Basis for my starred ratings (which skews heavily to the food):
1 star: Never again.
2 stars: Poor food, poor experience, extraordinary measures in order for me to come back.
3 stars: Average, nothing really special, nothing particularly bad.
4 stars: Very good, would definitely return.
5 stars: A favorite, one of the best.
One of a fairly lengthy list of places I want to truly love but can't quite yet. Cutting straight to the chase - this place is fine. The only place in the Valley to get Korean-style Dungeness crab served up. Unfortunately, despite the great pains taken by the servers to make eating the crab easier for you (they will cut the crab and mix rice and sauces into the head for you), their efforts do not trump the taste of the crab. On this last trip, slightly over-cooked, with the meat being plentiful but lacking in fresh crab flavor. I understand they're trying to get live tank crabs into the joint, and I look forward to that day, but until then, I suggest the crab with reservations.
The chicken is quite good. Beware, the chicken is all bone-in. Great for flavor, a little cumbersome to eat. The best of the sauces, in my opinion, is the garlic soy. Well balanced with a good garlic kick. The spicy-sweet sauce tends to be a little too sweet, but is fine. The paddak chicken sauce (green onion-chicken) is basically the spicy-sweet sauce with the addition of a wasabi sauce on top, which is quite good. The chicken has been crispy and the portions large, every time I have come. They have added some regional/speciality dishes such as Andong chicken and kangpunggi which I have yet to try, but I appreciate the effort at diversification.
Stuck in the old Chino Bandido, I fear for this place given its location - set far back from the road with no street signage. But when I'm in the mood, I'm never loathe to go back and give it another try. Maybe just not the crab.