China Lite

It been a while since coming but that’s only because we live almost 40 miles from here, and not for any other reason.
The food was as great as it has been in the past, the smell of fresh cooked food inside and out. Now they just need to duplicate themselves on the west side of Phoenix.
This is one of those great finds in a restaurant

Cheerfully accommodating special requests (no oil, extra spicy) combined with the best kung pao I’ve had in Scottsdale has made me a regular.

Came here as a suggestion from my girlfriend. Very friendly, quick, priced reasonably and GOOD! It’s a quick eat in or take out type place.

I came here after a run w/​a couple friends (one of which frequents China Lite quite a bit) & I liked it.
I really like Chinese places like this (fast, casual… step above a Panda Express, but not a PF Chang’s). I feel like Chinese restaurants like this are far & few in between in the Phoenix area.
We were the only ones in the restaurant, which is small, but clean. There’s also a TV, which was showing Diners, Drive-​Ins & Dives. Our waitress (who I’m guessing is part of the family who owns the place) was friendly.
I got the honey chicken, which was really good! The chicken was a LITTLE dry, but the sauce was tasty & not too over-​powering. It was a pretty good sized portion, but I (sheepishly) finished the whole thing. My dining companions ordered whatever tofu/​veggie meal is called. She seemed to really like it. The other two dining companions split the lettuce wraps & orange chicken. They thought the lettuce wraps were just okay, but seemed to like the orange chicken (they said it had a little kick to it).
I’m not generally in this area, but if I were I’d come back to China Lite.

Placed a to go order and was told 15 – 20 mins. Sounded good for a pickup time. Arrived at the restaurant and 8 people were seated for dinner. They need more help, only 2 people working. Still waiting nearly 40 mins after ordering and food is not ready. Not rating the food but the service is abominable.

Had lunch there today. The fried rice was served cold, the vegetables limp and the chicken dry and flavorless. Won’t return.

China Lite is great. I am really picky when it comes to Chinese food and this place is always tops. The food is fresh, always piping hot and arrives at your table faster than Dale Jr outta the pit. I’d recommend the Sweet and Sour Chicken, Beef with Broccoli and their Chinese Ravioli. So good!

I went here in October 2014, but am finally getting around to review it, I plan to go back, mainly because it is close to my place of residence.
The Good:
While not your typical hot and sour soup (more peppery than most), I still enjoyed it (I just wouldn’t call it hot and sour soup anymore). I also liked the orange chicken. Nice atmosphere and nice staff.
The Meh:
I tried the eggplant since all the other reviewers were recommending it, but it was a bit too saucy and goopy for me (and I LOVE sauce, so that is a pretty impressive feat).

This is one of the better Chinese-​American restaurants at its price range in the Scottsdale area.
Pros: most dishes have good flavor and come with large servings. The restaurant uses a lighter sauce than what you will get at Pei Wei or Panda Express so you don’t feel bloated after a full meal.
Cons: some dishes lack a distinct flavor so you leave feeling underwhelmed. Stick to the main entrees and you will be fine.

First the good: The staff is very nice, the food is prepared fast, and even though it’s small, it’s a nice atmosphere. I’ve had a few meals here and unfortunately, the food tastes very bland to me, like there are no seasonings at all (except for the Tom soup, which was spicy). The chicken pad thai was just covered in peanuts and the chicken smelled and tasted bad. The chicken and shrimp in the soup were dense, like overdone, and didn’t seem fresh either. If the food were fresh and they used lots of spices, then I’d be a regular takeout customer.

This was my first time here and I will definitely be back. There is a great selection off various dishes and it allows you to eat light yet enjoy the deeper taste that this cuisine offers. I had the Szechwan egg plant with chicken and it was fantastic. The owner was a great guy and the place was clean and well kept.

I’ve come here a few times for lunch during the week and I really like it. It’s quick, tasty and inexpensive. I really like that they don’t use a lot of salt and most of the food is pretty «lite.» The Mongolian beef is probably my favorite but I’ve had a couple of other things on the menu. The fried rice is a little bland but truthfully I’m glad because then I can skip it and save the calories. I also like that the owners are pretty much always there and are very friendly. If you’re in the area and need something quick this is a great little spot.

This place has been updated and seems a bit smaller and make sure you call in an order ahead of time because they are BUSY during lunch. For good reason though, this place is amazing. Affordable and consistently good quality food makes this place choice for lunch or dinner. If you like traditional americanized chinese dishes, orange chicken or beef and mongolian beef are a wonderful choice. The fried rice is incredible. However, if you are looking for something more exotic I cannot recommend enough that you try the curry laksa. It is delicious. I am so glad this place exists.

Love this place! My favorite dish is their chicken fried rice! The owner here is super nice and the food here is delish!

Healthier twist to authentic Asian food, and very delicious (and extremely great value). I will definitely be going here more often.
They newly renovated, and it looks great. I’m excited to see what they do with the exterior to draw in more traffic.
A must try!

Tried this place for the first time. Ok menu would have been better with more options. Food was good with a lot of great flavor. Would dine there again but would get it as take out.

I ordered the crispy tofu which comes with an assortment of veggies and is drenched in a brown garlic sauce, but I also added a little spice. It was good, and I’ll definitely come back for it again. The service was friendly and speedy — a nice little lunch find.

Newly remodeled. Sleek new look. Got the sweet and sour chicken and it was really good. It’s not your typical sweet and sour dish with the red sauce. It’s lighter and you can taste more of the vegetables and chicken. The sauce doesn’t mask everything. Service was great. And the large drinks are really large! Which is great because I’m a soda guru! :)

No flavor. None. I think they’re trying for the no oil and very healthy thing, but it shouldn’t lack so much flavor. I has to douse my Dan Dan noodles in sriracha. The whole environment of the restaurant was very old and dirty.
I don’t plan on coming back to Arizona, but I def wouldn’t recommend this place.

A fast casual Chinese concept that seems a little less chain-​ish than Pei Wei… My friend Allyson B introduced me to this place. I love that it’s around the corner from the dog park — it’s perfect because I can take Minnie to the dog park to play and call my order in as I’m leaving and it’s usually ready when i arrive.
I’ve been a handful of times and always done take-​out. It’s really not the type of place you want to stay and hang out. There is no atmosphere and it’s located in a strip-​mall. Since the tag line is «A Healthy Food Bistro,» I feel like it’s healthier for me than other Chinese in the valley… but I think that’s just in my head! Still, I tell them ‘light oil’ whenever I order. I feel less guilty that way!
Unfortunately, I’m not a big fan of the protein options. First time around, I ordered shrimp with veggies — the shrimp did not taste fresh so I picked around it and ate the veggies and brown rice. I went with chicken the next few times, and when I saw that they have eggplant (my fave) on the menu, I started requesting a combo of eggplant, mixed veggies, and chicken. Still, the chicken tastes almost processed — Once again, I eat the veggies and rice. Maybe the key is to order beef or tofu… I’ll keep trying until I get it right, or maybe I’ll just have to find an alternative.
Either way, China Lite gets 3 stars from me. If you go, get the eggplant — that’s the only item I can really recommend!