Yum's Chinese Restaurant — Restaurant in Florida

SWILL ALERT!!!!!

Yum's Chinese Restaurant, 1850 N. Courtenay Pkwy., Merritt Island, FL. 32953

1 Star

When we started BBDO over 5 years ago, I made a conscious decision not to review Chinese restaurants, not due to xenophobia or any such nonsense, but solely due to the fact that they all server basically the same Anglo-influenced Chinese fare. Then we realized execution could play a factor here and allow a separation if I used a baseline. After a survey of several thousand (thank you one and all) Big Boy Dining Out readers, the dishes chosen are General Tso's Chicken, steamed dumplings and the standard egg rolls.

Entering the place I was immediately overcome with a dismal vibe. It was clean and neat and everything it just didn't give off a very happy atmosphere. Coco is our moderately charming fùwùyuàn although I don't think she spoke any English at all, which just pointing out here, would be helpful in the service industry in a country where the overwhelming majority of the populace speak it.

At this point, I would start peppering this review with a fair amount of charentisimistic phrases, but that would hinder our BBDO policy of calling it like it is. The General Tso Chicken, which was invented in California, must have been left over from the laying of the transcontinental railroad as it had the consistency of the gizzard and tasted excruciatingly bad. The meat was impossible to chew without the aid of mechanized jaws and it seemed to be drenched in maple syrup.

The dumplings were just like the dumplings I have consumed many times in the past. They were steamed and contained a mix of meat and veggies. The egg roll was 2 instead of 4 inches long. Other than that, it tasted like the millions of egg rolls I've had in my lifetime. The accompanying sauces for both the dumplings and egg roll were as expected. Not freshly made, but tasty enough.

As I was paying my bill, I took a passing glance at the owner who poured over a checkbook with a very unsightly look on his face.

The Big Boy says, “With over 100 Chinese restaurants in Brevard County, hopefully, the checkbook perusal means this dump is going out of business....

My experience began with a rather unpleasant phone call. The young lady who answered the phone was extremely short and unprofessional and seemed disinterested in taking my order. Despite my efforts, I felt rushed and interrupted while trying to put my order in. When I arrived to pick up my food, I addressed the issue with the same staff member who answered the phone. Unfortunately, my concerns were met with indifference and a blank stare. "To make matters worse, the food didn't live up to the standard I expected. The shrimp egg roll was practically swimming in grease, making it impossible to enjoy. It was a letdown after my previous positive experiences at another local Chinese restaurant. I couldn't help but compare this experience to my usual go-to, "China Inn" by Dollar General, where the service is impeccable, and the food is consistently good. This ordeal served as a reminder not to stray from businesses that genuinely value and appreciate their customers. Regrettably - a simple takeout order turned into a disappointing experience. While everyone has off days, customer service should remain a priority. I've learned my lesson and will be sticking to China Inn where the young lady always has the biggest smile...

Updating my review below since it’s been a couple yrs. Prices are up a little but still great value (lunch special $6.95 from $6.45). Today the wife and I got the All Day specials for $7.75. She got beef and mushroom I got the triple delight. Both very good. It is a good portion for lunch or dinner. Both had good portions of meat and veggies. The service is fast too otherwise we wouldn’t be able to come here for lunch. Whenever I have a dental appointment around lunch I try to get my Chinese fix here.

Came here for lunch today. Lunch special is great. Wife had sweet and Sour Chicken and I had the Hunan chicken. I am a big eater and it was a great portion for lunch and especially the price ($6.45). Comes with chicken fried rice but you can substitute white rice which my wife did. We both were very happy with our food. Both had plenty of chicken. If I lived closer I would come here more often but the 3 or so times I’ve been here I am always impressed. My wife comes her for lunch often. Anyway...