Northshore Empress
Backstory
Northshore Empress began serving in the year following Katrina. Its location near the Home Depot brought it a brisk initial trade, enough to establish a fair number of regulars.
Dining Room
The spacious dining room is dramatically decorated, particularly in the lighting department. The service staff is enthusiastic, and asking about the Vietnamese dishes will bring forth particular attention to your order.
Why It's Essential
Until a few pho shops began opening on the North Shore in the past year, people often asked me why there was no Vietnamese food in either Mandeville of Covington. They were surprised when I told them of this place, which many of them knew was there--usually from having seen it from the parking lot of Copeland's, across the street. The assumption was that North Shore Empress was Chinese, because of its good looks. In fact, the people who own it are Vietnamese, and the menu has as much from that cuisine as Chinese.
Why It's Good
Both the Chinese and Vietnamese sides of the menu include the basics of the cuisine and not much beyond. This is not a restaurant for extending your life list of Asian dishes. They start with good ingredients and turn out handsome, tasty, clean-flavored dishes, in the usual mammoth portions that the cuisines are known for.
Most Interesting Dishes
<em><strong>Starters</strong></em><br /> »Egg rolls, shrimp and roast pork<br /> »Fried mini spring rolls<br /> »Crab delight<br /> »Shrimp toast<br /> Fantail shrimp<br /> Hawaiian shrimp <br /> Hi hop (dumplings, shrimp and roast pork)<br /> Fried wonton <br /> Barbecue pork<br /> Barbecue pork ribs<br /> Beef teriyaki<br /> »Pot stickers<br /> Egg drop soup <br /> »Hot and sour soup <br /> Chinese vegetable soup<br /> Wonton soup <br /> Yat ca mein soup <br /> »First Asian soup<br /> Empress soup<br /> <em><strong>Chinese Entrees</strong></em><br /> Lo mein (soft noodles): shrimp, pork, chicken, beef, vegetable or combination<br /> Fried rice (white or brown rice): shrimp, pork, chicken, beef, vegetable or combination<br /> Boneless fried chicken<br /> Mandarin chicken<br /> »Moo goo gai pan<br /> Chicken chow mein <br /> Sweet and sour chicken or shrimp<br /> Lemon chicken or shrimp<br /> Curry chicken or shrimp<br /> »Kung bo chicken, shrimp, or beef<br /> Chicken, shrimp or beef with broccoli <br /> »Spicy Empress chicken, shrimp or pork (spicy) <br /> »Honey chicken, shrimp or pork<br /> Green pepper steak<br /> Beef, chicken, pork or shrimp with Chinese vegetables<br /> Hunan beef or shrimp<br /> »Char sui pan<br /> Shrimp with lobster sauce (brown sauce upon request) <br /> Fried shrimp with vegetables<br /> Triple dragon<br /> Lomi lomi<br /> Steak kew<br /> »Sesame encrusted chicken<br /> Long fong steak (medium well steak and chicken)<br /> Sweet romance<br /> »Crispy duck<br /> Mandarin duck<br /> »Hunan duck<br /> Moo shu pork, chicken, or shrimp<br /> Vegetable chow mein <br /> Vegetable chop suey <br /> »Braised tofu with Chinese vegetables <br /> <em><strong>Vietnamese rice-noodle soups (pho)</strong></em><br /> »Pho tai (medium rare flanks of beef)<br /> »Pho ga (white meat chicken)<br /> Pho bo vien (beef meatballs)<br /> Pho tai bo vien (beef and meatballs) <br /> Pho tai ga (beef and chicken)<br /> Pho combo (beef, chicken, and meatballs)<br /> »Pho tai bo vien (beef and meatballs) <br /> Pho tai ga ( beef and chicken)<br /> Pho combo (beef, chicken, and meatballs)<br /> Pho tofu<br /> Pho vegetable (Chinese vegetables) <br /> Pho tai vegetable (beef and vegetables)<br /> Pho ga vegetable (chicken and vegetables) <br /> »Pho bo vien vegetable (meatballs and vegetables) <br /> »Pho shrimp<br /> <em><strong>Other Vietnamese dishes</strong></em><br /> Jasmine rice with char grilled lemongrass chicken<br /> »Jasmine rice with char grilled pork chops<br /> »Jasmine rice with half asian style rotisserie (crispy) chicken<br /> Rice vermicelli noodles with sautéed beef and onions<br /> »Rice vermicelli noodles with fried mini spring rolls<br /> Rice vermicelli noodles with char grilled shrimps<br /> »Spicy Asian barbecue pork chops, marinated with ginger and spices<br /> <em><strong>Desserts</strong></em><br /> »Fried raspberry cheesecake with vanilla ice cream <br /> Turtle brownie sundae with vanilla ice cream <br />
Deficiencies
More range across the menu would be welcome. I wish the menu described the more complex chef's specialties a bit more.
For Best Results
The Vietnamese dishes are a little better than the Chinese, but there aren't as many of them. Mixing the two cuisines in a single meal is not a bad idea. Know that such things as chow mein, chop suey, and yat ca mein are there only to serve people who won't try anything else.
Bonus Ratings
1
Attitude
1
Environment
1
Service
2
Value