Cafe Anh Hong — Restaurant in Sandy

I wish I'd left a review earlier, before they decided to close :( Cafe Anh Hong was one of my go to places for dim sum and authentic Cantonese cuisine. It was one of very few places in the valley that surprised my Chinese mother with its resemblance to true Chinese cooking.

Like most Chinese restaurants, the quality of service is inconsistent. But, if you've ever dined at a 'real' Chinese restaurant, there's an expectation to be more forward with your server. Flag them down if you need them, ask questions and double check the order if necessary, request more water or beverages if you need a refill. They (sometimes) don't speak fluent English, so communication isn't always easy.

However, what matters most is the food. Anh Hong's crown jewel may have been its all day dim sum menu, but they could make pretty much anything you wanted provided it was a traditional Cantonese dish. Their lightly sweetened white fish with vegetables was one of my favorite options off their regular menu, and they made their noodles fresh in house. I already miss their beef tripe and shrimp dumplings, the egg tarts and chicken feet.

At less than $3 for most dim sum, too, this was one of my favorite places to get takeout (on the rare occasion I did); you could practically feed a family of 4 on $25. I insisted on taking my family here for Chinese New Year: our food arrived surprisingly quick considering that place was /packed/, and we watched a local school perform the traditional lion dance through the restaurant; it was a fun, festive atmosphere that's hard to find anywhere else around that time of year.

It's regrettable for a business that's been a focal point of the south Salt Lake community for almost 26 years had to give up the ghost because the building manager tried to DOUBLE their lease. Whatever people on these reviews feel about certain aspects of the restaurant, Café Anh Hong was a part of my childhood that I won't forget. I do hope they find a captive audience elsewhere, somewhere not too far from the community they...

Don't let the parking lot, the paint or the disposable plates and cups scare you away. The food is good and hard to find elsewhere.

Before tapas was popular, dim sum was THE small sharable food experience. In the Salt Lake area it's not super easy to find. South of Chinatown (supermarket) it's very not easy to find. Except here. And I've got to say, what I ate here was solid.

Ordered some simple classics. Shrimp Har Gow, Pork Shu Mai, Steamed BBQ Pork Buns, BBQ Pork Rice Roll, Pan Fried Pot Stickers and Sesame Balls. A huge compliment I can give, is that everything tasted fresh. A lot of dim sum places reheat frozen items. They taste okay, but you can tell the difference. Now... is this a world class example of dim sum? No. But it is a "representative" example of dim sum, and it's absolutely worth eating.

If you aren't familiar with Dim Sum, I'd completely recommend my menu (above) minus the BBQ pork rice roll. The rice paste sheet is probably a bit gummy for a western palette. The steamed BBQ pork buns and pork Shu Mai are standouts, while the shrimp Har Gow needed some larger pieces of shrimp and the pot stickers were a bit more green onion heavy than I prefer, but it is a good and enjoyable selection for people who might be afraid that everything is made of chicken feet.

The sesame balls are a fried dessert and deserve their own mention because they are just that special. You can only really have this dessert when they are fresh made and fried as they do here. As they sit, they dry out and lose their magic. They are completely unique and a...

We ordered the Deep Fried Meat Dumpling, Chicken Feet, Shrimp Har Gow, BBQ Pork with Honey Sauce with Ham Fried Rice, and Beef Short Rib w/Green Beans with Steamed Rice. The fried dumplings were amazing and I'll order again next time. The owner was surprised I got the chicken feet, but they're honestly not bad, although I'd only order to get others to try them; not for myself. The shrimp har gow was good, but not something I liked. Both entrees were great, and I recommend spending the extra $3 for the ham fried rice - it's well worth it. There are a lot of items on the menu I'd like to come back and give a try.

This is family-owned and run, so you need to have your expectations that things run a little differently if you are going to enjoy the experience. First, if no one is there to greet you when you walk in, seat yourself. Two, if you need something, you better ask. There won't be a regular checkup to make sure you're having a good meal. When you finish, walk up to the cashier to pay. English isn't the first language here, but they'll know what you want better than you do, so speak clearly or point at the menu and it'll turn out right. I personally love the experience and it's exactly what I want when I go to a Chinese restaurant, but I won't pretend like it's not confusing the first visit.

There is an authenticity to Cafe Anh Hong that I'm in love with! The restaurant is older and there haven't been many, if any, renovations over the years. But for me, it adds to the charm of this place, and I'll definitely be a...