Hengry — Restaurant in Alhambra

On June 2, I reserved a table for 6 through OpenTable. But when I arrived at 6 PM, the door was closed. Turns out, this restaurant does not open on Mondays. Please work with OpenTable to prevent further misunderstandings.

Actually, I had dined at this restaurant just about a week before June 2, the day of the mistaken reservation. Let me share my impressions of the place and the food.

We chose this restaurant because my friend found out they serve Fish Mint (折耳根). But once we were seated, the owner told us they would not have Fish Mint in the near future. We went there for Fish Mint, but they did not have it, so minus one star. Then again, Fish Mint has a very weird taste. Some people love it, but I personally hate it and would never try it again. So let's add that star back.

The renovation of the restaurant surprised me. It does not look like a typical Chinese restaurant at all. With abstract and modern paintings on the walls, bright colored sofas, and brick shaped decorations, it felt more like a Western style brunch spot in Shanghai.

Let's talk about the food:

Fried Pork 酥肉 ★★★★★ Much better than the precooked ones you find at hot pot places. Clearly made to order. Crispy and tender. Well done.

Miao Sour Soup – Bullfrogs 苗家酸湯牛蛙 ★★★☆☆ The flavor was spot on, classic Miao style sour soup in both taste and aroma. The downside: the bullfrog meat was too tough and chewy. It got stuck between my teeth.

Cured Pork Belly with Garlic Sprouts 蒜苗炒臘肉 ★★★★☆ Quite good, especially the cured pork. It was very well prepared.

Beef Tongue 牛舌 ★★☆☆☆ Portion was too small. All the beef tongue pieces were floating on top, nothing underneath the soup. Also too tough. Not recommended.

Intestine and Fish 肥腸魚 ★★★★☆ Not bad. The fish was from a pre marinated package, which I am personally fine with. The fish was tender, and the intestine was soft and well seasoned. A solid dish.

I probably will not return unless some friends invite me again. I am not saying it is a bad restaurant. On the contrary, it was actually quite memorable. But it is just...

I’m really surprised that there aren’t more comments about the mediocrity of the food, especially at this price point. We ordered two dishes, stir fried beef and red oil boiled bullfrog which are staple dishes to Sichuan cuisine (with one rice) and the total bill came out to close to $100. The bullfrog was a bit of a flavor disaster. For starters, there is no hot oil poured on top of the scallions and cilantro to stimulate the aroma to wrap up the dish. The actual flavor of the red oil soup also tasted eerily familiar to a brand of instant noodle flavor package from China… which makes me close to 100% convinced that instead of making their own spices the restaurant uses pre-mixed flavor packets. On top of that the whole dish tasted very flat, and I could not taste the fragrance of chilli or sichuan peppercorn. The stir fried beef is better, with (though still not enough) wok-hei and more pungent spices like a mixture of ginger, garlic, paojiao, and fresh chili.

The decor and ambience is nice and service is passable - but we were one of the last tables served for the lunch shift and all of the staff started coming into the main dining hall to eat and chat loudly, which did end up ruining the atmosphere a little. The servers could be more attentive about filling water and giving napkins. I also found the couch seats to be very awkward and uncomfortable for dining. It felt more like a hotel lobby than a restaurant. Unfortunately the additional service brownie points aren’t enough to justify a return visit for me, and I will stick with other hole-in-the-wall restaurants more...

What an exceptional dining experience.. wow. Came here for the first time today after randomly stumbling across this new restaurant we noticed on yelp. After seeing the mouthwatering photos we decided to make the 1.5hr commute, we had a feeling this place was going to be GOOD. Pulling up to the restaurant, the exterior was unassuming and simple (love that the entryway was accessible with a ramp btw). Upon walking inside we were blown away by the interior. Walls adorned with a curated mix of stunning pop artwork, and a colorful theme of mid century modern seating provided a cozy and eclectic atmosphere. I’ve been speaking so much about the interior space but the food definitely delivered. The classic Guizhou flavors (family recipes) blended with a fusion of Szechuan were addicting. I enjoyed meeting and talking with Leo, owner and creative visionary behind this modern day dining experience. Definitely ask him about his story if you have the chance to talk with him, so unique. Also, his arm tattoo is as stunning as his restaurant space. Definitely recommending this place to all my friends and family and to all who are stumbling across this review! You are in for an incredible sensory experience...