Central China — Restaurant in Houston

My cousin and I were roaming around Bellaire (an Asian-dominated area of Houston) looking for a new place to try and we pulled into one of the many strips with multiple Chinese or Vietnamese restaurants, and we settled on Central China. And wow, talk about a hidden gem! The menu was very intimidating as its a massive menu with over 100 items, and this is authentic Hunan food so you're not going to see things like "General Tso's Chicken" or "Broccoli Beef" on it. I ended up getting the Cumin Lamb with Cilantro and my cousin got the Fried Stinky Tofu. The lamb was absolutely delicious (though I ordered it to be mild, not too spicy though the waiter struggles a bit in English so I used hand gestures to help) and the cilantro/cumin was fresh. My cousin had never tried tofu before, much less the famed "stinky" tofu, but he enjoyed it as well (also ordered it mild). The outside of this building is kind of boring and generic, but the inside feels like you could be somewhere in the Hunan province. Do not be afraid to try this restaurant- it will be the closest you'll get to being in China...

Terrible Experience - Avoid if You Can I recently dined at spicy chinese food-滋味湖南 (9/5/2023)and I must say it was a truly disappointing experience. I ordered the famous Sichuan dish, "剁椒鱼头," and it was far from the mouthwatering experience I had hoped for.

First and foremost, the fish head was incredibly fishy, to the point where it was almost unbearable to eat. The pungent smell and taste of fish overwhelmed the dish, making it nearly inedible. I've had this dish at other places and it's never been this bad.

Additionally, the service was appalling. The waitstaff seemed disinterested in attending to our table, and when we voiced our concerns about the food, they were dismissive and unhelpful. It's essential for a restaurant to listen to its customers and address their concerns, but that was certainly not the case here.

Overall, I would strongly advise against dining at spicy chinese food(滋味湖南). The poor quality of the food, combined with the unhelpful and inattentive service, made this a regrettable dining experience. Save your time and money, and look for better options...

I don’t usually write a review for restaurants at all but I have eaten in hundreds of restaurants in Houston and the food here would be placed near the top of my list. The food is delicious. Delicious food and super authentic. I cant explain how tasty the food is. The actual place might not look too appealing but don’t be fooled by that! The food never misses and it’s at a very reasonable price. The portions are also hugeeeee! I’m seeing a lot of the reviews are saying the workers aren’t super nice but I disagree, as an Asian myself, but really their English is not the greatest and it is in our culture to talk a bit loudly but I can promise that they are trying...