Helen H.
Yelp
TLDR:
Wow! An absolutely delicious food spot housed in a newly renovated, modern, and clean space right on Columbus Ave. Whatever you do, get the Salt and Pepper Fish. I loved that the food wasn't dripping in oil and actually tasted like it was made with high quality, healthier ingredients. Will definitely be coming back when they do their hard opening!
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FOOD:
1. [MUST TRY] Salt and Pepper Fish (5/5) - Super tender fish filets lightly fried to give them a beautiful, dark brown, crispy panko crust. The buttery taste mixed with the lightly salted exterior was so delicious, and the texture was just perfect. Even though it was fried, it didn't taste oily at all.
2. Simon's Garlic Chicken (5/5) - Slightly crunchy, really delicious sweet glaze, and phenomenal when freshly made. Still good cold, but just really good fresh.
3. Dry Fry Beef Ho Fun (4/5) - Long, flat noodles stir fried with beef, mung bean sprouts, and onions. It's a classic dish done well and, importantly, not too oily, especially for Ho Fun! This detail makes a huge difference to me because it doesn't weigh you down as much as it otherwise would. This was also a huge portion (though everything here is a large portion).
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SERVICE:
Got to meet Alvin, a member of the family bringing this Chinatown institution back to life after the pandemic. You could tell how passionate he was about the place and how grateful he was for all the support the community has provided, though it was all well-deserved!
Our waiter came around periodically to refill our waters and was very nice as well.
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ENVIRONMENT / AMBIANCE:
Don't get me wrong, I love my hole-in-the-wall Chinatown spots, but it's also great to have found a place where I can get Chinese food in a spacious, clean, and newly-renovated space if I wanted. There are huge windows lining two walls of the restaurant, letting in so much natural light.
Came on a Sunday at 11:30 am and was able to be seated immediately. There are quite a few tables for 2-4 people inside, and I'm sure they can accommodate larger groups too.