Feast Restaurant — Restaurant in Davis

Let me preface this review by saying I didn't order any of the cajun food (on the left side of the menus?). Therefore, my critique of them will be excluded from this review. I eventually plan on returning to try their cajun food and update this review or make a new one altogether.

This place opened up in early January 2020 next to the wildly popular iTea in Davis. Based on the name of the restaurant, I thought it would be a strictly cajun-based restaurant but was surprised to see that they offer Asian dishes as well. Based on the reviews written before this one, I didn't know what to expect. Based on my recollection of the menu, they offer cajun dishes, "chef choices" (I think all Chinese-Asian dishes?), and a build-your-own dish option.

I ordered one of the "chef choices" dishes to-go: Mapo Tofu with rice (see attached photo). Mapo tofu is traditionally (I think) made with tofu, ground beef, chili oil, doubanjiang, Sichuan peppercorns, and scallions for the garnish.

The restaurant's version of mapo tofu covered most if not all of the bases with a few additions: jalapeños and peas/carrots for the garnish. As expected, the dish was spicy and the tofu was very silky. For those worried about the spiciness, the spiciness is transient and fleeting which helps make the dish more enjoyable. I'm not sure as to how I feel about the jalapeños addition because the spiciness was mostly from the chili oil and the doubanjiang. My only complaints about the dish are as follows:

1. There didn't seem to be enough peppercorns as I barely tasted them when I ate the dish. The spiciness from Mapo tofu is generated from the chili oil (provides a "scorched" taste bud sensation) and the peppercorns (provides a numbing effect). Upon closer inspection of the dish, I could barely see any traces of the peppercorns.
2. I would've preferred if the dish was more saucy. There didn't seem to be enough sauce to generously coat the tofu cubes and the rice.

Despite these flaws, this restaurant is new (at the time of this review) and the chef(s) will probably be tweaking the menus in the upcoming months. For a college town restaurant, the dish was really good and I got my "bang for the buck" (the portion size for mapo tofu is generous and fills you up).

I definitely will eventually return to this restaurant to try their other...

My husband and I came to try this place after getting coffee from the campus. Whenever we walk by there, it literally has no one in the establishment. The place always looks empty and that should of been our sign not to eat here.

We always like to give places a try but after eating here I won't ever eat here again. We shared Popcorn Chicken & Fries and an order of Okra. The Okra was good. On the other hand the chicken was NOT. I took a bite of the popcorn chicken and it had a weird taste. I always smell something after if it taste funny. I broke open the small popcorn chicken to smell a foul smell. I told my husband don't eat it the chicken it's bad. After he smelled it he spit out the chicken. We picked out all the chicken from the fries.

My husband informed the guy and he tried to say in his broken English it was the coating on the chicken. I told him no it's the meat inside as I pointed to the piece I broke open that it was bad. I realized now why all the pieces of popcorn chicken didn't look normal they were all very small pieces. I think they knew it was bad but cut them so small in hopes no one would notice.

2 hours later I had an upset stomach and it was all gurgling. I have a very sensitive stomach especially to food that is bad. I had taken two probiotics when I got home but it barely helped. I ate no dinner because my stomach was already upset. All night my stomach was still gurgling and I woke up like that this morning.

If you plan to eat here be very cautious as I don't know how clean or fresh the food is here especially when it comes to chicken. I say eat at your own risk, I definitely will not be...

As is most cases during these times, Changes are made that are uncomfortable for both establishments, as well as for the customers they curtail.

Despite this understanding, it is still disappointing to see an establishment - that has a composition along with an execution which makes it not only stand out among other establishments in the same city, but is actually desired for what they offer(and not just another option) and yet suddenly the establishment forgets their own success.

Here is a perfect example.

As a restaurant named "Cajun Chicken", why would chicken (that is perfectly cooked) be left UN-SEASONED, let alone NOT COME with the cajun seasoning, on the chicken or on the side( although any chicken place worth their experience knows the importance of seasoning ontop of meat while it is still steaming).

This is not a disgruntled one time customer. I consistently ordered, every week, because of They are the only establishment in town that offers this niche They cook delicious chicken (which is usually left unseasoned) They have a weekly special( that has changed to nearly 10 dollars )

Yet now the chicken has come either cold, or unseasoned. Their weekly special is nearly ten dollars, but also reduced inthe amount (of minced beef sauce, the size of corn they will provide you, which is also left unseasoned? Oyster sauce, etc) and for some reason, they now cut their Chinese donuts into pieces?? 🤦🏼‍♂️ anyone from Beijing or HK knows the problem with this.

Hopefully they become better, it will be sad to see another place disappear because it followed the same pattern as those before...