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Nan King Road Bistro
Categories: Restaurants Chinese Restaurants Asian Fusion Chinese, Asian Fusion [Edit]
1360 9th Ave(between Irving St & Judah St)
San Francisco, CA 94122
Neighborhood: Inner Sunset
(415) 753-2900
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 11:30 am - 10 pm
Sat-Sun 12 pm - 10 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
242 reviews for Nan King Road Bistro
Review Highlights
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"You have the best Hot and Sour soup ever." In 38 reviews -
"Mongolian Beef - highly recommended." In 44 reviews -
"Their lunch specials are a steal and a great value." In 26 reviews
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242 reviews in English
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Review from Barry A.
San Francisco, CA
4/9/2012 2 Check-ins Here
This is how Panda Express would be if they kicked it up a few notches.
This is 'White People' Chinese food.
Fine by me. I ate the fug out of it.
Fresh ingredients, prepared well, and served expeditiously.
What did I have?
Sesame chicken,
'Millenia vegetables'
Mongolian beef.
I ordered based on recommendation, so I may have to take my 'White People Chinese' self-imposed moniker back... as they do appear to offer some relatively
'traditional' items.
Regardless....
If it's tasty I go back.
I'll be back. -
Review from Brian C.
San Francisco, CA
5/23/2012
I really don't get what the big deal is about the sesame chicken here. When you drown chicken in honey, it no longer tastes like chicken. Is this really what non-Chinese people think about Chinese food?
- Another snobby Chinese American -
Review from Gracie W.
San Francisco, CA
3/26/2012
Went with BF last Sunday--my expectations were pretty high, so maybe that made me feel more disappointed in the end.
The food was meh:
Lemon Chicken: I thought it tasted too sugary
Marco Polo: sauce was good, seafood cooked well, could have used more veggies
Steam Rolls: best part
Fried Rice: simple, but I like that
The service was bad. Super curt, I asked for two teas they brought me one. Had to signal them over multiple times, and we were the ONLY ONES in the restuarant (it was early).
The food didn't taste like it had MSG in it though, so that was nice.
Overall I think the experience was too "americanized." But that might be comforting for some people.
Oh ya, there were fruit flies everywhere around our lemon chicken. We had to swat them away while eating. -
Review from Christina G.
Vestal, NY
5/22/2012
Yummy Asian fusion. Some of their fruitier dishes are on the sweet side (raspberry chicken) but OK by me. Everything is made fresh and is delicious. I am a big fan of their chewy noodles. I think it is called Shanghai noodle?? I can't remember but it is good!! I crave it!
I've had their food catered for a school event and they are so sweet and helpful. They worked in a discount and even gave us a free platter of vegetables to help us food our group with our limited budget. -
Review from TW M.
San Francisco, CA
5/22/2012
I had been trying to find an alternative to Andy's because they sucked so much I wouldn't go back. Nan King shouldn't even be compared to them.
I ordered coconut chicken curry. It was amazing and it came out fast. Prices were good too. My new go-to place for Chinese. -
Review from Chelsey G.
San Francisco, CA
5/21/2012
For a city of so many Chinese restaurants, I was really having trouble trying to come up with a worthy enough one to hook up Sunday night delivery. I had for some reason always passed this place up so I decided to give them a try. Yes it is "White People" Chinese food, but sometimes that is just what you are in the mood for. Sesame Honey Chicken was pretty damn delightful, but you just know in your heart, so very bad for your health. Well at least it is all white meat, but yea the fried and swimming in honey part. But a real nice treat after a long weekend. The Millenia Veggies were tasty and had everything you needed in a veg dish. The Thai Ice Tea was delicious and HUGE and could have been shared by 3 ppl. I ordered Sunday night around 8, so when they told me 50 min for delivery, I thought it would take an hour. I was impressed and surprised that the food was at my place in 25 min! Not usual craving this type of fare but sometimes white ppl Chinese food is so comforting and pleasing and this is now my go to spot for it.
-
Review from Amanda R.
Seattle, WA
5/14/2012 1 Check-in Here
Food was good, I had something with noodles. Giant beer for $4 was the best part. Service was kinda uninterested in serving us even though we were the only patrons. The front door was tagged with the work "scam." Not sure what that was about. The little fried appetizers were tasty but then again we were starving. I probably wouldn't go back given all the other deliciousness on Irving.
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Review from JD S.
Manhattan, NY
5/14/2012 1 Check-in Here
One of my favorite places. I used to live nearby and this was the place to go for Sunday night takeout. The service is great but the food is even better. They make a sesame chicken dish that I still dream about ten years later. I am going back to the area this month and this place is my only must-visit place.
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Review from Derrick W.
San Francisco, CA
3/19/2012 1 Check-in Here
Wow, this place is tasty! Not your traditional hole-in-the-wall dirty oily Chinese food.
Came here with the GF on a Monday night and I was surprised to see it quite empty. The food came out quick and piping hot. -
Review from Tey E.
San Francisco, CA
5/6/2012 1 photo
Hands down the best restaurant ever
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Review from elly l.
San Francisco, CA
4/15/2012
I was skeptical about this place when my bestie ask me to eat dinner in this place knowing that i am not a big chinese food fan. Boy i was wrong, i am not a big fan of chinese food but i lovvvvvve lovvve chinese fusion food. This place somewhat remind me of panda express, which i frequently visit whenever i eat @ mall. Their Marco Polo is pure Awesome..... and their Thai ice tea is huge. On the other hand, i feel like its a little bit pricy ?!? and hate the location....
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Review from Cassandra J.
San Francisco, CA
1/27/2012
Oh. My. God. I love my Asian food and I'm pretty picky when it comes to finding good places that have vegetarian food that stands out, plus a really awesome hot and sour soup. My friend introduced me to Nan King a few weekends ago and I can truly and honestly say it's one of the best stir fries I've ever had.
I ordered a fried tofu and veggie dish lunch entree that included rice and a bowl of soup. The soup came out very fast and I was extremely impressed with it. Flavoured just right, a good measure of hot and sour, some thickness, bits of tofu, it was a perfect appetizer and I'd rate it with some of the best, tastiest hot and sours I've had.
Entrees came out pretty quick as well. I was extremely happy with the variation of veggies, the amount of food, and the overall flavour. There was also more than enough to fill me up.
The price here is also flat out amazing. $7 for a lunch dish, including soup and rice? Yes please! I've gone to some other great Asian places for lunch that had food as comparable but the price was definitely much higher. Given the quality and amount of food, I was surprised at the final bill price for two of us.
My only complaint? Why are they way out in the Inner Sunset!? This isn't an area of SF that I go to often so I can't see myself getting their delicious tasty food more often! That being said, I'd happily go out of my way once in awhile to pick up lunch here. Or see if they'll deliver? Oh please yes, send some of that awesome food out to my place! -
Review from Debbie K.
San Francisco, CA
4/16/2012
I was expecting a bit more since the reviews seemed to be so positive. I ordered the singapore noodles with chicken and egg flower soup. The noodles were under cooked and barely seasoned. The soup had fresh veggies, but the flavor was bland. Sadly, i don't think I will be going back since there are other good options in the Inner Sunset
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Review from Darius A.
Millbrae, CA
4/9/2012 2 Check-ins Here
I usually order the Honey Sesame Chicken and it is pretty good. The delivery is prompt and the food is consistently good. The walnut shrimp and mongolian beef are also both worth giving a shot. The potstickers are nothing special.
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Review from Fallon P.
The bf and I decided to check this place out after driving by San Tung and seeing that there were too many people waiting for a table! But, that's expected! Anyway, I'm glad we came here instead of deciding to eat something else because we were really craving Chinese food.
It was around 6:15 on a Monday night and the place was empty. The hostess motioned that we could sit anywhere we wanted and so we did. Shortly thereafter, she handed us our menus and gave us water. Then the bf and I decided on wonton soup for him, miso tofu soup for myself, crispy sesame chicken, millennia vegetables with garlic sauce, and steamed rice.
My soup was ok. I thought it was lacking in flavor. I had some of the bf's soup and the broth was really good. He thought it was spicy, but I thought it was more peppery. Still flavorful nonetheless. The crispy sesame chicken was delicious! I'm glad we got this entree instead of the wings because the hostess even recommended the sesame chicken instead. It did not disappoint!
The chicken was all white meat and it was def crunchy. Not too sweet and not too spicy. But, perfect! The millennia vegetables were great as well. The broccoli soaked up the garlic sauce really nicely and just melted in your mouth. So good! My mouth is watering right now!
Final verdict: definitely a place the bf and I would re-visit again! There's no long wait and a great alternative to San Tung if you happen to be in the area. Dinner for 2 for less than $30. Service could have been better, but it wasn't a deal breaker and they get a lot of takeout and delivery orders. So, it's understandable that they aren't as attentive considering it was only the hostess and a server working the floor that night. -
Review from Mark D.
El Dorado Hills, CA
4/14/2012 1 photo
Found this on an area search on Yelp, what a gem! Ordered 3 different dishes, Yellow Curry Chicken, Kung Pao Chicken and Mongolian Beef. All 3 were fantastic! Cooked to perfection, very tasty and it felt like you were eating healthy as there was no grease, ecessive soy, MSG or heavy sauces. Just clean, simple and all the right tastes.
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Review from Marjet W.
San Francisco, CA
3/27/2012
First time we ordered out from this restaurant. And Wow...it was all delicious. Great Mongolian beef, crispy lemon chicken with mango...excellent, kung pao chicken, and the vegetable rice all was delicious, not too salty. High recommend this restaurant!!
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Review from Jamie H.
San Francisco, CA
10/19/2011
I have to admit, being from New York, I was extremely skeptical of all things Chinese food, pizza and bagels in San Fran. Pizza and bagels have paled in comparison but I think i might have found a Chinese food joint that rivals anything in NY. Nan King Road Bistro has the incredible sesame chicken I've EVER had. The sweet, tangy and crunchy deliciousness it why I go there! Also, the Shanghai pork dumplings are incredible; I would kill for them. Make sure you do delivery, it's the best way to go and it's quick. They've also never screwed up my order.
I have to say this Chinese food has made me re-evaluate everything I thought was authentic about New York City.
MUST HAVES: Sesame chicken and Shanghai pork dumplings!!! TRY IT! -
Review from Zachary F.
San Francisco, CA
1/2/2012
There should be a defined dining category known simply as Americanized Chinese Food. This place should be seen as the definitive example.
Quality food. A lot of truly unique takes on a lot of their dishes. The trump card here is one of my favorite dishes in the city: The Double Happiness. (aptly named)
Come here, eat cheap, roll out twice as happy as you came in. -
Review from Claudine V.
San Francisco, CA
2/22/2012
Went here for dinner and ordered 8 entrees , 2 beers for only $59. Unbelievable!!!!! Good service, food , price and clean. Every single dish tasted great with fresh ingredients. Would defintely come back and try more dishes.
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Review from j j.
San Francisco, CA
3/14/2012
my go-to neighborhood chinese restaurant. everything is always fresh, delicious, and best of all MSG-free!!! some of my favorite dishes include:
hong kong style noodles - can be too salty at times, but nothing a few cups of water can't help
walnut shrimp - big crispy, succulent shrimp enrobed in an airy sweet lemon cream sauce
glazed pork short ribs - can be a litte too sweet so i always ask for them to make it less sweet than usual and it always comes out perfect for my taste
atkins's delight - veggies are crisp and fresh, i order this dish when i need my veggie fix -
Review from Patrick C.
Seattle, WA
10/11/2011
This place is always wonderful. The food is excellent and reasonably priced. Especially for lunch!
Highly recommended. -
Review from trustmeonthis t.
Alameda, CA
1/31/2012
YUMMY is all I have to say for this place. Not just great bang for your buck but the customer service is excellent. We have always had a great experience and great food when coming here. ENJOY
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Review from Liz W.
7/25/2011
As a Chinese girl, I have incredible high standards for chinese food, and this place is so far my FAVORITE place to go for chinese food in SF! It may be too early to say that since I've only been there once...but seriously it was THAT good. And apparently their salmon is supposed to be really good, but I didn't learn about this tip until I had already eaten. The 2 dishes I had were:
1. Four Seasons Chow Mein soft noodle, carrots, cabbage, spinach, onion, & soy + Beef == 5 stars
2. Fried Garlic Chicken Wings == 4.5 stars -
Review from Zach s.
San Francisco, CA
4/15/2012
This place sucks cause they turned us away 10 mins before scheduled closing... was looking for a late dinner with my girlfriend and lady simply told me they were closed when i walked in and the sign clearly said 10pm closing on the door it was 9:49 when i got there... I WILL TAKE MY BUSINESS ELSEWHERE!
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Review from Theodore O.
San Francisco, CA
Updated - 12/15/2011
I like to keep this place in my back pocket. I don't come here regularly, but maybe 2 or 3 times a year and I always come with company. It's a good place to eat for a good value - not overdone.
2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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5/16/2011
The "double happiness" is still as good as I remembered it. I took my friend here and we ordered to… Read more »
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Review from W C.
San Francisco, CA
11/22/2011
Come here, people !!!!!!!
When I first saw this place I thought it would be a crappy place because there was no customer here. However my bf has always had good food here so I gave it a try.
I ordered fried calamari, eggplants with garlic sauce, and Cantonese noodle with tofu. EVERYTHING was so good! Indeed!
I'll definitely com back again. If it weren't so far away from where we live, I'd come here every week. It's a perfect take-out place, too. -
Review from Jason T.
Berkeley, CA
I came here because of the overwhelming number of positive reviews. I left thinking this was one of the worst Chinese food places ever.
Lets start with the good, the food is cheap in price and the decor of the restaurant is modern and inviting. The Dragon Wings were good but not comparable to San Tung, down the street.
Now with the bad...
We entered the restaurant on a Monday night, while 3 other tables were already seated. We ordered the Sesame Chicken, two Shrimp dishes, Hot and Sour soup, crispy noodles, stir fried noodles, and the dragon wings.
The food took over 45 minutes to come out, because the restaurant was so busy with to-go orders. The front desk owner/waitress was extremely rude and was obviously not in the business of customer service.
I would have been okay waiting for the food but when the food came out it was drenched in soy sauce paste and MSG. It was the saltiest Chinese food I have EVER eaten. It was so hard to stomach that we ended up throwing most of it away.
Almost all the dishes tasted the same, except for the Dragon Wings and the sesame chicken.
Even though it was over 3 days ago since I ate at this restaurant , I still cringe at how salty the food was to this day.
God it was disgusting. -
Review from sheila s.
San Francisco, CA
6/4/2011
Quality Delivery. I ordered the Seasame chicken as previous posts suggested -- delicious. Now, I won't be eating this all the time because it is really fattening. I also got the Four Seasons Chow Mein (chicken) - really good and greasy, and there are some nice veges in it. They aren't stingy like other chinese places -- they fill up the containers and don't try to put onions and peppers as filler save money -- some places are so cheap -- and think that customers are stupid and don't know what they are doing.
Delivery was quick and they have Brown Rice too. -
Review from Molly P.
6/14/2011 4 Check-ins Here
Summary: This is the best Chinese food in SF.
Thesis: It's better if you eat there than if you order for delivery.
Narrative: I'm writing another update because my last few meals here were, once again, delicious. Although this is a long drive from home for me, it's worth eating there if you can, rather than ordering for delivery. When you eat in, everything comes fast, hot and delicious. When you order for delivery, your 45 minute wait could be 90, by which point you're hangry (hungry and angry) so why bother. Really good food, good prices, and nice service. Next time I do order for delivery, I think I'll call an hour sooner than I'm hungry. The other solution is to order by phone and pick it up yourself to avoid the hangry problem. All in all, one of my absolute faves in SF! -
Review from Nina S.
San Francisco, CA
5/19/2011
Best Chinese food in the area. They also have really fast delivery and pretty reasonable prices. The one and only thing I don't like is the lady who works there makes me feel super guilty for making them delivery it to me when I only live 3 blocks away. But sometimes 3 blocks is too much to ask!
My favorite dishes:
-Honey Sesame Chicken (duh! tastes like it's from panda express, but in a good way)
-Kung Pao Chicken- so good. so spicy
-Honey Prawns- if you're willing to pay 11 bucks for one dish, go for it. actually, even if you're not willing to pay 11 bucks, go for it. stop being so cheap guys, jeez.
-Eggplant Chicken- my boyfriend's favorite.
-Four Seasons Chow Mein- not your typical chow mein. it actually has lots of veggies and isn't very greasy. you could potentially eat the entire box and not feel guilty.
Dishes to skip:
-Those Crab Puff things people keep raving about on here. Gross. So gross.
-Pot Stickers- bland as f***. -
Review from Sara D.
San Francisco, CA
2/25/2011
I've lived down the street for two years, but only recently ordered delivery from here, and the food is pretty darn good.
What to order:
Crispy Sesame chicken--five stars. The perfect sweetness and crispness, all white meat, extremely good.
Crab cream cheese puffs--five stars. Very good. Although don't be fooled by the word "puff," these are really just wontons.
Chow mein--four stars. Standard noodles, not overly greasy, but not entirely flavorful. Not bad, but not memorable.
The delivery was fast. I have yet to dine-in, so I cannot comment on the atmosphere or the dining experience.
Prices are very reasonable. -
Review from Jackson Q.
San Francisco, CA
4/10/2011
This is a nice little sunset gem and a notch above most other Chinese joints. Their food is roughly similar to most other Americanized Chinese places, but there's some dishes with a fun spin.
I haven't been here in a while, but Yelping it and realizing I had no review makes me sad- so here we go, bear with me.
I went with a group of 6 people and we got seated right away, any night of the week (I think it was a Thursday) is a plus. The atmosphere isn't exactly nice but isn't like your average, janky Chinese joints either. Kinda fun, like a cool uncle's city apartment. I like the beech wood and green walls.
The dish to get here is definitely, hands-down the Raspberry Sweet & Sour Chicken. Now infamous in my group of friends, we have elevated this dish to cult-like status. And so it should be! It's so scrumptious, so tender and so sticky and sweet. -
Review from Deidre E.
Outer Sunset, San Francisco, CA
2/17/2011
Disclaimer: This is based on delivery experiences only, as I have huddled up in my house during the recent storms.
Chinese food is always a go-to favorite for us when looking for delivery food. We've had decent, even good, experiences with various places but none were particularly Yelp-worthy. Then I came across this place.
The sesame chicken is seriously the best I've ever had. It's light, crunchy, flavorful, with just the right kick of spicy. So, so very good. The walnut prawns were equally amazing. The prawns were the perfect texture in a creamy, light, citrusy sauce with just a hint of sweetness. The glazed walnuts added a great crunch and taste to an already delicious dish. Lastly, the chicken fried rice is quality. Usually I find oddly shaped pieces of chicken, never sure if it's white meat or dark. Here, there is no question. Fresh, tasty pieces of white chicken meat makes a dish go from solid to great!
The delivery was quick (30-40 min) and the guy was friendly. What I appreciated the most was the care they took in preparing a delivery order. They put the lettuce portion of the prawn order in a separate container, ensuring the crunchy stayed crunchy and the lettuce stayed cool and fresh.
Added bonus: They deliver Thai iced tea in a large, very secure bowl which seemed odd at first, but I was *so* grateful they did that for two reasons. 1) The lid on the bowl was super tight fitting so no sloshing on the drive over. 2) Refill!! The amount they delivered actually provided me with two glasses of thai iced tea - not to mention how tasty it was!
Oh, and my roommate, who *never* eats left overs, actually looks forward to Nan King Road leftovers the following night.
Overall, great food, attention to detail in delivery process, good value. -
Review from Jess T.
San Francisco, CA
3/28/2011
Pretty sure this is the best Chinese in Inner Sunset.
Their portions are nice and large and everything is really well priced. For sure go check them out for lunch! Great specials and friendly service! -
Review from Samantha H.
Vallejo, CA
7/21/2011
I found this place by accident and I am glad that I did.
The food is excellent...My top recommendations are the Orange Chicken/Shrimp, the Garlic Calamari, and the BBQ Spare Ribs. I have tried many of the dishes here and I have not been disappointed. I leave full, with a smile on my face, and feel like I got a good deal on my meal.
The service leaves something to be desired, but after you start eating..you do not care about that. -
Review from katie m.
San Francisco, CA
12/13/2010
This is a great local spot. Located in the heart of the inner sunset with delivery; we've had their food twice. Most of their chicken dishes are made with all white meat which I love. The atmosphere inside the restaurant is much more modern than most places like it.
Some of their dishes can be a little or alot of the spicy side, so say something if you are even a little sensitive.
The honey sesame chicken is pretty amazing. The orange chicken doesn't have the most flavor, but the HUGE chunks of freshly cooked white meat and not too friedness make up for it. -
Review from Heather C.
San Francisco, CA
10/12/2010
DELIVERY!! =D
I was looking at this place online while I was working and the thing that caught my eye was the Fried Crab Cheese Puff! Called them when I got home from work and me and the boyfriend ordered the Egg Flower Soup, of course the Fried Crab Cheese Puff, Crispy Sesame Chicken and two Thai Iced Teas! =) They said that it'll be delivered in 30 minutes and 25 minutes later we get a phone call and they were outside. My boyfriend said, "WOW that was fast" we're so used to having to wait 45 minutes to an hour for our food to be delivered.
The Fried Crab Cheese puff was really good, I love cheese!! The Crispy Sesame Chicken was really good as well and it was actually crispy, sometimes I would order something that has the word "crispy" in the title and when I get it, it's no where near crispy! Now the Egg Flower Soup was something I was not a big fan of, it didn't have much flavor, I guess I was expecting it to taste like the ones you get at a Chinese restaurant! When we opened the bag that was holding our Thai Iced teas, my eyes lite up because they were in big containers and not in one of those plastic cups you usually get from a restaurant, ooohh!! =)
Fast delivery and good food, what more can I say! 4.5 stars! -
Review from Lani N.
San Francisco, CA
5/4/2011
So if you're reading reviews for Nan King Road Bistro then you've already read about the Crispy Sesame Chicken, which really does live up to the hype. It's absolutely marvelous. Chicken breast lightly floured and then fried to a light crispy loveliness, and covered in fantastical sauce.
Outside of the amazing Crispy Sesame Chicken, everything we've ordered we've really enjoyed: Walnut Prawns, Sichuan Blue Lake Beans, Mongolian Black Bean Chow Fun, Shanghai Noodle, Wok-Seared Mongolian Beef, Cucumber Salad.
They deliver, they're fantastic, get the Crispy Sesame Chicken. -
Review from Ping N.
San Francisco, CA
5/22/2011
I have to admit, I was pretty disappointed after reading all the great reviews and then only eating average Chinese take out. Maybe the take out is different from the food in the restaurant and it didn't do it justice, but if it's any representation of what I'd be getting at the restaurant... Meh... I've had better.
I read through the reviews and ordered the Sesame Chicken, and yes it was good. I'd order it again; not too sweet, and bit of spice, tender chicken. But I also ordered the Fried Cheese Puffs, Glazed Short Ribs, Chicken Fried Rice, and Shanghai Noodles.
Fried Cheese Puffs were normal, nothing special.
The Glazed Short Ribs were decent but heavy on the sauce making it way too sweet, I had to dab off some of the sauce with a napkin before I could eat it.
The Chicken Fried Rice was good, but normal.
The Shanghai Noodles. Not a fan. It wasn't really Chinese. The sun dried tomatoes made it taste really funny. I wouldn't say Americanized, I've had my share of Americanized Chinese... This was more like, they were trying to be different but it just didn't work.
I may give a few other dishes a try before I really write this place off. But for me.... this place definitely doesn't get the " Best Chinese in Inner Sunset" award. Just go a few blocks down the street for some San Tung or King of Noodle or better yet, a couple more block to Irving and 19th-25th. There are so many good options.
