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| - I was visiting my parent's in Phoenix, and after getting off the plane from Reno, stopped by this place as my parent's enjoy it very much. I was excited to try a new place, as my parents are quite picking about places they like and usually right. Upon arrival to the parking lot I noticed little to no cars in the parking lot and thought it was strange, since it was 12:30PM Friday. My parent's said many people take it to go, Hmm....Ok??
We arrive and it's a nice looking place, but what is really strange is half the restaurant is set up for a large group. Most restaurants would put together all their tables on occasion but this place, puts 5 to 6 prime tables together 24/7, shutting down 1/2 of the restaurant in essence, another Hmm....Ok??
We sit at the freshly bussed table and the place probably needs another hand as Janet was our server, our busser, our cashier, pretty much everything except cook, although I didn't see her for a few moments, so maybe she does that too. She's not particularly brimming with excitement or emotion but she is efficient and happens to the make the whole thing work. I can't imagine anyone else running the show the way she does with no help. Hence maybe why it's a to-go place, because if it gets busy, you're screwed!
Luckily there were only a couple tables, so service would be okay today, we ordered 1 appetizer and 3 dishes.
App was Chicken Mushroom Lettuce Wraps - 5 Stars
1st Dish was Cashew Nut Chicken (CNC) - 3 Stars
2nd Dish Coconut Curry Chicken w/ Potato (CCCP) - a House Specialty - 2 Stars
3rd Dish and came out 5 minutes + after Dish 1 and 2 was Mu Shu Pork (MSP) 4 Stars - note this was 4 pre-rolled crepes
Analysis, first I asked for hot mustard which was really good, but for some reason they are very apprehensive about providing a big portion, I don't like to waste either, but it was a small amount, which I quickly blew through on my lettuce wraps. Same with the house made hot sauce, very small portion and no spoon to serve it. We had to ask for both again. When I got the hot mustard again, and not very timely re-up it was half of what I received the time before. Just strange to feel like they want to be stingy over something so trivial and essential to Chinese dining. It' s like getting a packet of soy sauce, when you want a bottle. I saw her serving the mustard from a squeeze mustard bottle; why not drop that on the table? It would make for a great impression and be something you would never forget!
The Lettuce Wrap was not really wraps, but a large piece of romaine that really made a great way to serve the marinated chicken and mushrooms. Then adding the hot sauce and hot mustard, made it 5 stars. I was really excited to be blown away by what was coming next.
The CNC is usually my favorite and this version was severely lacking cashew nuts. I think there was 7-8 of them, and this wasn't a lunch special, this was an entree. We shared all the dishes and maybe got 2 or 3 each. The chicken was not especially great, after having marinated and delicious wraps, it reminded me of boiled or chicken in hot water, which was thrown into a wok with the other ingredients at the end. It just was lacking depth, flavor, etc. I will say it was abundant, but Chinese food is all about flavor and balance, and you need the perfect amount of chicken, nut and vegetables to round it out to complete, and it just missed.
The CCCP was the same chicken style so no need to beat a dead horse, the curry reminded me a Japanese curry I had (not my favorite either), but I couldn't taste any coconut. ZERO. If they was coconut or coconut milk in there I would be shocked. It was a lot of curry, lots of chicken, no coconut milk, and maybe 1 ounce of potatoes, again flavors off, and no balance.
Last was the MSP, it was the best of the dishes, but my gripe is I don't like it pre-rolled, I have never had it this way, and the reason I don't like it pre-rolled, is I can't make my perfect crepe, and then add the hot sauce and the plum sauce. It was good but it also wasn't a ton of food. I think they serve it this way to give the appearance of more when you are getting less. I would rather have a plate of Mu Shu Pork w/ 4 crepes on the side and make it myself.
Again as before, very STINGY on the PLUM sauce, this time there was a spoon, but maybe a tablespoon of the sauce. I just don't get it. Sauce is the FINISHING MAGIC, SO ask people HOW MUCH is ENOUGH?! I would have asked for more but again Janet is doing everything there, and sometimes, you just want to eat and get a move on.
Overall, it EASILY could be a 5 star place with some tweaks, many aforementioned here, but for today 3 stars is all I can muster for an okay experience!
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