The Great Wall of Little Falls

-Name: Great Wall
Location: 113 1ST ST NE  LITTLE FALLS , MN 56345-2601
-Cuisine: Americanized Chinese cuisine, Szechuan, Cantonese, Hunan
-Capacity: 108
-Offers: Dine-in, Buffet, Take-out
-Signature Dish: General Tso’s Chicken, walnut shrimp, Boneless Chicken, Chicken with Black Pepper
-Drinks: Beverage, Tea, etc.
-Desserts: Chinese Dim Sum.
-Year of establishment: 1997
-Phone: 320-632-1095
-Owner: Huang Zhuang

Mr. Zhuang, native of China, arrived in America in1988. He says, “At the beginning I had a difficult time. To earn a living, I had no choice but to work in a Chinese restaurant because of the language barrier. I learned the trivial job of a busboy, and then how to cook as a chef; and by the way, I used to be a chef in China,” he adds with a touch of nostalgia.

ARN looked around at the 4000 square foot buffet style Chinese American palace that Mr. Zhuang has created after all the years of hard work and was impressed by the tremendous variety on offer at the buffet. Serving up a variety of signature dishes such as General Tso's Chicken, Chicken with Black Pepper, Walnut Shrimp, Beef and Mushrooms, Boneless Chicken to renditions of Szechuan, Hunan, Cantonese and Americanized Chinese such as spare ribs and egg drop soup; The Great Wall's smorgasbord is a lovely sight to behold.

“I opened my first restaurant in 1995 with my friend, which is also buffet style. Two years later, I quitted the first one and established the second one, Great Wall, by my own. Up to now, I have been dedicated to Chinese restaurant for 20 years since my arrival.

Outstanding Features

Peony and orchids in a natural landscape adorn the walls in frames. Yet at the center of the room, a large neon lit light box with an image of the Great Wall of China is the main attraction. There is a reflection from the light box onto a big menu which hangs on the wall highlighting the daily specials, of which there are many. The daily specials are clearly visible with the accompanying visual images. Visually appealing and inviting, these dishes are the most popular with customers ARN learns. People make decisions based on visuals and if what they see looks convincing and attractive then you've got a hit.

Another feature worth mentioning is that Mr. Zhuang and his five staff only use fresh produce and meats. They procure daily and do not use any ready-made foods or sauces, common amongst many restaurateurs in this business. All meals are prepared on the spot to ensure quality and authenticity of flavor. Maintenance of the buffet bar is critical to keep customers satisfied. Heat, freshness of food, filling it when it empties etc. are part and parcel to running a dynamic interactive restaurant.

The layout of the restaurant is quite orderly. Tables are lined up and in some areas the lazy Susan style tables seat 8 (round format). In total seating can accompany 108 diners. There are three large buffet bars located aside the dining area. Customers can walk up to the buffet and fill their plates without bumping into one another. There's plenty of room making traffic flow in a natural pattern.

It's a Family Affair

Mr. Zhuang has hired his relatives to work in the kitchen who all came from mainland China. They are pretty much in the same position as he was when he first arrived in the States. This could be an excellent learning experience for them as they climb the ladder of success. All employees have a good working relationship with management and customers alike. They enjoy their work and feel glad to come in each day. Mr. Zhuang notes, that that can make or break a person in the long run. Better to like what you are doing than just doing drudge work. 

On the other side of the fence, that is, in front of the house, he is aware that to provide excellent service and care to customers his staff require rules and guidelines. The upside of working with self disciplined and well trained employees is that it feels to Mr. Zhuang like “non-management”. Each member of the team is fully aware of their position and the job responsibilities that go along with it. That makes publishing strict rules redundant. In fact Mr. Zhuang is passing on this legacy, he hopes, to his son who may take over the restaurant at short notice. With his down to earth attitude and penchant for attracting loyal and hard working staff he is quite confident that his son will take over the business. The absence of conditions of hardship on a personal level may be a continual attraction for new staff in the future.

The Customer is King

While it is often said that “the customer is king” it simply is in most cases lip service to a custom that is whole heartedly American. This writer has eaten in more Chinese restaurants than she can remember. Many times when a dish is not served as stated on the menu, I.e.: garlic chicken (When I visited my local Chinese restaurant I expected a savory garlicky roast chicken with soy and ginger. Instead what was delivered was a sweet chicken drowned in brown sauce with some hints of garlic. I told the manager that the description on his menu didn't mention a thing about sweetness so, could he please take it back? He balked. He made all kinds of excuses why I read it wrong....).

That is not the case here at The Great Wall. When something is not up to a customer's personal liking or made exactly the way they intended, the waiters will dutifully return the item to the kitchen for a fresh start. No problems, no questions asked, just like in American restaurants! Furthermore, they are not charged for these changes. Customer service is to Mr. Zhuang defined not just as great fresh food, although that is a mainstay, but also first rate consideration of clients' needs.

Culinary Diversity

Local customers have a wide range of culinary predilections. Some want a nutritious yet natural based meal without MSG, less oil or salt free. They want stir-fried vegetables like green beans or other greens, with little or no sauce etc. Our chefs are inventive enough to come up with startling combinations that appeal to even the finicky eater.
“Stir frying is the main method we use here”, added Mr. Zhuang. His sensitive staff can also predict what a certain customer wants or will recommend specific dishes based on the questions they ask the customer to assess their preferences. All in all this makes for happy customers who walk away from The Great Wall with a full tummies and smiles on their faces – like little Buddhas.