And here’s how things went…
If you want to skip to the conclusion, food was good and makes me miss China King more. Service had some issues.
More detailed version. The set meal was supposed to be an 1.5 hr affair (per their website), and they were offering 9 different seatings. That seemed like the math wasn’t really worked out, but whatever…
I got the first seating at 5pm for 1 person because at the time booking, larger party seating wasn’t available. My sister late came with my BIL for a later seating at 5:30pm (?).
Everyone had the same menu. Really mimics the old offering at their restaurant, but with a few apps added in. You were supposed to get scallion pancakes and shu mai or Peking ravioli. On site they offered guests to select 2+2 of each so you can try them all (4 pieces + 4 scallion pancakes wedges). I opted 2+2 to try more.
They had special beverages that were not included in the price. 1 mocktail option, the hibiscus flower made sans Vodka and prosecco.
My apps…was a bit confused, as I got 4 of everything.
I didn’t know if I got the wrong plate, but no one around me was missing anything, so I ate it. Bad decision because it really filled me up. I did leave one ravioli to take home.
Shu Mai exceeded my expectations, because I don’t love them. They were bigger than usual. The ravioli was good to ok. The skin was a thicker than I like, and in general the apps were not very hot. They clearly had these prepped earlier and had them sitting. Same with the scallion pancake - good but not spectacular. Wish they were hot.
The accoutrements and the main course/star of the food! At this point, I was curious if they didn’t really think of how to serve single diners (I may have been the only one) and so they just have me what they have everyone else.
Dude, this looks almost like a whole duck! I want going to complain! The two tables next to me were 2 person tables, and they got the same plates I did. Duck and pancakes were great, and as I remembered. I was so full, and still named to make 4 little rolls. Thankfully they gave me a box to take most of the duck home (+extra ravioli)!
The final soup and noodles. The soup didn’t have any napa as I recall it should, and it was light on in the tofu, but I always liked this simple homey soup. It tasted good. The noodles were also fine, but I prefer the dish with thicker noodles, not the tube vermicelli. I appreciated these not being giant sized and finished the soup and noodles, more because I didn’t want to take them home too.
Home made wife cake. Ok - not the best version I’ve had. I got one first. When the waitress came with one, she realized I already got one and insisted I take the second one too
. I was starting to get uncomfortable with how much for I ate so I took the second one home.
Ok, so more about the service. I don’t know if the kitchen was running behind, or if the service was thrown off its have because this was a different service for them. I saw two servers taking drink orders. There were 2-3 runners taking food out and clearing dishes. One also answered the phone and kept an eye on the incoming. One of the servers also was PT host duties. The runners were a bit confused as to wear to take food. On several occasions they were looking around and trying to figure out where to put food.
Service started off slow. I was seated on time, but it was 20 minutes before someone got to me for drinks. Once I ordered, the drink came soon after. I didn’t get my apps, until any 35-40 mins in after my seating. And this was supposed to be a 1.5 hr meal!
More and more new tables were seated (my sister had a seating 30 mins later), and that seemed to add to the confusion because now people didn’t know who to serve first. Did they get apps? Did they order drinks? Runners didn’t know what to bring to whom. I wanted chopsticks to eat with and saw a table next to me that had them. I asked one of the runners, since I couldn’t flag my server down. He wasn’t even sure they had them and had to ask if chopsticks were available, but came back shortly after with them. I needed a bag for my takeout, and runner heads off but gets distracted by another request and forgets… Sees me and goes back to get the bag. It was that type of night!
It was eventually packed, so I sympathize with how busy it was. I waited about 15-20 mins before reach course arrived. Lots of waiting, and people who came later were sometimes getting food before those who were seated earlier. My sister was seated further inside, and a table next to her (seated later) was about to get their duck, when the customers graciously noted that my sister hadn’t received hers yet. The server gave the food to my sister - and the duck had 3 drumsticks! When I was leaving, there seemed to be a much more steady flow of food coming out, so I hope that things got better for everyone what as the evening went on.
IMO, service wasn’t a distaster. My server was tending too many tables, and any kitchen/runner issues didn’t help. When she did check in, she was very kind and always tried to make things right. I appreciate the extra food, even if it wasn’t intentional.
Everyone was trying their best.
9 seatings with not a lot of time in between maybe wasn’t a great idea! I can see how this is confusing and hard to track where each table was in the meal progression. They needed at least another server. But they weren’t rude nor frazzled (except this one runner who looked confused a lot) and tried to make the best of the situation and get things out as fast as they can. My sister thinks there was a real hiccup in the kitchen with the timing of the food.
I guess I was lucky with how much food I got, because it doesn’t really make sense for the pricing, but no company from me! 