| rev:text
| - I worked here for a few months (August until two days ago). I was fired on a very contrived reason - I think it was because this place doesn't get enough business.
Location is pretty bad for visibility, even if it's convenient to campus. Food is very average, but I like it more than, say Panda Express. My parents run a restaurant so I have experience (which is why I was hired in the first place) - this is one of the most inefficiently-run restaurants ever. The vegetable dishes are good, though, and the Chinese-language menu is generally good quality if you don't mind a wait. The bosses both cook when necessary, but it's best to come during weekdays, when the main cook is in. The hot pot is also fairly popular, but most of the meats are frozen. Other things that are frozen include the "Wheaten Foods" menu (potstickers, wontons, and meat buns). I think that's pretty SOP here in CU, though.
Portion sizes are okay. They definitely shrank in the 3 months I worked there. I won't analyze pricing, because I'm not used to eating out, but I think most people consider them fair or just slightly overpriced.
Things to not get include the highly-Americanized items on the menu, especially those with breaded chicken in them. The quick lunch was phased out mostly - now it's a selection of two Chinese braised dishes, so they keep pretty well (and have an average turnover). Instead, they now offer "Combos," which are your standard rice and a main dish, with an egg roll. They used to give a soda with these, but now only offer iced tea, hot tea, or a small bowl of egg drop or hot and sour soup. Don't get the soups (including noodle soups) or appetizers unless you really like egg rolls (they're decent but nothing special). Certain dishes like the pork with mustard greens (P10, IIRC) are frozen, but I think they're probably okay if you don't mind them defrosting/reheating via microwave. The smoothies and bubble tea are a no-no - they're edible and not too terrible, or so I hear, but go to Evo's or some other place for these; the slushies are okay if you don't mind a lot of sugar. Most customers seem okay with the fish, but it doesn't look too great to me (aka it smells, and fresh fish doesn't). To qualify that last statement, it doesn't reek like rotten fish, but you can definitely get a stronger smell than I think is usual when you gut one (I bass fish at home and clean my own catch) - plus, while it's inevitable, it's frozen and quick-defrosted (aka in the sink, in a water bath with direct contact, rather than through a bag). Hardly sanitary).
Like some other reviews have stated, they really do skimp as much as possible on ingredients, equipment, etc. Ingredients come in on Thursday nights from Far East, and I'm not sure when other ingredients come in. However, I'd say to come on Friday, because they probably push the old vegetables on Thursday (I only worked TR lunch and Sundays, so I can't say for certain).
A few big points about the owners' behavior (which they also try to instill in the workers): first, they will try to dissuade you from getting something that they feel is too much trouble to cook at the moment, never mind if they have all the ingredients ready (usually this is because it's busy); secondly, they do cut corners, as aforementioned. Another thing that most people probably aren't too concerned about because they aren't very aware of it, is the matter of the "special soup." They only give it to regular customers, but more generally to any Chinese or Chinese-speaking customers. If you're not Chinese/speaking-proficiency or a repeat customer who asks, tough luck (I've seen this attitude referred to on foodie blogs as "soup Nazism"). A last point on their behavior is that they will lie about what they have and don't have, especially when it comes to drinks or if they feel they're too busy to bother with your order. Normally this happens with drinks (they keep changing their Combo meals, and they decided to stop giving sodas with them because they didn't want to stock up); they will also refuse to make you a smoothie or other blended drink if they're busy.
Basically, they have an undersized facility, an undertrained staff (one of the bosses in particular gets in the way more than he keeps things going), an undersized staff, and basically a very mediocre business model. I'm kind of astounded they've survived, but if you know what to get, you can get a pretty decent meal here.
To conclude, there aren't a lot of repeat customers, but they try to treat the ones they recognize well. However, I went to Cravings with a friend yesterday, and I saw a lot of former customers that stopped coming there. I'd say they made a good choice (Cravings has much better service, food, and atmosphere). Other good Chinese restaurants in the area, in no particular order, include Mandarin and Lai-Lai. The Wok in Mahomet is legendary among the Chinese on campus, but that's another story
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