Lao Hu Tong — Restaurant in Amherst

April 12, 2025: We went in at 12:10 to pick up our 12:15 order and the lady at the front desk told us our order wasn’t ready yet so we waited inside. 10 minutes go by and we see her carry out two bags, but another customer comes in and she gives him one of the bags. We thought the other bag was ours but she put it away on a separate table. But another 10 minutes go by and our food is no where in sight as well as the lady. So I go up and check the bag and it looks like our order: hu tong pot stickers, beef noodle soup, and 2 marinated eggs. I thought the lady just didn’t bother to tell us and so I took the bag. But after I left I noticed the total was $30 instead of the $32 I paid and instead of 2 marinated eggs, I only got 1. I realize that not only did the lady fail to tell us our order was ready, she gave our actual order to the guy who walked in. So I paid an extra $2 for an egg that wasn’t there (egg was dry as heck btw) and we had no scallions or pickled vegetables because that’s what the guy ordered. Our pot stickers were also overcooked and dry, and the noodle soup was very cheap on the amount of beef they gave, only 4 small pieces with 2 pieces of boy chit. But I am especially disappointed with the service of the lady at the front desk, totally unprofessional and would...

Since it was raining and a bit chilly, I was craving some noodle soup. Luckily, I found this beautifully decorated Chinese-style restaurant. The place was really clean, which is a big plus because a lot of older Chinese restaurants in the U.S. tend to be dirty, with greasy surfaces and bad odors—places I definitely avoid. But the moment I saw the entrance to this restaurant, I had a good feeling about it! As for the food, everything was fantastic! The flavors were on point, and it was all super delicious. The handmade noodles were especially noteworthy—the broth was rich and flavorful, tasting like it was made from real chicken, not the typical MSG-heavy broth you often get in Chinese restaurants here. The texture of the noodles was perfectly chewy and springy, which is rare to find in the U.S. The soup dumplings were also excellent, the skins were thin, the soup inside was juicy, and the meat filling wasn’t too salty. I’m so happy to have found such a great...

For a native Beijinger, the name of the restaurant evokes a sense of nostalgia for home. Upon entering, it feels like a warm and cozy little eatery. The staff are friendly and provide attentive service.

The food tastes quite good. I ordered the hot and sour noodles, which were genuinely both sour and spicy—very satisfying to eat. The braised beef, however, wasn’t tender enough. This seems to be a common issue with braised beef in restaurants—prioritizing presentation over tenderness. The pickled vegetables tasted good but were a bit salty. In fact, it seems like all the dishes were on the salty side… very salty.

That said, the overall experience was still quite good. The prices aren’t exactly cheap—this isn’t the kind of place where you can simply walk in, grab a steaming bowl of noodles, and fill your stomach. It’s a place where you’ll need to...