Richie Chan’s Chinese food–honor your elders

It started with the wonton soup—basic but soothing, with delicate, silky, stuffed wonton noodles floating in a subtle, clear broth, and just a hint of ginger. Simple fare from humble surroundings, but done with surprising quality and care. This sums up Richie Chan’s:classic Chinese-American comfort food done right. It’s the kind of food craved after a long work day, during an evening of staying in watching DVDs, or as a way to feed a last-minute crowd when cooking is out of the question.

With little more than simple neon window signs beckoning from Cedar Road near the intersection with Lee Road, Richie Chan's is easy to overlook. But they must be doing something right. Open almost every day, with an always steady clientele, Richie’s has been serving Cleveland Heights and beyond for close to 25 years.

Although the surroundings and low prices might indicate otherwise, this isn’t your standard hole in the wall. Sure they serve the greatest hits of Chinese-American cuisine, including a retro 1950s cocktail party staple -cream cheese-filled Crab Rangoon - and crunchy, addictive shrimp chips. Scratch the surface, though, and more “authentic” dishes appear: oyster mushrooms and shrimp in a subtle light soy sauce; funky black bean sauce stir-fried green beans with pork; and Singapore noodles with curry seasoning.

Richie Chan and his wife, Ty, are the heart and soul of the restaurant and the only staff. It’s astounding the number of dishes and quantity of food the Chans prepare and serve on a daily basis, and how hard they work from morning until midnight.

Originally from Hong Kong, the Chans came to Cleveland in 1978 and opened Richie Chan’s in 1986. They are passionate about cooking. A window gives customers a direct view into the workings of the clean kitchen. Piles of fresh, colorful vegetables sit waiting to be chopped. A peek at a little religious shrine and TV in the back indicates that this is not just a restaurant kitchen, it’s a homey family kitchen as well.

Quality is king. Fried foods are often the bane of take-out joints—heavy, greasy, with a dirty, burnt taste. Not at Richie’s. Here, oil in the deep fat fryer is clean and changed often. Plump, tender eggrolls are crispy, and not greasy. The seasoned chicken wings are juicy with a crispy fried coating.

Portions are generous. A small pint of fried rice stuffed to the gills in the paper takeout container easily becomes two pints when put into a bowl. Although not all dishes will appeal to all tastes, and some are more textbook than others, part of the fun is finding what you love and what you can bypass on your next Richie Chan’s journey. In an extra touch of friendliness, Ty will always provide a fresh orange or two with each order along with standard fortune cookies.

Richie Chan's is open for lunch Monday through Saturday, and dinner every day, until 10:30 p.m. on weekdays and 11 or 11:30 p.m. on weekends. Free parking is available in the lot next door, to the west of the building.

Richie Chan’s is Chinese-American food for the soul.

Richie Chan’s

13181 Cedar Rd
Cleveland, OH 44118 

(216) 932-8900

$ (inexpensive) take out, a few tables tables for dining in

No alcohol