed together and smothered in a plum and teriyaki sauce.  This is also served with pancakes that closely resemble tortilla’s and hoisin sauce.  The Moo Shu dish is then assembled like a burrito.  Slather the hoisin on the pancake then fill with the vegetable mixture and devour.  We loved the veggie filling so much that just stirred in the hoisin and devoured without the pancake.  It was too good to wait for assembly.

The portion size was also amazing and even with Dauson and I sharing the dish, we still ended up taking some home.  As many of you should know by now, I have a tendency to dive in before the picture can be taken…it happened this time too…

When visiting China Town in Havana, IL, don’t expect fancy.  Don’t expect fancy table cloths or cloth napkins.  This is a simple place run by simple folk that just want to serve great food, and boy do they succeed!  I have yet to have a dish that I haven’t loved.  If you have the chance to stop by this way, do so.  Stop at China Town, say hello and prepare to be fed incredibly delicious food.