Matthew C.
Yelp
Far East Joint isn't as good as I recall it to be.
This used to be one of my highly rated restaurants in West Covina. Great fusion food that is greasy, but tasty and comforting. It's always been a bit pricey, but it's worth it.
Now in 2022, though, things have changed.
I don't know if it's because Korean fried chicken really took off in the past few years, and now I have a whole new standard or palate for Korean-inspired or Korean-adjacent food, but FEJ just ain't hitting the spot like it used to.
And the relatively high price tags now just seem much less appealing.
Most recently, we got some wings, some tacos, a rice bowl, and a drink. And all together, it was $40 plus a bit. Both the portion and the quality did not reach a satisfactory level for $40 something spent.
Flavors were there. But just not jumping out at me anymore.
The tacos and the rice bowl were both sufficient. Adequate. I don't think I disliked them. I can only describe them as fine.
The wings, however, were dry and the garlic soy flavor were nowhere near the leagues of Bon Chon or any other major Korean fried chicken available on the market nowadays. And this really hurts. Gotta up the game, chefs!
These used to be my go-tos. And they will no longer be.
Service continues to be lovely. The extra fee for using credit card to pay continues to be irking. I guess, just remember this place as cash only if you can. (But ofc, I never do.)
Will return from time to time. (And maybe next time, I'll focus on trying the fries, the burgers, and the sandwiches, so I can broaden my selections here a bit.)