Lai Lai Oriental Express

I just got back from working in Haiti where on any given day I was eating food from street vendors and not-​so-​sanitary restaurants. Even though there are risks of diseases and bacteria from Haitian food, I never got food poising.
Enter Lai Lia, where after eating only half of my orange chicken entrée for lunch I successfully get a small batch of food poising or some sort of bacteria. And I know it was from Lai Lai because that was the only thing I was able to eat the whole day.
It’s crazy to me that I can eat American Chinese food and get more sick and feel a 1,000 times worse than I did by eating Haitian food for 10 days straight.
I do not recommend this place to anyone.

Actually sitting in the Mart trying to pick through my schezwan chicken looking for a piece of chicken to eat… Maybe 5 – 6 small flavorless & fatty penny sized pieces amongst the drowning of brown sauce… All for $ 7.95… Not again…

I created a Unilocal account for the sole purpose of writing this. I will NEVER go to this place again. I ordered the chicken fried rice for lunch yesterday and have felt MISERABLE since. Thanks for a day and a half on the toilet, Lai Lai. Do yourself a favor, folks… Leave this place alone. Besides, it’s cash only — lame.

No credit cards. In the Merchandise Mart… really? They seem to wear this like a badge of honor, but it’s really annoying. I forget a lot of times and get in line and then get to the checkout and have to run to the bank.
Their orange chicken tastes like real oranges, but they don’t have any combo meals, and I like a mix of flavors. The women who run it are really inflexible and their food just isn’t good enough to justify it. Sure, they have a monopoly when I want a quick Chinese fix because the closest Panda Express is at the Thompson Center, but offer your customers something interesting. Let me get Orange Chicken and an additional entrée without charging me double. Reduce the portions. Something. Anything. I want to frequent your restaurant!
Every time I eat there I swear I will never do so again, but then I need my fix. It’s hard to make Panda Express look good, but this place makes it look gourmet.
They do have Mountain Dew… HUGE PLUS.

I don’t know why I keep trying, but I am constantly on the hunt for decent quick Chinese food in the loop. Needless to say, this definitely wasn’t it. Most entrees are chicken-​based. I opted to get the sezchwan chicken only to realize it was smothered in brown sauce that lacked flavor. While most places will throw in some peppers, it seems they are trying to get the most bang for their buck as they only had onions, celery and carrots in theirs.
Service was quick and efficient. The women behind the counter were friendly. However, I definitely don’t think this is money well spent.