New Main Moon — Restaurant in Southwick

IT'S NOT THE CHEF'S FAULT.

We ordered nine dishes and, overall, none of them had much flavor. However, I'm positive the reason for this is NOT lack of skill on the part of the chef, but the demands of the American palate. I'll bet when the chef's family sits down to dinner, the food is mouthwateringly superb, with the delicate bite of ginger root, the nutty tang of sesame oil, and the umami of soy sauce. All of that was missing from the dishes we ordered.

For example, the pan-fried meat dumplings were generously stuffed and properly cooked, but the filling was nearly flavorless. The sauce, however, was delicious, and an indication of the chef's true abilities. But it didn't accent the dish; it WAS the dish, as far as flavor was concerned.

The General Tso's chicken was fairly flavorful, but the flavor profile was all sweetness. This Szechuan dish is supposed to be extremely spicy, yet there were no chiles in it...and no heat at all.

The Beef Lo Mein was bland and dry, the beef was tough, and the noodles were overcooked and mushy. This dish usually has a strong, rich flavor, balanced by the delicacy of water chestnuts and the mild nuttiness of bean sprouts, both of which were missing.

Overall, it was a disappointing meal. The beautifully balanced flavor profiles prevalent in all styles of Chinese cuisine were nowhere to be found. It must be depressing for the chef to have to cook like this to garner good reviews. And I wonder if there's a secret password you can give when you order to identify yourself as someone who would appreciate the chef's...

The recently new owners are doing a wonderful job so far. I had stopped getting takeout from here but decided to give the place another try. What a great surprise. The chicken - General Taos, Szechuan Chicken & Shrimp - was very well prepared. Not over cooked in stale oil, like under the previous ownership. It was tender and flavorful. The steamed dumplings were also great, as well as the Szechuan Lo Mein. My daughter also had high praise for the Crab Rangoon; said that it tasted like they actually had crabmeat in it. Also the sticky rice is definitely sticky. We like it like that, although I know that it’s not to some people’s taste. It was all so good, we ordered it again the following weekend and were not disappointed. I hope it wasn’t an aberration. I’ll definitely...

Apparently New Main Moon has gotten new owners since last week. The new kitchen staff makes all of the food entirely different. Crab rangoons are folded stupidly so the inside is overcooked from oil seeping in. They're also burnt on the outside, and the filling is not the same as it used to be. If I had to name these I would call them Onion Rangoons because they're FULL of onions. The general Tsos used to be crispy, now it's soggy and sad. I'm extremely dissatisfied and will be getting a FULL refund tomorrow when I stop in. I will never eat the...