Great Wall Chinese Opens in Mehlville

Wedged between a Little Ceasars and Great Clips, you might miss Mehlville's newest Chinese takeout restaurant if you're not looking for it. Great Wall opened its doors two weeks ago, on March 11, and will be sporting a giant hot air balloon proclaiming its grand opening until the end of the month.

Inside, it looks much like any other takeout restaurant, with a few tables out in front and a tall counter, behind which is a long kitchen bustling with cooks. It is very clean, and anyone entering the door is immediately greeted with a smile.

Great Wall's owner, Sunny Sun, has been working in Chinese restaurants for 18 years and living in the St. Louis area for 15. He recently sold his Chinese buffet in Fenton to open Great Wall here in Mehlville, which is closer to where he lives.

Sun is originally from South China, in the province of Fujian. His parents are restaurant owners there, so when Sun moved to America 20 years ago, he decided to bring the family business with him.

"We think Chinese food is very, very Eastern, so we want to introduce it to American people," said Ashlee Lin, a Great Wall employee.

When he first came to the United States, Sun worked at a Chinese restaurant in Long Island, NY. He said he trained in 10 different restaurants before he was ready to open his own. Of all the cities he has lived in though, St. Louis is his favorite.

"It's better than the other cities. It's quiet," he said. "I like it here."

The Great Wall menu features traditional Chinese takeout fare, including fried rice, lo mein, soups and main dishes of pork, poultry, beef and seafood. General Tso's Chicken is always a favorite, Sun said. Lin added that the traditional Chinese dumplings are also very popular.