Chin’s Kitchen

(Emily Joan Greene)
By Mattie John Bamman

Going to Chin's Kitchen without ordering the guo bao rou ($18.95) would be a huge mistake. It's a style of sweet-and-sour pork historic to the Dongbei region in northeastern China, and tasting it brings enlightenment. The thinly sliced pieces of deep-fried meat arrive incredibly crisp, yet tender in the center. The sauce, which adheres to everything, maintains the familiar sweetness and tang but is much lighter and complex than most.

With its massive neon façade, Chin's Kitchen has been a staple in the Hollywood neighborhood for nearly 70 years, but in 2016, new owners (and sisters) Chang Feng (Wendy) and Change (Cindy) Li brought a more regional focus. Beyond the guo bao rou, there's a lot to explore: dry-fried wings with sweet-and-sour dipping sauce ($9.95, $13.95), plump pork and leek dumplings ($10.95), spicy cumin beef ($15.95) and hand-pulled noodle soup ($11.95) prepared on the other side of a glass window.

Pro tip: Though Chin's Kitchen does offer takeout, you can only get that guo bao rou by dining in. The old-school vibes will transport you back to another time, too.

GO: 4126 NE Broadway, 503-281-1203, chinskitchenportland.com, 11 am-3 pm and 5-9 pm Tuesday-Sunday

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