Golden Inn Chinese Restaurant

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The Scene
Tucked away in a suburban shopping center called--maybe a little too self-importantly--the Willow Bend Towne Centre, Golden Inn is easy to miss if you're not looking for it. For one thing, it's in Lutz. The restaurant's decor is modest--oak booths, elementary blue-and-beige color scheme, chandeliers that look like they came from Home Depot--but unusually tidy and clean. At noon, the restaurant features a big buffet located in back, priced at a very reasonable $4.95.

The Food
Typical Chinese favorites, but very well-done.

What to Order
It would be hard to go wrong here with anything: Vegetables are fresh, fried dishes crisp; the rice is newly made--not warmed over; and the homemade noodles are delicious. Especially good among a number of excellent dishes on the menu are the eggrolls--not some limp, greasy version, but crisp veggies carefully wrapped and fried golden; they crumble and crunch in your mouth. Another standout was the egg foo young, usually a terrible disappointment, but Golden Inn's version was a winner. It looked like a sand-dollar size circle of egg and fresh veggies, so light it seemed almost like a souffle. And do try dessert, it was swell, too.