We arrived 1/2 hour after lunch, so we could not make use of their lunch menu. I ordered the egg drop soup which was very bland and was, essentially, their won ton soup with some egg thrown in. The main dish I ordered, the orange chicken, was very tasty. The white rice was bland enough and the portion small enough that I think it should have been included with the meal rather than having to pay extra for it.
The service was horrible. Our waiter, an older gentleman, was surly and unfriendly.
Palais Imperial is Lowertown’s best-known Chinese eatery for a reason: it ladles out fresh, tasty food in a busy, two-level space with sufficient staff to ensure service is smooth. It also serves both Chinese and Thai cuisines, listed on separate menus and prepared by different chefs, thus doubling its appeal to a diverse crowd. The huge Chinese menu has the usual Cantonese and Szechuan fare. On weekends, fresh dim sum served from trolleys is the attraction; I recommend the cilantro-studded scallop dumplings.