There is a lot of competition in the Chinese food Brockton market. Some restaurants cater to the cheap take-out crowd while others use sleek decor and quality ingredients to lure a dine-in crowd. It’s rare when a restaurant is able to cater to both crowds successfully. So how does Bamboo Cafe in Brockton, MA do it?
Bamboo Cafe – Location, Parking and Hours
Located on busy Route 123, Bamboo Cafe is situated in a strip mall with a few other restaurants. If you know where The Back Bay Bagel Company is, Bamboo Cafe is located just across the street. The parking lot is big and you shouldn’t have trouble finding a spot. A word of warning: we went during a rainstorm and the parking spots located closest to Bamboo Cafe had filled up with water. It’s a great way to get your socks soaking wet.
They have great hours for that area (maybe it’s the proximity to Stonehill College that encourages them to stay open late):
Mon-Thurs: 11am-10pm
Fri-Sat: 11am-11pm
Sun: 12pm-10pm
And if you don’t feel like leaving the house, they offer delivery for $2.
Standing Out in the Chinese Food Brockton Market – A Sleek, Simple Interior
What really makes Bamboo Cafe stand out against its (often hole-in-the-wall) competitors is it’s clean, inviting interior.
The kitchen is framed with glass so it’s in complete view to the customers. This goes a long way in establishing trust with the patrons; when we can see what’s going on behind the scenes, we can trust that there’s nothing fishy going on.
The kitchen was clean and organized. It had a very professional vibe, like the managers and employees took their job seriously. After a lot of bad experiences with Chinese food in Brockton (and some food poisoning), Bamboo Cafe was a refreshing change of pace.
Unlike Great Chow, the dining area itself wasn’t very large; if you plan on bringing a large party, you should call ahead so they can figure out the seating.
The decor was simple, clean and uncluttered. Along the wall near the bar seating is a plasma TV, it’d make a good spot if you felt like grabbing a quick dinner by yourself.
Lighter Chinese Fare Prepared Quickly
Bamboo Cafe’s menu isn’t anything out of the ordinary. They offer the usual American-Chinese food you’d find in any take-out joint in the Northeast.
Matt ordered General Gao’s chicken and substituted fried rice with lo mein. I got an appetizer plate with chicken fingers, crab rangoon and an egg roll. With tax it came to $21, pretty average – not cheap but definitely not expensive.
We called ahead to place the order, it was a cold, rainy day and we didn’t feel up to dining in. The food was ready quickly, in about 15 minutes. When we picked up that brown bag of fried goodness, let me tell you, it smelled better than any other Chinese take-out I’ve had. Bonus, the food looked just as appealing as it smelled.
I can’t quite put my finger on why Bamboo’s food was so much better. When everything is fried, it’s hard to tell the quality of the ingredients. I have a feeling though that Bamboo uses fresher ingredients and doesn’t rely so heavily on microwaves (as a lot of small restaurants have a tendency to do). Whatever the reason though, we both really enjoyed the food.
In an area saturated with Chinese food restaurants, Bamboo Cafe has managed to stand out. A sleek, inviting decor coupled with great food makes this restaurant a must try.
What’s your favorite place for Chinese food?
Related Links:
Bamboo Cafe: http://www.bamboocafebrockton.com
Leave a Reply