Dao Kitchen — Restaurant in Phoenix

First time trying, with a really odd experience. I was the only one in the dining area, but they were obviously doing a steady takeout business. Waitress was very sweet. I ordered the Hot & Sour soup, Crab Puffs, and General Tso’s Chicken. The soup and crab puffs were normal for Chinese food, but the General Tso’s Chicken took an incredibly long time to be brought out. General Tso’s is a very specific sauce, and by their menu description was served with snow peas and carrots. One bite of what was brought to the table immediately found it was definitely not what I had ordered. The sauce on the chicken was an odd mix of Sweet & Sour, and Kung Pao sauce, and the ONLY vegetable was huge chunks of red and green bell peppers, which I cannot eat. I called the waitress to the table, told her that what she brought me was not General Tso’s chicken, and incredibly she doubled down and insisted it was… like I was too stupid to know the difference and would just eat it. I pulled up their website menu on my phone, showed her their own picture and description, and she still doubled down, saying they had just changed the vegetables recently. Honestly it would not have mattered if it was only the vegetables that were changed, it still was not the General Tso’s sauce. I explained to her that I was allergic to green peppers, I had ordered what I knew I could eat, and what she brought was not what I ordered. She did take it back, but incredulously told me that next time I should just order the General Tso’s chicken and they would make it for me. ??? I ordered it THIS time and couldn’t get it, as though a next time would somehow be different?? There won’t be...

While picking up a take out order which they messed up on that's another story. Anyways, I had ordered two thai iced tea to go. Once I had paid, the girl who had helped me walked to the back to make it. I seen her looking confused and looking around the kitchen. She stood in the back for awhile with two empty plastic cups and walked back to the counter and told me she can't find covers for the cups. (How can you not have cup covers??? And why would you tell me, I can't do anything about it) So she walks back and makes my drinks in the plastic cups that have no covers. She tells one of the owners which that there's no cover for the cups. Another lady took over my order. She grabbed big Styrofoam cups that has covers, added more ice, and transferred the drinks from the plastic cups. (There was more ice than the drink it self) Which the girl should of made it in that cup from the beginning. After my drink was made the girl gave my drinks. I seen her walk back to grab the plastic cups, walked to the sink, rinsed it, and left it on the side. (I hope they don't reuse the cups and give it to another customer. Very unsanitary and gross.) Who knows if they reuse things there all the time. I waited for a total of 10 to 15 minutes for my drinks.

After all that, they messed up on our take out order. We called back and also had mentioned about the girl rinsing the cups and hoping they won't reuse it for the next customer. She claims she threw it away but why would you rinse a cup and say you threw it away. Obviously theirs no cover for the cups...no...

We went on a Friday night about 6:30-7. Very few people there, I think 1 other table. A few (2-3) more groups came in after us. Food was not fresh. I honestly thought we would be getting food poisoning. Sauce was delicious that came with complimentary fried wontons. Wontons were stale. Entrees come with nothing, not even rice. Paid, about $3 extra to upgrade our meals-entrees- (around $12 originally) to include soup, spring roll, cream cheese wonton, and rice. Brown rice was decent. Hot and sour was just spicy, no sour. Worst I've ever had. Glad I didn't order egg drop. His was awful, but he couldn't see a problem. It was, again, not at all fresh. I could taste old chicken. Spring roll not horrible, but not good. Cream cheese wonton had tiny bit of cream cheese was ok. Lemon chicken was overcooked thin breaded cutlets with a small amount of clear, forgettable lemon sauce. Tough with no knife given to cut. Better choice than his sesame chicken. They came in little breaded balls. I had half of one and didn't dare finish it, again old. Hubby talked about going back. I told him it wouldn't be with me. Was served honey banana wonton for dessert. Small but decent. Fortune cookies were rancid. Even hubby didn't eat his. Portions were large. Waitress boxed up for us. Didn't include the wonton sauce, which was, hands down, the best part of the meal. Took food home. Even teenage son didn't eat it. Hubby didn't finish his either. Service wasn't bad. No one got sick. Not going back. If you go, order only rice and extra...