About Dragon Express

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Yi Mei Ni and Ji Fen Xiao, better known as Christie and Andy, respectively, have made quick strides since they moved to the Tulsa area four years ago.

First they opened No. 1 Kitchen, a Chinese-style restaurant, in Broken Arrow, then added another No. 1 Kitchen at Pine Street and Lewis Avenue. About four months ago, they opened Dragon Express at Pine Street and Sheridan Road.

"All three restaurants have the same food and a lunch buffet ," Andy said through our interpreter, and Dragon Express employee, Lin. "We use recipes from my wife's family and have adapted recipes from food we fixed in China."

Andy said the food has been altered somewhat to fit American tastes and also for practical reasons.

"Many things we might fix for a family in China would take much too long for a restaurant," he said.

We visited Dragon Express on a recent weeknight and ordered two of the restaurant's most popular dishes — bourbon chicken ($6.95) and the Triple Delight ($9.95).

The bourbon chicken was loaded with chunks of chicken and some broccoli florets in a thick brown sauce that was a little salty and just this side of sweet. It came with pork fried rice dotted with peas, carrots and onion, and a standard egg roll on the side, making for a flavorful and filling dinner.

Triple Delight included three pieces of jumbo shrimp and chunks of chicken and beef mixed with vegetables in another brown sauce. It came with steamed fried rice.

Hot tea comes already brewed in a brown coffee mug. We also had a Tsingtao, a light Chinese beer.

The menu is typically long, maybe 100 items, for a Chinese restaurant and includes family specials that range from $28.95 to $53.95.

The lunch buffet ($5.95), served 10:45 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., features 18 items, including sesame chicken, vegetable lo mein, orange chicken and Szechuan pork. Diners may choose four of the entree items. Fried rice and egg drop soup are complimentary.

Dragon Express is located in a former Mazzio's building. It has been tastefully decorated with Asian-themed items.