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I went to Happy China tonight with my sister. LOVED IT ! The menu has many unique items as well as "American" favorites. While they specialize in spicy Sezchuan cuisine they have dishes with all heat levels.
First off the service was very good. The cold drinks (water) were kept full at all times. It was almost funny how often she came by to check. The hot tea (green I think) was very tasty, no sugar needed.
We started with the Crab Meat and Asparagus Soup- It was a family size bowl with a nice "crabby" broth with leg crab meat, small slices of asparagus and egg drop. A very nice light soup for all tastes.
We then moved on to Pan-Fried Dumplings and Pork Soup Dumplings-
The fried dumplings were made with the thicker dumpling wrappers that I do prefer. A tasty filling and zesty dipping sauce. The soup dumplings were soft and luxurious with a nice hit of ginger, yummy.
We indulged in several entries Spicy Crispy Pork Belly, Stir-Fried Pork Kidney, General Tso's Duck and Kung Pao Chicken.
Spicy Pork Belly- OMG these are fantastic. Just enjoy don't think about them being deep fried fat and just go with it.
Stir fried pork kidney- This was the "adventurous" dish of the night. The risk paid off big time. The meat was tender and had wonderful flavor with no "organ taste". I would no doubt order this again.
General Tso's Duck- What a great twist on the classic American Chinese dish. A half duck was Flash fried then bathed in a rich sweet and spicy (but not too spicy) sauce and none of the flavorless stemmed broccoli that the classic dish is saddled with at most restaurants.
Kung Pao Chicken- One of the best I have ever had. This is one of my benchmark dishes for most Chinese restaurants. The chicken was tender and flavorful, it had only a few types of veg and a spicy sauce with a pleasant touch of wok hay, that smokey taste you get from a true wok master.
To make a long review short (TOO LATE) We loved it, We will be back!! :)
I came here for dinner a few nights ago and it was okay BUT we didn't order many dishes and I think we could have ordered better.
Restaurant itself is okay. It's in an ugly lot and the decor is a 4 out of 10. I don't really care though.
We came at around 4:50 and we were the only people there (more people came later). I think we got to talk to the owner and he was enthusiastic about his food and the "hot and numbing" stuff. Waitresses were sweet too.
Unfortunately, my bf and I don't really like spicy food. We ordered the fish rolls which were pretty good. For the entree my bf ordered the beef fried rice, which was good but unremarkable and I ordered the tender beef in cilantro which was good and not spicy. All the food was good but not great.
The couple in back of us ordered some stuff that looked and smelled AMAZING and I just felt like we didn't order the right stuff.
The menu is huge, there are so many choices! I'd like to come back for lunch when I can order a bunch of dishes.
A friend of mine lives closely to this place, whenever I visit, we would occasionally visit this establishment. Most of the time, we had take-out and I am a firm believer that take-outs normally do not do justice for the food once you place it in a box, the food's value will drop. The taste will be off from how it should actually be.
So based on the take-out I will give it a 3. It's as it's name says, "Tasty" (in a somewhat, slightly off way), but if you know my taste buds, you'll know that heavy flavor food is too much for me.
It's good. But it never had me craving for it. Maybe I'll give this place another try. This time, I'm dinning in! And make sure you bring out the "real" Chinese menu! =)
Tasty China is true to its name and still rocking out good food.
The beef and cilantro soup is a good way to wake up your palate. It's really savory taste from the beef and mushroom combined with the refreshing taste of cilantro is a tasty combination. Cilantro-haters may want to opt out for something else though.
Both the braised beef and fish were good and when eaten together with rice, they were delicious. Great for these chilly nights.
Their spicy crispy pork belly is a textural delight. If they ever make a spicy pork chip - this would be it.
Their dry fried eggplant was inconsistent this time around as half were seasoned/spiced well while the other half was pretty bland. Still crispy and no bitterness at all though and my little brother describes them as spicy french fries.
Service was well...as expected. Our waitress had the most pissed off look on her face when I asked for bowls and spoons (she forgot them when our soup arrived on the table). All good fun though. They really are nice folks contrary to some beliefs!
I really wanted to love this place. MyI husband raved about it and I was excited to try. We called ahead to make sure we were not going to be there too late. They told us 10pm. We arrived at 8:45. Upon arrival we were seated promptly after we ordered appetizers I expected to have a minute to look over the menu.....NO. The waitress would not let up. She came back after less than a minute and when I told her I had never been there and that I needed some time she told me the kitchen was closing and she needed my order now. Really? After my husband ordered I rushed and ordered. When I ordered she huffed at me! She huffed! I was at a loss. She told me she would recommend something else for me. I didn't want anything else. HELLO! I wanted what I ordered.
After all this I must say the food was good. Definitly not worth the irritation and bad service.
Dont go here...or I might have to wait for the table the next time I go. Seriously, the best Chinese I've had in over 10 years in Atlanta.
I dropped in on a insanely cold day. Feeling a lot like the kid in Campbells' commercial. Frozen solid and dieing for some tasty hot liquid. Soup to be precise. I was the only patron at the time. I asked the server to recommend something for me. She said she liked the sour cabbage fish soup. I could tell she was a tad hesitant to suggest her choice to a round eye with a thick southern accent. But she did say it was her favorite.
It was fan-fuggin-tastic. I so miss good genuine Chinese food. Let's be honest most Chinese in the south is deep fried fluorescent goo cover garbage. Judging by friends suggestions and the menu here. I think this is about as good as it gets in any strip mall in the south.
The soup was unbelievably good. I spent a half hour savoring it's flavor and aroma. While eavesdropping on the birthday party of loud, poorly behaved morons that drifted in. I truly detest they way some folks behave themselves when eating out in general. Much less when there is a slight language barrier.
Any who, the sour cabbage fish soup was heavenly . The broth was savory and perfectly sour. With a strong white pepper finish. The cabbage wasn't overly cooked at all. The fish pieces were large and solid. I devoured an entire family serving. I left pondering what to try on my next visit.
I wasn't sure if I would ever find a truly quality chinese restraurant in Atlanta, especially not close to me in Marietta. Tasty China has all the necessary ingredients for me, delicous food, spicy food, consistant quality, and good service. Some of the dishes I have had are really similar to ones that I have had when I studied abroad in China.
I have heard that it can get crowded, but there is usually only a few tables occupied when I eat there. That is until last time. I went on a Friday evening at about 6:30 pm and we were only on of about 4 tables that were full. By 7:30 or 8 almost every table was full including a 15 person party sitting right next to us.
Now for the food. I have loved every dish that I tried. I usually start with an order of Dan Dan Noodles and then get a different spicy beef or pork dish. I haven't been adventurous enough to try some of there exotic dishes yet, but I might have to later.
This is a great place to try more authentic chinese food and have a great time doing it.
I've never reviewed TC? Wow. Tasty China has been through its ups & downs but I've had some great meals here recently. You CAN get your General Tso's here, but don't let it fool you, there are some gems on the menu. My favorites are the dan dan noodles, crispy fried pork belly, and fish in hot oil. It's BYOB with no corkage, and is a big fave among those who like to bring in their own bottles to match with the spicy cuisine. The last time I went we paired it with some hoppy beer with was a great match as well. Although it has a Marietta address, it's right off the highway, and can get there faster from Midtown, than some intown restaurants (20 minutes or so straight up I-75)
If you've never had real chinese food, this place is amazing. It's Sichuan cuisine for the most part, so it's spicy.
If you want the best Kung Pao in America (according to me), you have got to check this place out. The flavors blow away anything in Atlanta. The beef with scallions is awesome, very spicy however.
The most amazing thing is that their Wonton soup (a Cantonese dish), is the best I have ever tasted. If you like Cantonese, Canton Cooks (Sandy Springs) is really good (especially their Chow Fun). But Tasty China's Wonton soup blows theirs away. I was shocked.
For un-americanized chinese food, this place simply rocks.
I guess I really don't understand the appeal of this place. It had consistently high reviews, and many people have raved about the food. When we moved to this area, my wife and I were very excited about it because it was so close to our home. The prospect of having great, truly authentic, Chinese food right at our doorstep was almost too much (my wife grew up eating top-notch Chinese food in Toronto).
We came here on a Friday or Saturday night -- we probably should have put stock in the fact that we were the only people in the restaurant at peak dinner hours (~6:00). Perusing the menu, a good deal of their fare is typical Americanized Chinese food. We've certainly eaten at Sichuan places before, and their menu just didn't look nearly as impressive as at others. Despite that, we did find a few things outside that Americanized realm, and ordered them (honestly, I cannot remember what we ordered beyond a chicken and mushroom dish). Even with the less impressive menu, we were still hopeful that the flavors would come through for us.
Unfortunately, they did not. Not even in the least. The food we were served was extremely over salted, and (despite the over abundance of salt) had very little flavor to it. Neither of us were impressed at all with any of the several things that we ordered. I could sit here and tell myself that it was simply an 'off night', but the menu didn't inspire us to want to make a return visit, even to give it a second chance. That is especially true when Buford Highway is just ~15 minutes further down the road. Despite the longer drive, my wife and I have been getting our Chinese food fixes out that way.
++ R I P ++
The vow to no longer eat
Chinese food rests here.
March 15, 1996 - June 25, 2009
Tasty China brought an end to my 13 year ban on Chinese food. I still have a ban on shitty Chinese food [i.e. Americanized], but this stuff [and anything like it] is permanently seared into my consciousness under the Hell Yes! files.
Everything I had was superb, from the eggplant [which I don't even like] to the fried fish to the chicken & leeks.
I can't wait to tempt fate again.
Let it be known that I give my loudest and biggest endorsement to Tasty China: it didn't make me throw up.
Be warned, you will feel pain in your mouth as you perhaps have never felt before. Don't be to afraid, it's a good thing that you will quickly become a addicted too. This place is tasty in every sense of the word.... well it is called Tasty China. The sad news it that by all appearances the quirky waitress Phoung is gone. "Extended leave" is the official answer you'll get if you ask about her, we'll see if that is really the case.
Anyway, this place has changed in the last year or so, the chef has been replaced, the menu is a little different, the main waitress is not there anymore. But, this place is still just as good. I have liked almost any of the spicy chicken dishes I have had here! If you are more into sweeter interpretations of Szechuan cuisine than the Beef with Cilantro (or is it Cilantro Beef?) is a good pick. The Coriander Fish rolls and Hot-and-Numbing beef rolls are both good picks of the appetizer menu. The noodle dishes here as well are great and are good if your not feeling too adventurous on a particular night. And of course, the only way to really enjoy this place is to go with a group and get a load of dishes, family-style. I love this place and go every time I am in Marietta/Atlanta (oh yeah, its worth a drive from Atlanta).
Tasty China FTW! ZOMG! Just got totally PWNed by this pork belly dish on their Sechuan lunch menu. I'm still sweatin'. NOOB!
LOLZ!
I was overly impressed with Tasty China. My bee's-knees lady-friend had been praising this place for… Read more »
Yes, it is in a sketchy mini mall and yes, they don't serve beer to quench the fire they serve but it is the best Szechuan restaurant I've ever been to. The fish in hot chili oil is one of my favorite baselines from which to judge Chinese restaurants and the way they serve it here is basic, simple, and ohhh so good. Yes, it is pretty freaking hot, but it has a really great flavor in addition to the heat which I think is true of all the dishes I've had here. My friends and I have spent many a slightly sweaty dinner here and keep coming back. Obviously suboptimal for a first date. Hands down one of the top two best Chinese restaurants outside of a Chinatown I've ever been to, and I've been to a ton with all my time on the road.
BTW, they are okay with BYOB and the gas station down the road has a crazy beer selection. I know, I know, sometimes I'm so classy it's intimidating.
Sadly, it has taken me this long to sojourn to one of Atlanta's most revered Asian food temples. Finally, me, sis, and the two princesses make the pilgrimage. Once inside, we flagrantly disregard Miss Piggy's famous admonishment "Never eat more than you can lift" by ordering enough to feed a small village. Won Ton Soup, Egg Drop Soup, Fried Won Ton with spicy mustard, Hot & Numbing Beef Roll, Vegetable Spring Rolls, Coriander & Seafood Rolls, Shrimp Fried Rice, Shrimp with Scallions and Chilies and one of the lunch specials, Sichuan Fragrant Shrimp. As expected, almost everything was of a consistently high quality, well prepared and "Tasty". What few low lights there were consisted of spring rolls that had lost their spring and the highly touted beef rolls that were frankly, neither hot nor numbing but cold and boring. Recommended are the Coriander Seafood rolls, anything won ton and the Sichuan Fragrant Shrimp Special that was an excellent blending of sichuan peppers, onions, garlic, ginger and fried shrimp. Lunch for 3.5, before tax, $47. A bit steep for lunch but unlike us, you need not order everything on the menu for a wonderful food experience.
I should update more often, but it's hard. Having lived in Atlanta for so long, I tend to only go to the same places over and over and over and over until my opinions of those places calcify and harden into fossilized judgment sandwiched between sediments of cynicism and apathy. Sometimes, though, the situation requires it and surprisingly enough in the case of Tasty China, it required it twice.
Anyway, I recently had lunch here with a friend. I don't make it to Tasty China as often as when I worked in Smyrna--quite possibly one of the only things I miss about not working in Smyrna. But despite the fact my friend and I live on opposite ends of Atlanta and the Marietta Loop is an absurdly inconvenient location for the both of us to meet, we always choose Tasty China as our spot.
Our last lunch is when I discovered the new menu.
"Phuong! What's up with this?"
"Oh, it's been here a couple of months now."
"Really? Oh, I haven't seen it."
She rolls her eyes. "That means you need to come more!"
Indeed I do. So they've got new chairs and a new menu and our old girl is fancying herself up. My little dive is growing up and I'll admit to a small, irrational twinge of sadness at this like I'm Steve Martin in Father of the Bride. The old numbering system I'd memorized has been discarded for an all new numbering system which means I have to read the menu now like the common people. Bah!
Not only are some of my favorite dishes moved around, new ones have been added. Pig's ear? Ox tongue? My oh my, Phuong's new chef is getting awfully old school in the kitchen. I want to try it all. (To see some quick pics of portions of the menu, I posted them.) Unfortunately, with only two of us to beat back the tide of food, we were limited to an appetizer of dan dan noodles and two entrees (dry fried green beans and shan city pork ribs.)
And dare I say it? Dare I? OK, I will. It's even better than before. I've been coming here for a while and, yes, it's better than ever. Oh man, it's time to schedule a group trip so I can get a crack at more of that menu. Change may be the operative word these days and this new menu is definitely change I can believe in.
By all accounts, Tasty China has a new chef. Now I ain't the most sophisticated of eaters, but I… Read more »
Let's see, let's see. Ordered...
Appetizers:
- dan dan noodles: amAAAAzing
- sesame cake: eh
- some kind of fried pumpkin something: definitely recommend eating this with the entrees, spicy and sweet mixed together does something to my mouth I wouldn't like to tell my mom :)
Entrees:
- basil chicken
- [fried] tofu with shredded pork
- sizzling beef something
- eff, I forgot the last plate
Anyway, if you look on the menu, on every page is printed a "TASTY CHINA RECOMMENDATIONS". Dude. There're over ONE HUNDRED items listed on the menu!!! Jokes aside, good stuff.
Super fast service. Food came out real quick. Get ready to sweat, from the spiciness. Tasty. Hou tsu :) Something like that. No MSG coma after. Will I go again? H to the yes :)
DELICIOUS!
We have been coming here at least once a week (if not more) for the past couple of years. As other reviewers have stated, the spicy food is truly spicy. This is the only restaurant where I've had szechuan peppercorns (unlike normal black pepper, szechuan peppercorns create a tingling sensation in your mouth, which complements the heat of the chilies).
We are vegetarian and find more than enough to eat at Tasty China. Our favorites: ma po tofu, vegetable chow fun, hunan tofu, hot and numbing smoked tofu, black pepper tofu, snow pea leaves, spicy garlic broccoli, shredded potatoes, chinese salad (not on the menu, but good!) and kung pao tofu. They are more than happy to accommodate our dietary restrictions.
Highly recommended!
Tasty China is officially my favorite place for lunch. It knocked Lemongrass Thai down to second place. It just blows my mind how I can get so much food for only $5. A huge plate of Kung Pao or General's Chicken with a huge bowl of fried rice, a side of hot and sour soup plus a plate of wontons. My goodness! Whenever I go I only eat about a third of my order and leave with a takeout box as if I never even touched my food.
Tasty China blows many other Chinese places out of the water because they offer authentic Szechuan-style cooking. I've tried the hot and numbing beef rolls and they are definitely ... hot and numbing. I haven't tried any of the specialty dishes yet and normally stick to the "Americanized" menu. Even still, I find the flavors very spot on and satisifying.
The highlight of dining at Tasty China is definitely Miss Phuong who runs a tight ship and doesn't take any mess. She comes off as mean, but she's really not. She's just dedicated to exceptional service and making sure you enjoy your food. Favorite conversations:
Me: "I'll take the General's Chicken and make it spicy."
Phuong: "It already comes spicy. You sure you want it extra spicy?"
Me: "Yes, I love spicy food!"
Phuong: *Slight neck roll* "Are you sure because if I bring it out, I'm not taking it back."
Me: "Yes!"
Friend: *In a playful manner* "Ma'am you hurt my feelings earlier when you looked mad at me."
Phuong: "Men don't have feelings, only women."
Friend: "So are you calling me a woman?"
Phuong: "Yes, men don't have feelings, only women."
Phuong: "Why didn't you pay for her?"
Friend: "Because I'm cheap."
Phuong: "Well at least he say he's cheap. If you cheap, say you cheap."
Phuong is a trip! And Tasty China is a great find!
We were impressed on our first visit yesterday, a Monday night. We had spring rolls and some spicy beef and noodle appetizer. The spring rolls were nothing special but we loved the beef and noodle dish. My wife had chicken with leeks and I had what was listed on the menu as Roasted Fish. It was actually deep fried and served "dry" with no sauce. I loved it. It was had a crispy, spicy coating and moist inside. I could not place the spices but it almost seemed more Indian than Chinese.
We enjoyed our own bottle of wine with no hassle and no corking fee.
I can't wait to return and explore more of the menu.
Today, after dropping $750 in car repairs, I decided my wife and I needed to celebrate (I consider it a small victory anytime I get out of the mechanic's shop for less than $1000). The top tier Chinese places in Atlanta have long been on my radar - unfortunately I missed out on Chef Chang, and have only dreamed of sampling Frank Ma's cooking. Nevertheless, we were excited to try Tasty China.
We went for a slightly late lunch, 1:30 on a Saturday. There were probably three or four other parties there, so the restaurant was mostly empty. We were greeted and seated by a pleasant young lady who took our drink orders. After perusing the menu, the notorious owner took our orders. As expected (from the various reviews on here), she was incredulous at our orders. "You are sure you want this food?! Have you been here before?" she asked. I reassured her we did want the food even though we hadn't been there before. She walked away in disbelief.
Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying she was mean. I am relating what happened; you may draw your own conclusions.
We ordered Pan-Fried Dumplings (which took twenty minutes; we were warned of this, and it was fine by us), Shan City Chicken ("95% peppers, no sauce" we were warned. The most delicious "popcorn" type chicken I've ever had.), and Sichuan Style Tofu with Shredded Pork (spicy hot oil sauce, VERY good). Our non-dumpling dishes came very quickly, and we had quite a bit of leftovers.
One word about the "numbing" flavor - we were anticipating "so spicy it numbs your mouth." This has happened to me before when eating Goat Vindaloo. That's not what they mean by numbing at Tasty China - perhaps it has to do with the Sichuan peppercorns they use, but some of their dishes impart a numbing feeling without much pain. It's a very interesting sensation.
We got our leftover boxes, paid ($30.00 for the above food and two cokes; we probably have enough food for two more meals each). Since it's only about 15 minutes away, Tasty China is my new favorite restaurant in the Marietta area.
Finally got to Tasty China, long on my bookmark list, with fellow Yelpers Addy C., Dio, Peter Y. and Chuan. My taste buds were right there with Addy's review...although I'll notch it up to 3.5 stars. It was a good experience, and would go back, but was expecting more.
Pan-fried dumplings - loaded up but a bit too thick. Not bad though.
Cold apps - chick, beef, pig ears. All of these were in the chili sauce but I found none of it numbing. I wanted 'on fire' hot, and all I got was the hose. The bird was probably the best of the lot, although boneless would be better. The beef was thinly sliced and verrryyy nicccceee. Pig ears? NEXT!
Next up was plate after plate of food.
Tender beef w/ cilantro - reminded me of beef you would find in a beef and broccoli dish at Chin Chin (yes, I've been there, don't judge me!), but became much better when you mixed the chopped cilantro in it. Wouldn't get it again but not bad.
Snow pea tips w/ garlic sauce - I was expecting more from this, pretty bland compared to other vege dishes I've had, didn't really taste the garlic.
Dan Dan noodles - disappointing. It was like overcooked spaghetti at Olive Garden. Send over the bucket!
Chicken w/ leeks- agree with Addy, it looked like lo-mein! However, I thought the flavor on this dish was pretty good.
Fish with mushrooms - the fish had great flavor and was cooked perfectly.
Dry fried eggplant w/ hot & numbing pepper - for me, this was the hit of the night. Think spicy steak fries but it is eggplant, it was killer! Kinda reminded me of Yuca fries. Crisp on the outside, mush on the inside, and the spiciest dish of the night, go figure.
Mapu tofu - it's tofu. What do you want me to say?
Next time I'll take Kit's advice and say "Round eye, Chinese stomach". Someone hand me a bottle of Tabasco!
ALL HAIL PHUONG (SHE'S MY FAV!!!)
If you don't know any better - take a clue from the fish tank that sits in the front entrance way - this place is the real deal. That's not just for decoration people - they use those suckers! Last week, I returned to Tasty China (twice in fact) for my first meals there in approximately six-months. Not much has changed - and thank god! It's in a dumpy little strip center in Marietta (across from what looks like a building that was fire bombed), but the restaurant has that very comfortable sort of feeling. The interior is washed in red and gold, very apropos. It's a good sized spot - a bunch of booths and even more tables. In fact, you know this place will do you right if you bring a group - I think there are at least four tables with lazy susans (and maybe more than that).
I get a total kick out of Phuong. She's famous - just read some of the other reviews! I think the term "soup nazi" has bleed into our vernacular a bit too easily, but in that spirit - she could very well go toe-to-toe with Ali Yenagh. She's a total hoot but a total sweetheart once you get to know her. She'll bark at you to move your keys/phones/etc... off of the table, but she'll light up when you show up with a six-pack of beer! That's my girl! Yes it is a BYOB establishment. Ask her what she recommends and she'll bark so many things in your general direction your head will spin. Fear not, if you are unaware - just tell her how spicy you like and she'll do the rest! The other waitresses seem to do more running than anything else, but they are all nice and pleasant.
If you do go it on your own, there isn't too much to worry about. Unfortunately, when you glance at the menu you see a minefield of dishes that are no longer offered. When Chef Chang split to Knoxville, he took about half the menu with him. Press on my adventurous little foodie - pleasure awaits you! The menu is almost comedic - at the top of the first few pages says "American Dishes," how funny is that? Skip over that part without a second thought and move to the Sichuan section. While Chef Chang may not be here, his replacement is more than capable. Remember, this is Sichuan - so it should be spicy. They use all the standards too - peppercorns, chili, ginger, yuxiang, and mala! Nice huh?
I highly recommend the steamed dumplings and the dan dan noodles for starters. The dumplings are flat out yummilicious. However, there is usually a glob of oil at the bottom of the dan dan. This may be a turn off for people. The chicken with 3-mushrooms is excellent, as is their fresh fish with black bean sauce. For all their wonderfulness, there are some short comings. A handful of the dishes just never seem to turn out just right. Granted, I'm being pretty harsh here - but there are some things on the menu that fall distinctly into the "just okay" category.
Regardless, go here and go here often. I did see how this place was named the #2 Chinese spot in the city. It's certainly worthy (though some of the other places on that list were a joke). Oh well .... Onward and upwards my adventurous foodies!
The first time I went to Tasty China was over a year ago, when they had a different chef. I've been craving some good Chinese food lately, so I wanted to get TC another try and see how it has changed.
Luckily I live on the Westside of ATL, so it's really only a 15 minute drive for me...not too bad. The strip mall in which it's located was totally desolate except for the decent sized crowd that was there on a Friday night. There were numerous large groups utilizing the large tables with the lazy suzanne's on them, including one group that had brought at least 6 different bottles of wine, taking advantage of their BYOB with no corkage fee policy. Be sure to bring wines that can handle some heat in the food!
We weren't quite ready to order our entrees when they came by, so we ordered two appetizers, and I think this put us on their shit list. They quickly sent out our appetizers but then it took them another 20-30 minutes to even look our way and we finally had to flag Phuong down to order, and she did not look happy, lol.
Back to the appetizers - we started off with the beef rolls; they were kind of interesting considering they were wrapped in tortillas. You better like cilantro if you get these, which luckily I love. We also got the dan dan noodles as a starter, and that was great. The pork had so much flavor and there was a fantastic soupy greasy peppery goodness broth in which the noodles were marinating.
A couple of us ordered soup when we finally ordered the entrees. Once they arrived I was told the egg drop soup was good, but I tasted the vegetable hot and sour soup and it was awful. My girlfriend said, "this tastes just like ketchup", so I tried, and holy crap, it did taste exactly like ketchup! It actually severely grossed me out.
For my entree I got the roasted (aka fried) fish, the chef special tofu with vegetables in brown sauce, a pepper beef dish in a pot (can't remember the name), and also a singapore noodle with curry dish. They were all quite good, but my fish was ridiculously awesome. Such a great batter, fried to perfection, with a ton of awesome pepper seasoning, and the fish was perfectly flaky and fresh tasting. I highly recommend it.
The tofu was good, but I prefer it batter fried, the noodles were good but not super memorable, and my brother's beef was very tasty and by far the hottest dish on the table. The beef was very soft (fatty, but not chewy fat, just soft fat), I'm not sure what cut it was, but it was quite interesting.
We had tons to take home. When Phuong came by to give us boxes I said, "the fish was incredible", to which she grunted a "yes", quite pissed off looking.
We finally went to pay and she warmed up to us a bit, I feel like perhaps by keeping my mouth shut and never giving her an ounce of attitude I may have passed her tests.
For a very reasonable amount of money, we stuffed ourselves beyond reason full of fantastic, unique food that you aren't gonna find at Chin Chin. It's a little out of the way for most, but go check it out!
Hi, Hip Hop. Thanks for telling me about Yelp! *hug*
Doesn't EVERYBODY wish they lived closer to Tasty China? I feel it's so far away even though I live in Buckhead where afaik there aren't any excellent Chinese restaurants. Tasty China is great. Phuong reminds me of Mama in Andrew Vachss' early Burke novels. She's actually nice in her assertive way.
The dan dan noodles are better than versions elsewhere. The fried fish is yummy. There's really nothing I don't like. I'm due for a fix at Tasty China soon. Hip Hop Sing, wanna meet up there?;)
I've been putting off coming here for a while now because this place is clear across town for me. If it wasn't for an invitation by Addy, I don't think I would've made it here.
**For a complete list of the dishes we ordered, you better check out Addy C. or Robert M.'s review.
All our dishes were competently prepared but I was perplexed by the lack of spiciness. Isn't this a Szechuan restaurant? The spicy dishes looked somewhat spicy but didn't come close to the "ma-la" flavor I was expecting. Highlights for me were the fish with black agaric (fungus), pig ears in chili oil, eggplant steak fries, and shredded chicken with leek.
If I was in the Sandy Springs or Marietta side of town, I would be a regular but there are at least 3 places in the Buford Hwy vicinity I could think of that are just as good if not better.
I strongly suspect they use MSG in their food. I practically felt sick after the meal and continued to felt sick throughout the next day. Simply an overload of hot chili oil in their Sichuan choices and it doesn't taste that authentic to me. The only thing not over salted on our table was the Mushu Pork (a fairly big portion) thus I'm guessing their Americanized Chinese dishes would be safer bets.
Maybe it was just me, but I think I experienced the epitome of a grease bomb today. My cholesterol clogged veins must be drawn to greasy/oily food like a moth drawn to a flame. My doctor is gonna smack me if I keep this up.
I met a couple of friends and former co-workers at Tasty China for lunch. The menu was expansive and our server was a total crack-up which made it a lot of fun. When my friend acknowledged he was a pain in the ass, being persnickety while ordering, she said "well, at least you admit it." HAHA
We had the numbing beef appetizer. I wasn't expecting it to be served cold, but it was tasty with thinly sliced beef and fresh cilantro. It was kind of spicy, but no where near mouth numbing. Lots of chili oil (aka LDLs, baby).
I should've ventured out for my main course considering there was so much to choose from, but I stuck with one of their lunch specials and had Kung Pao Shrimp. Huge serving with lots of shrimp, and yet more grease and oil. Defibrillator anyone?
They messed up on my friend's entree, so they brought us a few comps to make up for it -- fried eggplant and the "pumpkin cake" which was more like a breaded, deep fried mashed pumpkin patty with sweet beans inside. The pumpkin cake was crunchy on the outside and delicious. Just what I needed, a fried dessert!
I'm off to the gym soon. Hope I don't keel over.
Be prepared to question what on a earth such a great restaurant is doing in what looks like Lebanon circa 1983 (There appears to be a bombed out building at the top of the hill, turns out there was a fire and supposedly its been under insurance investigation. Hmmm.)
From the minute you walk in the door, past the questionable fish tanks that smell, well, a little off, you know the only way this place can get a great review is if the food rocks.... It does.
If you enjoy spicy Schezuan goodness, this is your new OTP mecca. Please ignore what seems to be yelling and dishes breaking in the kitchen and concentrate on the sensations schezuan peppercorns create when simply combined with water.
Stick with said Schezuan menu if you want to fit in on your first trip, if choosing something a little more "safe", be prepared to defend yourself from a full-court-press that might include the blunt, "No, you don't need to eat that". Reply that worked: "Yes. Yes, please make that for me." Only do this after the 3rd trip.
4 stars and worth the drive. Not 5 star because, lets face it, they could put a little more effort into appearance including dusting.
Lunch prices are obscenely cheap.
The place to go for SMOKIN HOT Chinese - real deal Sichuan. Get the Cumin Beef and Sin City Chicken, and be prepared to be blown away. You may have to remind her that you are in fact a professional not a civilian to cook it spicy enough for you, but assuming you don't screw up your order by being a wimp, you will be VERY impressed.
Everything is really good, but the Sichuan is the reason to visit this gem in a dump of a shopping center.
If this friggin place wasn't located in lower Chattanooga where the bloomin' onions roam freely...I would get my heat on here on a weekly basis.
Even with chef Peter Chang (jumps more kitchens on a monthly basis than Richie Blais) out of the scene this place still kicks some serious arse....sometimes literally with their liberal use of chilis. This place ain't for the faint of heart...especially those with IBS. One would think food this hot and spicy doesn't need any "flavor enhancers" but they use more MSG than Scarface with yayo. If you ask for no MSG, Phuong will pistol whip your face until it looks like a bag of Szechuan peppercorn...then send you back to Doc Chey's.
Stick with the Sichuan dishes and ask for Extra spicy...this is what your stomach comes here for even though your arse is pleading with you to stay home.
Dan Dan Noodles- just to tickle your tongue a bit.
Hot and Numbing Beef- letting your stomach know the flood gates are opened.
Fish and Coriander Rolls- tricking your stomach that it ain't that spicy.
Fish in Hot Oil- your eyes water and stomach growls.
Wontons in Red Chili Oil- let's get ready to rumble!
Shan City Chicken- it's a raining chili peppers!
Dry Fried Eggplant- giving your belly a break.
Hot Boiled Beef- psych!
Pork Belly in Garlic Mud- lube the linings.
Sharp Pepper Fish with Tofu- bloated and retaining water.
Ma Po Tofu- my water just broke.
If you thought only Long Duk Dong could handle this heat...fear not, even non-Asians are addicted to the spiciest of dishes...proclaiming to Phuong, "Round eyes, Chinese stomach". But they have lit sixteen candles for the wounded before....and they didn't even ask for extra spicy.
Initially I was bummed when we arrived and were informed (by a member of our party) that Peter Chang had left, but had I not been told that I'm sure I never would have known from the food we received.
Personally, I loved the service -- Phuong (? the hostess?) is just as no-nonsense as it gets, but at the end of the day she's just looking out for her customers. We ordered one appetizer, which was met with a disapproving look and finally "If I were you, I would order THIS instead." Done and done! Just tell her what you're after and she'll make sure you get a good assortment of dishes.
The food was absolutely delicious. The white fish and cilantro rolls were amazing (especially considering that I detest fish and cilantro....go figure). Don't miss the won tons in red oil....it's more like an oily soup, but we'll order it again.
Our table especially enjoyed the salt and pepper shrimp -- large individually fried shrimp with plenty of flavor -- and several of the pork belly dishes. The only plate that wasn't a hit was the Sichuan Beef ...definitely a little too dry for most of our tastes.
Long story short, we'll be back. Hopefully sooner than later.
yeh know... every time... i order from here... its the same sauce. It still tastes good... but they're flavoring everything the same. Just a bit disappointed.
I've been to Tasty China a few times now and the food is very good. The service is very friendly and… Read more »
Checked out their lunch specials last wk - I thought it was interesting to see the menu separate "Sichuan" lunch specials from the "American"-style Chinese lunch specials. My eyes focused on just the Sichuan choices - decided to go with our server's recommendation, the chicken with chili oil. Good tip for next time - their lunch specials are family-style portions (not like your usual lunch specials that serve a small heap of rice with a small heap of entree). I came with 3 other folks and while we sampled each other's dishes, the serving portions here are really geared for family-style dining. My dish was just $6.50, and the portion was very generous, very tasty, very spicy, maybe even a little too salty. Loved the onions & cilantro, too. Definitely the favorite. My "American" friends got the Mongolian beef (which also tasted good), the Kung Pao Shrimp (ok), and the Mongolian Shrimp (ok).
Lunch specials also come with a choice of soup - I got the wonton soup which was super bland. Normally would've gotten the hot & sour soup but just the day before, the media had released health reports about hot & sour soup having loads of sodium ... darn timing.
So maybe I expected too much after reading all the raving reviews - I have that problem with movies,… Read more »
Updated, see the end.
Once upon a time, there was a national-level restaurant in Atlanta, GA, serving Sicuan styled food by a chef from the Heilongjiang region. The food was largely, if not universally, delectable when cooked by the head chef -- who had one awards in China for his culinary skills. The other chefs, however, do not have his acumen.
Since his departure, I've returned once. His photos with Chinese dignitaries are gone. The food is no longer of the caliber it once was. While not shocking, it's a blow to the international culinary scene in the Atlanta region.
The food remains competent, but not scintillating. The various interpretations of Sicuan cuisine might still sate the palate, but would not warrant a trip from out of town any longer. If you find the menu confusing, it's because the menu contains many chinese dishes cooked for chinese tastes...
On the other hand, if you figure out where the head Chef went, please let me know!
For those of you who'd had the food previously, I would like to note 2 comments about the restaurant. Per actual persons from Sicuan, the food style isn't Sicuan. There appears to have been at least 2 chef's, given the differences in food quality that I've had there last year. Depending on who cooked, the quality can vary widely!
------------------------
I went on 6/13/08 with my parents to try out the food since I've seen so many glowing reviews by other yelpers. I humbly must re-evaluate my 3, with one additional word of warning. The new head chef uses salt and MSG with vigour. I'm not taking credit for this one, but my girlfriend and my dad dubbed it, "Salty China," after surveying its wares. If hypotension is a problem you struggle with, struggle no more, and raise your blood pressure here. Of note, the number of strike-throughs on the menu is telling. Many of the prior chef (Peter Zhang)'s signature dishes are gone. I still miss the scallion cake/puff ball thing!
On the other hand, I still really like the owner... I love chatting with him. I just wish I liked the food better. It still has some of the most intense numbing properties available in ATL.
As most of you "ma la" addicts know, the past year has been one rocky exercise in consistency for this critical darling. I must admit that my visits to this Marietta restaurant tapered off once chef Peter Chang departed. However, I've found my recent meals there to be nothing less the stellar. Owner Phuong Nguyen (who knows me since I organized a supper club dinner there when they first opened) hired a new chef from a different part of Sichuan. Chef Liu is cooking many of the old standards, but his personality is evident in small twists and new dishes from the specials board near the kitchen. It also seems that Liu is sourcing higher quality peppercorns and grinding them more finely, which imparts a more subtle effect on the dishes. Phoung assured us he is not going anywhere since she is sponsoring him. So, this gem may have finally hit the stride it (and Atlanta) deserves. Here is a look at what we ate on our last visit:
Sharp pepper fish: Fish filets with soft tofu and many different peppers in a light broth.
Dry-fried eggplant: Still my favorite dish that defines what eggplant can be if treated with some love and skill. Chef Liu's version may be better than Chang's--yeah, I said it. I cannot go here without ordering this.
Shelihon and ham in broth: A subtle dish, but still very enjoyable. Moon's friend recommended this one. The broth was slightly thickened with cornstarch and I wasn't sure it if was bouillon or fresh stock. However, it was soothing and I would order it again.
Shan City pork ribs: Phoung recommended this knowing how often I order the Shan City Chicken (fried chicken chunks that you can get bone-in/boneless). Very tender bone-in pork rib chunks, with those addictive chili peppers and peppercorns. Moon ate it the next day and remarked that it had intensified in flavor and piquancy as many of the dishes do.
Verdict: Get back there if you haven't been in a while. And please do not be put off by all the negative comments regarding Phuong's demeanor around the net. She is a nice woman who works hard. I just advise you to have some patience, always go at lunch (nights are when most of the craziness happens) and stay away from the American-Chinese menu.
Szechuan peppercorn-addicts were crestfallen when they learned that wandering chef, Peter Chang, had… Read more »
Tasty China is a perfect example of a restaurant that you want to go as often as possible while the going is still good, because the catalyst in the form of a brilliant traveling chef is liable to disappear any time.
The food that chef Chang served was full of flavor, interesting in variety, often sublime and always a joy to eat even as all the Szechuan peppercorns are tearing up your insides. Tremendous appetizer offering especially won my heart--everything is worth trying. Menu was tongue-in-cheek in separating Americanized Chinese dishes with Authentic dishes. Tongue-in-cheek could also be said about owner Phoung, who is an absolute dynamo.
Don't let anybody tell you that the quality has been the same since Cheng's departure. The food now is still great and the menu largely remains unchanged, but the execution is nothing like during the golden period. The fact that it still gets four stars only attests to how unbelievable the food once was.
Still one of the best casual Chinese restaurants around.
Don't sleep on the pork belly w/ leeks here. Or the duck. Or the fish and coriander wrap (which I've never had anywhere else).
If you've never known what it's like to have a Chinese mother and would like to experience it once, for just an hour or so, this is the place to go. She's a slight woman with a fierce wit and, if you so choose, will just bring you out tons of great food if you don't know what to order. And she won't even make you feel guilty about dating roundeye or berate you for not doing better in math class.
Bring your own beer/wine/whatever. The only alcohol they serve is in the form of "paisano" wine poured from a jug for employees at the end of the night.
Delish delish once again.I think this is my all time favorite fish dish! I finally got the name of the dish that was suggested to me on my last visit and quickly ordered it again...this time MILD!! The roasted fish (although it's actually fried) with green scallions.
Oh, I know my guts will be kicking me in the morning but I just had to order the spicy dishes! WHY… Read more »
Atlanta, GA
Category: Chinese
Marietta, GA
Category: Chinese
Atlanta, GA
Category: Restaurants
Marietta, GA
Category: Pizza
Marietta, GA
Category: Chinese
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