East Essence Chinese Restaurant — Restaurant in Newry, Mourne and Down District Council

Very disappointing.Had a takeaway from here tonight to celebrate a birthday. Restaurant recommended by many acquaintances, not sure why. Spring rolls were solid bean shoots and not much else. Very unpleasant taste. The ribs were dry, no real sauce, very little meat on them. Prawn toast(we think, could have been wontons) tasted like pork scratchings with an unpleasant fishy filling. The chicken satay consisted of one massive bit of chicken fillet stuck on a stick. Again very dry in the middle. No evidence of it being marinated.Peanut sauce watery and hardly any flavour of peanuts. Main courses were a little better although the beef tasted revolting - recooked and did not taste fresh. Sweet and sour, ok but rather synthetic and so mild could hardly tell it was sweet and sour. Definitely would not recommend unless you like very anglicised Chinese food with little flavour. I have worked in a Chinese restaurant in England. They would be embarrassed to serve up food like this. I suppose I am spoilt by living in London for many years where you can get authentic Chinese food. This reminded me of Chinese food in England in the 1970s/80s. Only thing missing was lashes of gravy. Trying Saintfield next time. Only came here because it was open on a Monday. The management should be ashamed...

Went here last night for celebration meal with husband and daughter - i ordered sizzling sirloin and was told they had run out of sirloins - unusual - so i opted for fillet steak which is more expensive being tender and lean - ordered beer and cokes but had to call the waiter back as we had been given tins of coke with no glasses!! - were we expected to drink out of tins - my fillet steak was very tough and stringy but being a celebration i felt it would have created an atmosphere by complaining so we have a very lucky dog who feasted on my inedible fillet steak !! As a result i have been completely disappointed with the quality of the food here as my meal alone was £21.95 which the dog ended up enjoying - i have been here a few times and its usually very good but i wonder if having no sirloins - again unusual as would be very popular - and possibly finding a spare fillet lying around somewhere ended up as my meal - east essence has my mobile number so perhaps they would care...

This used to be our favourite spot to come and eat but came out this evening and a young girl showed us to our table, sat the menus down and left, another server came down and took our drinks order she left and the first young girl came down to where we were sitting very rudely said "yous ready to order?" we had just literally opened the menu, she left a d came back down saying "here's your cutlery" threw on the table and walked away, our food came and was sat abruptly in front of us and the same server said"us that all? " pork was over cooked oand tasteless, we've been coming here for ages but I don't think I'll be back as manners cost nothing and someone needs to teach that young girl some manners... Absolutely no call...