Straight to the Point

Green Lake Chinese Food

Location: 4495 Roosevelt Blvd. Ste 413, Jacksonville, FL 32210
Phone: 904-387-3595
Offers: Take-out     
Cuisine: Americanized Chinese Cuisine
Signature Dishes: Sesame Chicken, Shrimp w. Garlic Sauce, Chicken w. Broccoli, House Special Pan Fried Noodles
Year of Establishment: 2000

Green Lake Chinese Food is not your run-of-the-mill take-out restaurant. Located in a small mall in Jacksonville, Florida, Green Lake opened its doors in 2000. The shopping mall is a dining hub that is filled with a number of popular restaurants. As a result of Green Lake’s proximity to its competitors, it has had to find ways to outwit them so that it can continue to provide shoppers and those living near the mall with delicious Chinese food.
 
Take-out eateries are pretty similar. They all tend to sport a humble décor while aiming for speedy service and low prices. Green Lake is no exception. With only 1000 square feet of space, this unpretentious restaurant is not overly fancy. Customers will know the moment they walk in that the restaurant’s focus is on its food and not on extravagant decorations.

Deeply rooted in the ingredients and aromas that give dishes their unique flavors, the menu is a reflection of time-honored Chinese culinary classics, including the popular General Tso’s Chicken, Sesame Chicken, fried rice, Chow Mein, and Lo Mein. Of course, the menu offers more than that. The chef has created a number of innovative dishes and recommends that everyone tries the Green Lake Delight and Green Jade Lobster & Shrimp.

With more than 10 years of experience under his belt, the chef can turn ordinary dishes into extraordinary creations, even while cooking dishes in a healthy way. Instead of adopting the traditional way of cooking with oil, he chooses to boil vegetables first to make sure that unnecessary oil is filtered.

Some of the restaurant’s healthier dishes are Moo Goo Gai Pan, Beef w. Snow Peas, Shrimp w. Garlic Sauce, and House Special Pan Fried Noodles. They have been proven to be healthy by Healthy Dining Finder, which did a detailed analysis of each of Green Lake’s dishes. Each dish was deemed to low in fat, sodium, and calories. This analysis of Green Lake’s dishes proved that the restaurant’s dishes are healthy while also giving health conscious customers an idea of how many calories each dish has.

For Helen, everything centers on being keeping her offerings fresh and healthy while also not forgetting the little things. “Customers come for healthy and tasty food, cheerful service, and a clean environment,” she says.

Helen and her staff have always focused on the customer and will continue to do so in the future. Not just electing to have produce shipped to the restaurant, Helen goes to the market herself to select quality produce, meat, and seafood. She often chooses IPP beef as it is believed to be the best quality beef. It is quite rare for a restaurant owner to select IPP as it is much more expensive than other brands. This unwavering commitment to freshness and great taste illustrates Helen’s drive to provide the best quality dishes possible even if that means making less profit.

“We don’t skimp on quality just to make an extra buck,” says Helen. “Preparing healthy and delicious dishes means that sometimes you just have to pay more for ingredients.” 
Even though the restaurant opened ten years ago, it still looks really new as it was recently remodeled. The limited space hasn’t lent much ambience but Helen has made sure the restaurant’s interior is sparkling clean.

“We do a thorough cleaning everyday, always making sure to sweep the floor, and wipe the walls,” she reveals. “Our goal is to impress. Everyone here strives to always surpass expectations. This is our way of showing our patrons how much we appreciate their business. Our customers deserve the best service and food possible.”

Helen knows the ropes of the restaurant industry and has powered through a lot of hardship throughout the years. She and her husband moved to America in the 1990s—first running a restaurant in New York before settling down in Jacksonville. All the hard work has paid off and they now also own three other Japanese themed restaurants.