Bow to Florissant's China King

With several Chinese restaurants in Florissant, it can be difficult to determine which one serves the best cuisine. After visiting a good share of the ones in the area, , for lack of a better word, rules.

Like most Chinese restaurants, China King has plain or vegetable versions of most of its entrées, making it a great place to go if you're a vegetarian. My only complaint about its menu is that it doesn't have veggie egg rolls.

In lieu of an appetizer, I decided to try two entrées. First up, I chose a half-order of vegetable fried rice ($3.25). The dish overflowed with veggies, including broccoli, mushrooms, peas, carrots, onions, bean sprouts, cabbage, green onions and celery, the last of which was a first for both my guest and me.

The celery and the vegetables seemed cooked well and had a lot of flavor. The fried rice tasted a bit overcooked in pieces, but the whole dish was delicious.

For my second course, I ordered the sautéed mixed vegetable dish ($6.35). Tofu, broccoli, baby corn, carrots, pea pods, water chestnuts, bamboo shoots and onions, along with white rice served on the side comprised the dish.

The large chunks of tofu surprised me upon my first glance at the dish. I had never eaten such large pieces, so I worried that they would be mushy and flavorless.

The first bite put those worries to rest. The outside was firm without being too crispy, while the inside was soft and still had a bit of flavor.

In other words, it was some of the best tofu I've ever had, and tofu is not one of the easiest ingredients to work with when cooking.

The fried rice veggies had a ton of flavor, and it was cooked to perfection.

The soy sauce didn't drown them either as it was the perfect amount. The rice wasn't dry or sticky.

The portion sizes of the food, even on the half-orders, was generous, meaning I had plenty of leftovers to take home with me for another delicious meal.

My guest tried the fried rice ($3.25) and a four-piece order of crab rangoon ($2.75), and she was also pleased with her meal.

When it comes to Chinese food in Florissant, China King will definitely be hard to beat.