Hong Kong Chef — Restaurant in Downey

I was wandering the streets as my stomach was telling me to get some grub, so I see this Hong Kong place and my face lit up. I go and it feels authentic. I feel the atmosphere, so I sit down and almost right away I was served hot green tea and a small cup. I serve me a cup and it was great. Typical green tea, pipping hot. This is where it starts to go a little souf. I ask for an ice water and was given room temp tap water with no ice. Okay, I'll drink it it's fine. Then these two women walk in almost immediately asking to be seated as they were on their "lunch break". The server had to tell a customer to forfeit his table as he was leaving, they apologized but there were other empty tables, why did the customer who was already on his way out, was rushed out. Anyways, the part that got me is that these two new customers get immediately serviced and even got their food before I got my appetizer!! (I ordered before they got seated). My meal was the lunch special (served 12-3pm for $9.50 tax included) which came with tea, biscuits (fortune cookie at the end), soup, rice and your choice of meat. The soup was the best part. It was piping hot flour soup, first time trying it and will ask for it in the future. It was flavorful with tofu and egg with a nice warm homeish flavor. I was EXCITED for the meat and rice. I was horribly let down. I got the beef and broccoli side with the rice. The rice portion was really good, actually some might say too much, but there was absolutely no flavor to the rice. I know white rice is supposed to be somewhat flavorless, but I'm talking about it felt like I was chewing on "nothingflavor" and swallowing a mass. Their hot sauce was FANTASTIC, added amazing spices and flavors without being too hot so you could put a good portion to have the added texture of the seeds and the vinegar boost. I had to add quite a lot for the rice to be saved. Here we go with the meat. I was disappointed here aswell. The broccoli was cooked to perfection, however. Crispy enough but cooked enough so it melts with the teriyaki sauce, which by the way was also pretty good but it was somewhat runny and lacked a distinct flavor profile. I added the excess sauce on the rice so there was more flavor. And the meat, I can say it was cooked to perfection as well. A little bite but melts in your mouf. I had to constantly do a base of rice, one broccoli, one piece of meat, and a scoop of the chili sauce for it to be a decent spoonful. Overall, this is a good meal to get filled up with but it severely lacks flavor. The soup and chili sauce were the saving grace. As a side note, I asked for a second cup of water with ice and got it, it was good. I asked for a third cup and she glanced at me. (The cups were like three gulps worth, small cups) She then opened the tap where they were cooking and washing their dishes and filled the cup. I didn't drink that cup of water. I would like to give this place a second chance but I'm not sure if it'll be worth another $10 to be disappointed by the entree. This was a rough one, but I don't regret it. The stage was set, and authentic but the cook just wasn't adding the right flavors, albeit they did phenomenal on...

If you are tired of most Chinese fusion fast food cooked in heavy thickener and corn syrup sauces, Hong Kong Chef is for you. I ordered the chicken chop suey. It was loaded with chicken and big vegetable chunks. It was more chicken than suey. It is cooked in a broth. No artificial thickeners are added. The orange chicken is not over fried and the syrup was not super sweet or sour. Actually, It has slightly acidic finish. Very flavorful. The Won-Ton soup broth is salted just right. I found the won-ton dumpling did not have sausage after taste ( I did not miss the sausage after taste). The noodles in the Lo-mein were a disappointment. They have a roasted oil fried taste. They don’t seem fresh, but it doesn’t have a bad after taste. The interior of the restaurant is utilitarian and typical of a Mom and Pop operation. I really like the Hong Kong Chef, but it will take a few more trips to see if I can come to...

The waitress was very rude. She first started by tossing the tea n cups on the table. When it was time to order food, she was more concerned about everything else going on. She didn't even take our order correctly. We were served can sodas, which is fine but then we asked for 2 cups with ice and she tells us there was no ice when clearly there was because a lady next to us had ice water. Then serving us our food, again she tossed our food on the table all effin' rude!! I would not be going back there ever. She was even rude to other customers. I wouldn't recommend anyone to that place. She definitely didn't get...