Restaurant Zao — Restaurant in Bucharest

The place: maybe is better to call before you arrive. I'm not rating on this criteria because my experience there were short, but maybe is better for you to know. On a Sunday evening I took a visit at their restaurant and the place was too crowded, some people were waiting on the terrace until a table becomes available. I did not wanted to continue to stay because when a place is full it.s getting noisy (because the tables are closer) and the staff response is latent. Instead I found another restaurant nearby.

The food: I made an order (gambian and rice). Being used to eat in traditionally chinese restaurants, for their price I expect to receive bigger portions of the same dish. Their dish, I think, was the same size as the one you get from fastfoods/canteens placed in shopping malls. The taste was spicy because of the hot pepper but the garlic taste seemed to be lost. The meat was irregularly sliced and a bit tangled when it was cooked. This is their recipe but...

I used to order delivery from them but for a while now I haven't been able to do so (the area I live in is considered too far for delivery). So, I decided to visit their restaurant and I congratulate myself for this decision. The place is indeed smaller than I expected, with just several tables but both the atmosphere and food makes the experience worthwhile. There is also a parking nearby so it was easily accessible. They managed to capture a bit of that "Asian" ambient with superb wood decorations and warm lighting. The prices are affordable and the food quality is exceptional (they have the most delicious beef and tomato soup I've ever tried)! Even after having appetizers, first course and a second course you don't feel stuffed or bloated. The portions are just enough to keep you satisfied without making it impossible to move afterwards and the taste is simply the best in my opinion. I definitely recommend this restaurant for either a late...

The place was recommended to me as the best Chinese restaurant in town, so I came with high expectations and maybe this is why I left a bit disappointed. Staff was courteous and professional and service was reasonably fast. The menu has options plenty but they could work a bit on the presentation. Portions are generous and the food tastes decent overall. I loved the seaweed salad and my guest loved the chicken dish, however we both agreed the spring rolls were bland. My biggest gripe, however, was with the atmosphere, it swung too much towards kitsch rather than authenticity, possibly out of too much fear of getting patrons out of their comfort zone. Music was this Chinese-themed lounge mix, which was interesting at first, although it eventually became repetitive and even a bit obnoxious.

A few weeks later, I paid them a second visit and it only reinforced my first impression: despite it's shortcomings, the place is definitely...