Shanghai on Elm — Restaurant in Cincinnati

From what my colleague said, it used to be an amazing place but since their last chef left, it has reduced from amazing to good. From my experience, I would still rate it in "very good" category.

Food: I've been here twice and ordered some noodles, the first time, that I don't remember which one exactly along with veggie spring roll, but it was good. I was warned by my friend about the mustard sauce which was hot/spicy beyond imagination - so be careful with that. The veggie spring roll was good too. The crisp on the outside was perfect and the veggies were seasoned well inside. The second time, I went for Happy Buddha rice which comes with seitan, gluten, tofu spinach, seasonal veggies, and a ginger soy sauce. The rice was good and the veggies were delicious. I was happy with the vegetarian options they provide as there was variety across all items.

Ambiance: It's a little dark always for some reason. The interiors are based on China theme, so that goes well with the type of cuisine. Overall, it's still good enough for office crowd which comes usually for lunch. There is usually a wait during peak hours and sometimes the lines just stop as some people take an unbelievably long time to decide what they want to eat - holding up the entire line.

Staff: The staff is good. There isn't much interaction since you order beforehand at the cash counter and pay for it. And then whoever is at the counter, will direct you to pick up your chopsticks or knife/fork (whatever you are comfortable with) along with the glass of water to be filled up from the filled ice-water jugs kept beside them. So, a good part of it is self-service. However, no major issues with the staff, based on...

This was easily the most expensive, disappointing chinese food I've ever had. Ordered through GrubHub and was made aware that it would take 40 - 50 minutes. It took almost an hour and half to receive the food.

Now, I will say that the food was hot, which was about the only good thing I can say about it. Ordered grilled bourbon chicken and some shrimp tempura. The only crunch in the tempura came from the tail. By the time I got it, it was pretty soft, working on soggy but it could have been worse. As for the chicken, well... It came over an assortment of veggies. Cool. The sauce it sat in was watered down, held a bit of sweetness to it, and not much else. It was pretty flavorless. And tasted nothing like any other form of bourbon chicken I have EVER had. I either got the wrong dish or we have two very different expectations for bourbon chicken. I substituted lo mein noodles instead of the fried rice. And I got noodles. Only noodles. Plain noodles. Bland chinese spaghetti. Not a lick of anything on them. So veggies, meat, sauce, or seasoning of any kind. So my choices were to either pour watered down, bland sauce over them or some soy sauce for a bit of salt. I went with the soy sauce.

For $20 (before taxes, delivery and app fees, and tip mind you), I expected to at least taste my food and maybe even enjoy it. Instead I was just sad that I stayed up for an extra hour and a half to be disappointed and regret...

A Late-Night Gem in the Heart of Downtown—But a Hit or Miss on Flavor

Finding a good meal late at night can be a challenge, but this spot is a true savior for night owls, staying open until 2 AM. My girlfriend and I stopped by around 1:30 AM on a Friday, and the atmosphere was lively, giving off the energy of a bustling street eatery in Hong Kong or Tokyo. Located in the heart of downtown Cincinnati, it felt like a hidden gem catering to the late-night crowd.

I ordered the Mongolian beef with white rice, and while the portion was satisfying, the dish was drenched in excess oil or sauce. I had to drain a significant amount into my rice bowl, which took away from the overall experience. My girlfriend opted for the chicken pad thai, which she enjoyed, but I found the eggy taste and aroma to be overpowering. I thought the glasses that have a unique tilting style like the tower of pisa were pretty cool!

Service was brief yet friendly, fitting for a late-night spot where efficiency is key. While I wouldn’t go out of my way to return, I’d consider it again if I needed a meal after hours. The menu is almost identical to Wong’s ‘ORIENTAL WOK’ but not with the same quality the ‘wok’ offers. It’s one of those places where your experience could go either way, so it’s worth trying at least once to see if it hits the...