XIAO
Xiao, pronounced “she-ow” or almost like “chow” as we were told by owner, is a gem of a Chinese restaurant and yes, lounge. Hidden in plain sight, in a newer strip mall on the North side of Saginaw Street just east of 127 is East Lansing’s newest restaurant and lounge. The atmosphere is elegant, sporty and classy. The design carries a crisp and warm oldworld style with a large statue of Buddha and the seating of your choice from tables and large comfortable booths to stools at the bar or the relaxing comfort of the VIP section, they even offer patio seating as climate allows.
We have had several writers dine here and some of us have had multiple experiences at Xiao. The question is, can this new place that looks small from the outside really be this good. The answer is, whether you choose to sit inside or take-out and have a Chinese dish or sushi, we simply answer, YES!
Liqueur, beer and mixed drinks
The Michigan beers on the menu were a great thing to see, but whatever your drink is they have it. Even offering a great Chinese beer. Whether you are here for a Chinese meal or Sushi, after you are served your beverage of choice we recommend trying some of the appetizers. These are great! Here is a list of what we have tried from their Appetizer Menu and they are all amazing: The Summer Rolls, The Peking Duck Sliders, The Philly Egg Roll, Chicken Lettuce Wraps, The Pot Sticker and the whole lump crab in the Crab Rangoons. The owner shared that their speciality is The Philly Egg Roll-an American twist on a Chinese favorite. But which ever you choose you will not be disappointed.
The Entree Menu is classic and done right. As you may know, if we don’t like something at or about a restaurant Dine Michigan doesn’t talk about it. We don’t believe in wasting time being negative. The problem here is we had too much to talk about as we loved it all. From the kick in the Original General Tso’s Chicken to the simple sweet taste of the Traditional Sweet and Sour Chicken all the way to the fresh snap of the broccoli in the Classic Broccoli Beef the entrees are all delicious!
Chinese food at its best
Next, we dove in with a small salad and soup. The salad is very good with a house-made dressing you will enjoy. You may also choose the soup which was the choice of the youngsters in our party. The tofu was done perfectly with a great broth base, green onions and other seasonings making the soup different that the usual hot sour or egg drop of most Chinese restaurants.
The sushi is for everyone regardless of your tastes. With more than 25 possibilities on the sushi menu they have what you are looking for. On our last trip to Xiao we enjoyed a boatload of four different types. The simple tuna roll was a great start for us. We then tried the Chicken Teriyaki. With it’s sweet sauce it was a favorite of two of the three girls aged 6 and 9. From there I enjoyed the Happy Buddha. This assorted vegetable roll with Kampyo and fried tofu was delicious. We finished our sushi with the favorite of Sarah and our 7 year old, the Black Belt. The Black Belt is a seared beef roll with a sweet sauce. The beef and the sweet sauce are great together but, add the vegetables with the kick of the jalapeno and wow! So, from traditional to the teriyaki chicken or seared beef, Xiao does sushi amazingly well.
THIS IS GREAT CHINESE
There we said it…we loved the atmosphere, the service, the bar, the use of the big screen for sports and most of all the food. Xiao is a great addition to the Lansing area and if you haven’t tried it yet –it’s a must.
Xiao
3415 East Saginaw Street
Lansing, Michigan 48912
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517-580-3720
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About Dave C
