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| - As a chinese american college student from NYC who got stuck in Pittsburgh with its useless public transportation (circa 1998), I desperately missed home-style Chinese food for the better part of my first two years here. Things turned around for me once I got a car (or made friends with cars), but I was seriously hurting for a while.
Tasty was one of the places we found. Back in the day, it was owned and ran by a typical restaurant-owning Chinese family. They had the works - pushy lao ban niang (boss lady), chef slash dad, and, during school off-hours, junior high school daughter manning the cashier. If they were in NYC, they'd only be missing an ami.... a bus boy. The food was pretty good, and if you order in Chinese, the lao ban niang hooked you up with extras because "your parents teach you good to talk Chineees".
I'm pretty sure Tasty is under new ownership now. The food isn't as good as it was, but the restaurant still gives off the home-style look and feel. It's a small restaurant with enough seating for about 25-30 patrons. Cheap tables, cheap seats; after all, restaurant extras are just a waste of money. The customers should come back for the food, this *is* a restaurant.
The new waitress is not friendly, but she gets the job done. The food is still good - so if you're craving a home cooked meal, you'll be somewhat satisfied here. Don't expect grandma's cooking, though. Order the vegetables, the mapo tofu is good, beef/chicken chow fun, etc. They have a lot of other staple items on the menu too. Don't get the salted pork chops - save that craving for Orient Kitchen. Try things, and share your thoughts.
Tasty - it's more than your neighborhood take out joint.
- written by a former junior high school daughter cashier
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