‘Watts for Dinner’: Our take away? Jackie’s a delicious alternative to cooking

Are you looking for great Chinese food on the go? Jackie’s Chinese Restaurant on Marco Island does have a few tables, but the bulk of their business is takeout. Whether you call ahead or stop by to order, Jackie’s has all your Chinese favorites and great prices as well.

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Things got off to an appetizing start with the pork fried dumplings. I know they’re naughty, but these little dumplings are worth every gram of fat.

Although often referred to as "pan-fried," these seared-to-perfection dumplings actually go through a two-stage preparation. First, it’s fried in oil in a hot wok and then water is added; the wok is then covered, and the dumplings are left to steam, resulting in a crisp bottom, soft top and a tender filling.

For my main entrée, I ordered the shrimp lo mein combo which comes with fried rice and an egg roll.

Did you know that lo mein is considered a dry variation of wonton noodle soup? Even though they don’t look like tradition egg noodles, lo mein actually are egg noodles. There’s also bean sprouts, bell peppers and carrots; and in this case shrimp (you can also have chicken, beef or vegetable).

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I love this lo mein and was surprised about just how many shrimps were in there.

My partner in dine had the sesame chicken dinner combo. Sesame chicken is a standard at Chinese restaurants throughout the U.S. The dish is akin to General Tso's chicken, but the taste of the chicken is sweet rather than spicy. This dish starts with pieces of chicken breast that are coated in eggs, flour and cornstarch. The chicken is then fried to a golden brown crispy perfection, then tossed in a delectable sesame sauce. The sauce is made of sunflower oil, sesame seeds, soy sauce and rice vinegar. If you like tangy and sweet and have an affinity seeds, this dish is for you.

Each dish came with your choice of white or fried rice. We had the fried rice which has assorted veggies and pork mixed in. If you’re not a ham fan, order the white rice. Ours was a little dry, most likely caused by being made well in advance of our order.

The combos also come with an egg roll. And they were amazing.

At Jackie’s, the food is some of the best Chinese takeout anywhere in Southwest Florida, as are the prices.

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If you go

Jackie’s Chinese Restaurant

• 1089 North Collier Boulevard, Marco Island
• 239-642-8148
• jackies-chinese-restaurant.business.site