Chef Chu's
Los Altos, CA 94022 (650) 948-2696
- Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Private Lot
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Takes Reservations: Yes
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Good for: Dinner
- Alcohol: Full Bar
112 Reviews for Chef Chu's
One of Chef Chu's' Favorite Reviews
Chef Chus is not about authentic Chinese Cuisine, but it's the best Americanized Chinese food experience possible. The service is impeccable, the food delicious.
Go in the off hours if possible. We always shoot for 2 in the afternoon, because it's packed. Any time of day, it is packed.
Family favorites include:
Chinese chicken salad
Mu Shu Pork
Smoked Duck
But we've never gone wrong ordering anything off of the menu. The only real danger of ordering here is not having enough leftovers to take home for another meal.
As a precaution, avoid taking small children. Chef Chu's is very child-friendly, but the wait times for a table can be very long and distressing to younger guests.
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I order take-out from here at least 2xs a month. I like their fast service and consistent food. The eat-in experience is good too - the waiters are very efficient, child friendly and can handle my scary type A family demands (e.g., changing tables, ordering right when we sit down, and generally being pains in the asses). So kudos to you Chef Chu's - not many people pass the test!
If you can, always call for reservations, this place gets packed!. We love the Beijing duck here, you have to ordered it ahead of time to give them enough prep time. It is crispy, tender and flavorful. The wait staff are great and the food is great. We usually try to get a table upstairs where the tables are not as crowded together and can accommodate large groups.
YUM! I heart this place. I first had Chef Chu's when he cooked at a home and garden show a few years back and my fam and I have been going to the restaurant ever since. This place is always packed, but you never have to wait, because the service is awesome. I normally stick to the salmon with spicy black bean sauce or the spicy seared scallops, but today I tried the spicy braised prawns and broccoli and had a bite of the Mongolian beef, which were both delicious. The tea is also amazing.
Wow, what the fuck?
I was craving Chinese food on a Sunday at 2:30pm. All of the real Chinese restaurants don't open until around 5pm, so I figured I'd give Chef Chu's a try. Holy shit, what a mistake!
We were seated and I was given a dirty fork, it actually had several pieces of food stuck in it. Bad. Our prick waiter tried to take our order the second we sat down. Then he went away and didn't come back for like 10 minutes (the place was nearly empty).
He rudely took our order and then snatched the menu out of my hand. Prick. Our food was served promptly with nice presentation. That is the only good thing I have to say.
We ordered lemon chicken and kung pao chicken. The lemon chicken was a tiny piece of chicken breast that had been cooked whole and then had some funky tasting sauce on it. Nothing like it should have tasted. If you need a knife and fork, you're not eating Chinese food.
The kung pao chicken was a train-wreck. It does not even deserve to be called Chinese. It was simply chicken cubes sitting in a soup of disgusting tasting sugar sauce. There is no recipe I've ever seen that would produce a kung pao chicken like this. I have no idea what was in it.
We asked for drink refills when the prick waiter served our food, but he never brought any. I tried to get his attention twice while he was standing RIGHT NEXT to us, but he intentionally ignored us. He didn't even bring us the check. Eventually we got bored of waiting and walked over the cashier. No tip.
If anyone is reading this and you happen to be a waiter or waitress, failing to refill drinks is an automatic $0 tip. I don't give a god damn how little they pay you or how many hours you work. No refill, no tip. Period.
Avoid this dumpster. If you're craving Chinese at 2:30pm on a Sunday, stick it out and wait until 5pm. Or just make it yourself, you can't possibly do any worse than "Chef" Chu's.
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I heard a lot of great things about this place, so I had to finally go. Disappointment!!!!! The food was average, ambiance was stuck in the 80's, but I do have to say that the management was extremely nice and accommodating. Stay away from the lemon chicken unless you like lemon jelly smeared over a frozen chicken finger. Tangerine beef was OK.... The best part of the meal was the combo fried rice, yet how hard is that to screw up? Our table was a folding table with a cloth on it and the waiter dropped the check before we could order another cocktail or desert????
Chef Chu's is a "more Chinese" version of PF Changs, in my opinion. The food was mediocre, the service was fantastic, and that's really all I have to say.
Oh wait, one more thing. The chicken salad that everyone raves about? Are you blind and tasteless? First off, the salad - the actual lettuce - was not fresh. The little fried white noodle slivers in the salad were soggy BEFORE I put the "dressing" on it. The chicken was poorly fried and probably left overs from their chicken stash for the lemon chicken. All in all, I had a soggy, bland salad.
I lied, few more things: lemon chicken = tasty for the first 5 minutes, but got soggy quickly. Also too much yellow food coloring in it. Szechuan beef = too garlicky and the sauce became the consistency of silly putty very quickly. Steamed rice was lukewarm at best? Huh?
And I waited 30 minutes for a table on a Monday night! Wtf!
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Dear Chef Chu,
I am in love with your duck, I am writing today to ask for your duck's hand in marriage. I can provide loads of plum sauce and buns. I am sorry to say I already "ate" your duck, and I would do it again, as long as it's Peking. There is no use trying to pass it off as virginal, as we all have known it's been around the block, but I am willing to take it's crispy butt anyway....in anycase if it will not have me i'll settle for the fish...
Sincerely,
Duckless in SJ
PS. I deducted a star for the spotty service, last Saturday was the worst.
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So I went to visit a friend in Los Altos this past Sunday. I got there in the early afternoon and we decided to head downtown to get some lunch. The thai place he wanted to go was closed so we headed to Chef Chu's. My first worry when I walked in was the decor. I've always found better decor = worse food. My second observation was where are the Asian folk? I was soon put at ease when a group of four Asian girls came into the restaurant. Phew. Now down to the food. I look over the menu trying to figure out what regional cuisine this was. Uh Duh Americanized Chinese...doh. I never know what to order at this type of restaurant. I ended up with the kung pao. Sweet yet spicy. Not bad for Americanized Chinese. I like it better than PF Chang's anyway.
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For your basic Americanized chinese food on the Peninsula -- you really can't beat Chef Chu's. The service is always great. And the food, while obviously not authentic (hello, you're in LOS ALTOS, you won't find any organs in bean sauce here, sorry), is really great.
I am absolutely addicted to the tea smoked duck. The smokey skin, the buns, the little green onions, the plum sauce ... drool.
I'm always up for some Chef Chu's. If you get the totally weird, kooky, flamboyant (please note I said flamboyant, not gay, thx) server, then you are in for a seriously good time. Honestly, a big table upstairs near the full bar is just as good of a fun party dinner destination than a place like NOLA's, if you ask me.
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I don't know what the commotion is about this place. Chef Chu this ..world known..blah blah. I mean the food is mediocre. Would I consider the food to be authentic chinese? I don't know your asking the wrong person! lol Ok, so it's not asian fusion. The question boils down to was the food tasty? Edible yes, but memorable not quite.
Pu Pu Platter (For two)
A combination of: Crab & cheese puffs, fried jumbo prawns, grilled chicken sticks & vegetarian-style spring rolls $8.95
Steamed Sea Bass
Succulent, tender boneless fish filets, steamed your way $18.95
General Chicken
Chicken strips sauteed with bell peppers, onion & carrot in a peking bean sauce $11.95
The place was semi packed. The waiters were friendly and attentive. Place was a bit on the noisy side, and the waiters move fast.
Am I missing something?? Did I try the wrong dishes?
What made my night was being with my date, and if it means having mediocre chinese food ...so be it!!
As a vegetarian, I can't eat many of the entrees here, but I hear the sizzling rice soup is yum times. I appreciate how they let me modify dishes to make them vegetarian in a way I trust. The menu is a bit pricier than the average Chinese joint, but this is after all the peninsula.... The sichuan style spring beans are delicious (though not nearly as good if not eaten hot at the restaurant) and they have a seemingly authentic pungent spinach dish I really enjoy for its difference. I can't speak for the whole menu, but I tell you every time I go here, I'm happy and satisfied with what I get.
I would give this 2.5 stars if I could. It is not as good as Ming's in quality of food, but the service is usually decent. The owner is quite friendly, but unfortunately that did not translate to quality of food. The place is clean/decent, but we did not find the food to be that authentic. Not that original either, but I guess it fits the needs for local folks to get their Chinese food fix.
As you walk into this place, one of the first things you'll notice are the busy chef's preparing food behind large glass window. You can see all the fresh ingredients and spices organized in containers. By taking a look at how the kitchen is moving, this reassures me that the food will be better prepared.
I've been here several times. The food always taste fresh. It's not extraordinary but, at least you know that you're being served good quality Chinese-American food.
I was surprised to see a few Yelpers rave about the Lemon Chicken? I ordered this and it was a chicken breast with lemon sauce drizzled on top. The sauce was way too sweet and the chicken was just a a sliced breast with not much flavor. This is my least favorite choice so far.
This might give you an idea of what prices here looks like for family style servings:
Egg Rolls (3) 4.80
Steamed Rice (person) 1.25
Chow Fun 8.95
Chow Mein 7.95
Prawns in Lobster sauce 10.95
Tea (complimentary)
I haven't found another Chinese restaurant in the South Bay that can match the quality and taste of this Chef Chu's. Tip: You can order your pick-up online. They also offer single day cooking classes for beginners to intermediate for about $55-65. Well, it's a good gift idea if you can get a couple of meals out of it. It'll go something like this...
"Hey, I'm feeling a little under the whether. Can you whip-up some of that Hot n' Sour you know how to make?"
I would give this place 3.5 stars but i can't. But it's definitely not a 4 star establishment.
This place was packed even on a thursday!
Food - Chef Chu's lovers prawns ( one side is kitchen based sauce with onions and garlic, the other side was in the white wine sauce with frozen pes and carrots). This dish was pretty poor. The shrimp were not succulent and crunchy, they were a bit mushy. The white wine side had no flavor and you can tell the peas/carrots were straight from the freezer as the inside of them also had the pasty frozen taste (Yinger's pointed that out). Let's just say we didn't feel the love from these prawns.
Basil chickplant in stone pot - Tasty! Until the 8th bite and the salt , jalapenos, oil, more chili, garlic hits ya. That's chinese food for ya baby! this dish was pretty good but it was a lil overpowering in flavor.
Bottom Line - Come if you are in the mood for nonauthentic chinese food. Stay away from the lova's prawn and you won't feel no love afterwards.
Service - Excellent
What do you expect it's Americanized Chinese food?
I know good chinese chicken salad when I taste it, smell it and see it. Chef Chu's knows how to give its salad that added special touch, including delicious peanut bits, a faint flavor of mustard sauce for that zesty bite and topped with light dried rice noodles for that added crunch. Not to mention a fresh cilantro mixture, Simply the best restaurant salad that I have ever tried.
I also recommend the curried prawns, one of my on-demand dishes at this establishment. It's hot, but hot enough to enjoy. It's fresh, fresh prawns mixed in a buttery curry sauce. It's succulent, great to eat with the added onions and bell peppers. I've been ordering this dish from this place for years and it never fails to impress me.
You will expect it to be busy since this establishment has been around for over 30 years, but the fun and impressive famous autographs and photographs adorning this place will keep your patience going. You may also run into Chef Chu's family member, Jon - director of Walt Disney/Touchstone Pictures' Step Up 2 The Streets (awesome poster in the bar).
Love this restaurant! It's my family's number one restaurant! Great service and the employees, including Mr. Chu, and the food make you feel important :]
Have you ever been to China? I've never been, but I hear that if you're American it's a good place to go, if you want to lose weight. The food there is nothing like what we're accustomed to here in the US or California.
That being said, the food here is thankfully not authentic Chinese food, but a great Americanized version. It's exactly what you'd expect at a classic, American Chinese restaurant. We ordered several dishes ... Wanton Soup, Sizzling Rice Chicken, Vegetable Delight in Spicy Garlic Sauce, and Chef Chu's Special Fried Rice. Each dish was very yummy, and full of flavor!
The service was also very good, and quite attentive. Our every little need and desire was meet with a smile. A good place, for good food.
The lemon chicken is the best I've ever had, hands down. While it might not be the most super-authentic Chinese food in town, it still tastes pretty amazing. mmmm, I'm getting a craving.
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My team and I at VMware had lunch here, buffet style. The food was really great and the service was top notch. The price is great, especially for the amount and quality that you get. Great place!
To be quite honest with you - considering the location and the nature of my particular event (it was a large formal affair) that I was less than pleased with the service and the food...or rather the pricing. I am not one to gripe and everyone is entitled to making a living, however I just don't think the food is worth the price that I paid for. The service I suppose is lacking - maybe it's our fault for being indecisive but again considering the level of service the place exudes you would expect that they would be more attentative to our table - don't get me wrong though I hate being waited on hand and food but waiting to order for a period of time is rather a surprise.
I suppose if it was any other day and I had just walked in with nothing on my mind or plans or what have you I probably wouldn't have noticed but keep in mind that our party had other plans that night and we were running behind as it was and I had informed the manager of our predicament. And as any manager would reply that it would not be a problem - it wasn't a major problem but it was a problem none the less. Otherwise this place isn't half bad - the food was for the most part good - just over priced.
Sorry for the rant.
I work right next door to this place, so it's become one of my regular lunch spots. Dishes I always get: Famous Chicken Salad and Kung Pao Chicken. The lunch specials come with a great hot and sour soup. At first I was a little skeptical about this place but the Chicken Salad won me over.
A cool fact: Chef Chu's son directed Step Up 2. Now if that's not a reason to eat here then I don't know what is. (If you walk inside, you'll see a Step Up 2 poster prominently displayed on one of the walls.)
My company orders lunch to-go from these guys from time to time.
They are marginally-edible at lunch but absolutely terrible for dinner.
The problem isn't that the restaurant is inauthentic, but that they pretend that they serve legitimate Chinese food. I would argue that Panda Express is better because you eat there expecting to order fake Chinese food. However, this place somehow pretends that black pepper salmon is a legitimate Chinese dish.
Their fried rice is absolutely disgusting and their dessert of mango ice cream + fried banana is more Thai than Chinese.
In the Bay Area, it's pretty difficult to eat fake Chinese food that is peddled as the real deal, but this place is the exception to the rule.
Rather than admitting that they're to Chinese food as Unamas is to Mexican food, they actually pretend that they're Chinese fine dining.
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Rubric: 5 = Mindblowing 4 = Excellent 3 = I see the charm 2 = Disappointing 1 = Never again
Great Chinese food with large pieces of meat in the meat dishes. I've ordered out here a couple of times and have always been extremely impressed. I'm not Chinese but I do know good food when I eat it. I haven't eaten in the restaurant as of yet but when I do I'll let you know what happens.
My boyfriend always jumps at the chance to come here. I usually need to take some convincing. My complaints: not authentic, over priced, and usually a wait for dinners. His praises: yummy walnut prawns, good food in general. I just don't think a place should charge this much for "Chinese" food that isn't even the kind of Chinese food I generally like to eat. But yes, I agree - the food does taste good.
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Me: "You want to order from Chef Chu's for our Thanksgiving holiday lunch?"
Boss: "Yes. I love Chef Chu's. It's the BEST Chinese food ever, but make sure not to spend too much money."
Me: "Uh...ok."
B/C the boss doesn't know authentic Chinese food and thinks this is "the BEST Chinese" I chuckle at her ignorance, however I shall not turn a high nose to Chef Chu's, it's tasty....somewhat and quick.
The folks are always kind on the phone and in person. Chef Chu himself even acknowledged and nodded at me when I was there to pick up the Holiday lunch. Oh WOW! Don't I feel special?!
I'm waiting in the lobby for the order and I'm people watching. I see a couple walking out of the main dining room, wife leading the way in a scurry and shuddering as she dashes for the door. Mr. Hostess, tailing them and apologizing about having never seen that before. I chuckle and I can only imagine what their conversation was in regards to. Hey, what do you think they're talking about? I'm just assuming.
Eh...I do only take out from here and could care less. As long as I get my hot and speedy Americanized Chinese food when promised, I'm good and that I do get.
So if you have a speedy and hot Americanized Chinese food fix and you want it then and there, Chef Chu's is your place.
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Westernized lunch specials. The Sichuan beef tastes like a variation of sweet and sour pork (but with beef and some spiciness). Having said that, the food tastes good and tongue and tummy were happy.
I'm a Chinese person who wholeheartedly enjoys Americanized Chinese food. I've been going to Chef Chu's since I was very young and have always been drawn to the un-authentic fare, especially the crab and cream cheese puffs. My ching chong family likes the food here too; just because it's far from traditional doesn't mean it isn't good!
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*Update 12/21/07
I suggested going here last week, and my family informed me that they don't like this place after all. I feel so deceived!
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Uncountable meals have proved this place as a good, stable bet: There are other places I would go first, but I will not protest if I end up here.
The decor is decent: it's fun to eat in various parts of the restaurant (since it's so big). I would recommend coming with a group of people: most all of their dishes are good, so it's worth trying some different stuff.
Take out is fast and easy.
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horrible
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Tried the chicken salad lunch special. I probably would have rather gone for something else looking back, but the salad was kind of a version of lettuce wraps with too much cilantro. Basically it was OK, but the other food looked better.
Ordered a seafood clay-pot with a moo shoo chicken appetizer and wonton soup. The seafood clay-pot was incredible! One of the best Chinese influenced meals I've ever had. The moo shoo chicken was decent (good pancakes) and the soup was quite good. Definately worth going to for the clay-pot alone. Plus the tea was better than most.
Let me first say that I am shocked and amazed by the low reviews here!! I've been coming the Chef Chu's forever and never imagined that anyone could have anything negative to say. Oh well, that's ok. I still love it and always will.
Honestly, every family affair I can remember was done here. Lunch after church, birthdays, anniversaries, etc, etc. When I was little, Charlie (the host) knew my family by name and there was a waitress who took the time to teach me how to use chopsticks. We loved the Chinese dragon leading upstairs, the Shirley Temples came with extra cherries, and my sister remembers being tricked into going to the boys' bathroom.
But nostalgia aside, this is some GREAT food. I still return more often than I should and I am never disappointed. Each time, there is a standard order and then maybe a different entree or two to add on.
Order:
--Char Sil Bau: steamed pork bun. Chef Chu admits that he does not actually make these in house but they're still yummy
--Egg Rolls: Amazing! About ten minutes before you leave, get an extra order to pack up to go with the rest of your leftovers
--Pot Stickers
--Mandarin Beef Stew with Wontons AND Noodles: Beware, the spice can vary by day and may occasionally leave you guzzling your water. Oh, and the waiter may look at you funny when you order it with both wontons and noodles but trust me...
--BBQ Pork Chow Mein: Perfection
--Lemon Chicken or Mongolian Beef
--Any of the prawns!
You'll always have leftovers. You'll have to fight for them the next day. It's a great place to go with a group. Classic and classy. Chef Chu himself can generally be seen and he is a genuine personality. His son is stepping into some pretty large shoes but doing a wonderful job.
So, while many may be bashing my beloved restaurant, nothing will ever stand between me and Chef Chu's!
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I really enjoyed my meal here. Super quick service. tasty and ample servings. 30 bucks for two for lunch, a little pricey but, again super tasty. We had a beer,coke, pot stickers, hot and sour soup, kung pao chicken and beef chow fun.
Wow, I can't believe I came here! I generally hate americanized chinese food. I think its pretty lame really.
Digression:
Once I was at a chinese restaurant for dinner with a friend who wasn't an ABC (american born chinese) and I let him order since he would probably know best. He told me he ordered a dish for me that he knew I would like. Great! Until I found out it was sweet and sour pork. WTF? I got annoyed and said that I like real chinese food, not this fake wannabe shit. I guess he figured since I grew up here I liked crap for chinese food. NO NO NO NO way...
Anyways, back to Chef Chu's:
I show up with my 3 coworkers (all non-asian by the way) and was impressed with all the picture of famous people. Just by the name and the decor of the place, I could tell it was going to be overpriced and americaned chinese food. Ok, I'm keeping an open mind though.... My coworker orders the crab and cream cheese wontons as an appetizer. I thought "ARE YOU KIDDING ME??? CHEESE?". But hey, it was tasty, albeit strange at a chinese restaurant. Then I ordered the lunch plate Yu Shang Pork, which was stir fried pork with ginger in a garlicy sauce. It was decent too, thought a little bit too salty. I looked around and majority of the people were not asian, but then I noticed a large asian family come in. So I thought, well maybe there is real chinese food on the menu but I just didn't order the right stuff. But when I walked by, they were all eating chinese chicken salad as their first course. So there goes that theory.
Anyways, putting my food snobbery aside, there really isn't anything wrong with sweet and sour pork. I was more offended by the notion I might not appreciate real chinese cooking. I don't especially appreciate americanized chinese food, but really its not all that bad. It is often overly salty and fried, but for a quick lunch during the work week it doesn't offend me too much. And I can see why people who like non-traditional chinese food would like this place. The service was good (esp. compared to other chinese restaurants) and it was clean and the food is decent.
Ok, not screaming to come back here, but I wouldn't scream about having to come here again either.
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I came here for lunch today, mostly because I was in the area. First off, maneuvering around the oddly-formed parking lot is a challenge, though I found a parking spot in front of the dumpster out back. Once we got inside, the area in front of the hostess station was quite busy, but we were seated immediately. The interior of the restaurant resembles a well-kept yet classic Chinese restaurant, which in a way distinguishes it from other typical Chinese restaurants. There was also a broadly-mixed crowd within. I saw some customers being taken upstairs, so I believe there is seating available upstairs (for large parties, perhaps?)
The menu reads like a common Chinese restaurant menu. There is a lunch special menu insert contained within (if you come during lunch, I assume). We instead went with an order of Seafood Yee Mein (egg noodles stir-fried with shrimp, scallops, and calamari) and an order of Grilled Beijing Beef. The linguine-like noodles in the Yee Mein were very good, though the dish was a bit on the greasy side (no surprise there). Besides sliced carrots, the dish also had stalks of broccoli (though strangely no broccoli heads). Just a bit unusual. The Grilled Beijing Beef, meanwhile, is described as cooked with "Beijing bean sauce" and served over "crispy rice noodles." The sauce is simply (or is very, very similar to) Hoisin Sauce. Hmm...As for those crispy rice noodles? They are simply a layer of stringy styrofoam-tasting pieces not worth (taste-wise OR nutrition-wise) consuming.
Although the place was very busy during the lunch hour, our server probably came by a total of four times during our forty-five minute lunch: once to take our order, once to delivery our entrees, once to drop the check off, and once more to return the final check. Not once did she bother to see how things were. Granted, I'm not exactly a restaurant snob, so things like this don't actually upset me, but I feel that a restaurant of this stature owes it to its clientle to provide more personal service, and besides...I'm taking the time to review this place, and it's therefore my duty to point out these things. Overall, decent food at a decent price, so I may very well return, but I would easily choose Mandarin Gourmet or P.F. Chang's over this establishment.
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I am giving it a 4 star for service alone. The staff that served me was gracious and very helpful!!!! I've been going to this place since the early 80's!!! Today, I had the Special wonton soup and Mushu chicken. I know it's just soup and an appetizer...but i was really craving for wonton soup...it's very good but still prefer the wonton soup at Shangrila in Dublin!! Mushu chicken is ok..i still prefer the pork though.
Entertainment was good at this place too!!! Not talking about musicians,etc. But people around me...I was eavesdropping (well I dont really call it that b/c they were just 2 feet away from me). Oh..I wont talk about them though...
Chef Chu's is a Los Altos and Mountain View institution... I will continue to patronize this restaurant.
P.S.
Steve Young (football hall of famer) has an autographed pic with Chef Chu...
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Long honking wait on the weekend! But while you wait don't miss the pictures of famous people (and maybe a president?) who have eaten here. Also, this place is awesomely decked out in late 60s orange tile.
The food is pretty Americanized which is fine with me, but not fine for other people. I remember liking one of our dishes, but not liking the others... This place has potential for me to strike gold (or more likely, silver) on a really good dish. But the food wasn't good enough on my visit to pull me back yet.
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I have known the Chu family since 1986 when I went to Pinewood School with all their kids. At all our basketball games in highschool they would bring in food from the restuarant for the team after the game, so I basically grew up eating this food.
And now when I go in to pick up some take out I talk to Larry or Jennifer(who I played BBall with since I ws 12) 2 of the 5 children who have stayed in the area and help with the restuarant.
Anyhow, I cannot complain about this restaurant as they area always accomodating, friendly and the food is consistently good.
I just wish they would make some more healthy dishes, and give the option of grilled chicken in the delicious Chinese Chicken Salad.
Walk into a restaurant and you see 80% non-Asians (I'm just saying!)....doesn't inspire the most confidence. However! One couldn't be more wrong, this place gets definite props for holding authenticity while giving everything a very western...receptive.....air.....wow my English escapes me.
They also happen to have my all time favorite dish, read: "Yu Shan Pork" on the menu, probably the best I've ever had in the bay area. That's saying something. If you're ever here and like spicy foods, this is the dish to try.
It has a grand reputation and you will not be let down.
Think you'll be quite disappointed by the drinks/wine selection though.
I've had this place recommended to me by a few people, so I went to try it one night. Between the two of us, we ordered way too much food, of course, since we wanted to try so many different things. We had an order of dumplings (or pot stickers if you prefer), which were pretty good, although I still haven't found that perfect dumpling to compare with the ones from home. They came ridiculously quickly, too! Made me wonder how close to cooked they keep them back there :-)
Then we had some mu-shu pork. Even though it still freaks me out when they come over and do the assembly for you, it was tasty mu shu, if a touch gresier than I would have expected. Plenty of pork with lots of egg also. Between the dumplings and mu shu, we probably could have walked away satisfied, even if not full.
Then for the main event we had shrimp with lobster sauce and tangerine beef. The shrimp were tender and tasty, and the sauce was definitely a winner. The Tangerine beef I thought could have been a bit spicier, but I doubt that opinion would have been shared across the table. It was tasty, and the beef was very tender.
The only catch was that we had to wait for about 25 minutes when they told us 10-15, and it was especially surprising since we got there at about 9pm on a Friday night. Not exactly prime dining time for the masses any more. We'll have to go back to sample more of their excellent menu. Hopefully with more people so that we can try even more stuff!
