Around the holiday season—more specifically, Christmas—many people who don’t have family or friends to celebrate with often turn to Chinese food for the holiest meal of the day. Silent night, lonely night!
Growing up, my family didn’t celebrate Christmas. We were the working poor and rarely went out for dinner. Instead, we made do with permanently dented cans of La Choy Beef Chow Mein, complete with vegetables and sauce, a canister of crispy chow mein noodles, and—joy of joys—a broken fortune cookie with no fortune.
But, nowadays, I can totally eat Chinese food—or really any food I want—alone for Christmas. And when I do, I “church it up” with the nominally stable Grand House China Bistro, Oklahoma City’s long-running and most celebrated restaurant of any cultural genre.
Last week, my girlfriend and I visited Grand House. Despite the bright sunshine, there was a crisp chill in the air. Having enjoyed Grand House during many secular times in my life, the ornaments and tassels were a welcome distraction from the holiday blues.
As the hostess led us to our table, the waitperson arrived with steaming hot green tea. “Oh Tannenbaum… that’s so warm!” I exclaimed with a touch of sarcasm.
While sipping my wonderfully scalding tea, I browsed the menu, contemplating dishes I’d never tried—tempted to experiment. But, surrounded by such sacred decor, it felt like a time to be more traditional.
I craved the most stereotypical Chinese food—but elevated. The Grand House kitchen, having perfected these classics, delivered exactly that.
We started with an appetizer of Shanghai Dumplings ($7.00). This traditional dish featured four delicate steamed buns filled with ground pork, vegetables, and just a hint of ginger.
Already, Grand House was matching the vibe I was setting. The dumplings were the perfect starter—meaty, satisfying, and made even better with a generous dip in the sauce. It was a fantastic way to warm up my appetite for the main course.
My girlfriend, a longtime Grand House fan, decided to branch out and try something new: the reliable Vegetable Hot Pot ($15.00). Served in a sizzling clay pot, the dish was packed with tofu, napa cabbage, broccoli, snow peas, baby corn, black mushrooms, and water chestnuts, all swimming in a rich, savory brown sauce.
As I expected, she really enjoyed it. Heeding the hot pot's warning, she found the pillowy, airy tofu soaked up the savory brown sauce beautifully, while the broccoli, baby corn, and—surprisingly—the napa cabbage provided nimble support. A Christmas miracle!
For my part, I settled on my favorite traditional dish—the kind I imagine my own imaginary happy family sitting down to: the Happy Family ($15.00).
Making merry on my plate was a quartet of chicken, pork, beef, and shrimp, all stir-fried to perfection with mixed vegetables—onions, broccoli, and water chestnuts—bathed in a rich, flavorful brown sauce. I’m pretty sure it was the same sauce as the Vegetable Hot Pot. Great minds think alike, after all.
This wasn’t just the meal I wanted; it was the meal I was craving. Each snap of the fresh vegetables paired beautifully with the tender meats, especially the juicy pork—so good I found myself wishing for more. Maybe next year!
After wiping my mouth and recovering from my feast, I eagerly turned to the Grand House dessert case, stocked by La Baguette. This time, I went for the one treat I’d never tried: the Tiramisù ($4.50). Without a doubt, it was the best holiday indulgence I could have wished for.
With layers of espresso- and liqueur-soaked sponge cake, a rich mascarpone filling, and a dusting of cocoa powder on top, the Tiramisù was the guiding Christmas star of all seasonal cakes!
This year hasn’t been so bad, actually. Sure, I’ve had to contend with post-stroke tremors, losing all my teeth, and, of course, the country plunging straight into the post-Satanic altera-shitter. But through it all, Grand House has been there—wiping away my tears and, most importantly, helping me wipe my trembling mouth.
God bless you, Grand House. Cómpralo ya!
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Follow Louis Fowler on Instagram at @louisfowler78.
