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1-4 out of 4 reviews:
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Dec 30, 2007
This place has a "27" Zagat rating for food, which may be more of a curse than a blessing -- it creates very high expectations.
I found it to be a perfectly nice neighborhood restaurant, but not a "wow" experience. My daughter's John Dory was yummy. I had the catfish specialty, and while it tasted good, it was nothing special; also, I found maybe three ounces of actual meat on the fish. Dessert cake was dry. The list of wines by the glass was short, but well-chosen.
Loved our waitress! She was very pleasant and helpful.
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Oct 27, 2007
There are so many real Chinese restaurants (i.e., serving food that real Chinese people eat) in the San Gabriel Valley . . . I decided to try China Bistro almost at random, mostly because it seems to be busy at all hours, but I’m glad I did.
The food was simple but totally delicious. Each of the dishes had just two or three main flavors, so that they all came though loud and clear. I particularly liked the Deep Fried Tofu with Brown Mushrooms and the Baby Bok Choy Sautéed in Garlic. Similarly, the presentation was basic yet appealing. And the prices were a bargain!
The service was attentive but not obtrusive. We did not order for a long time because one member of our party was late, but nobody on the waitstaff rushed us, and when we were finally ready to order, they were right there.
Everything was bright and clean. The noise level inside the restaurant was a little overpowering, but we chose to eat outside, on the patio, and we were very comfortable.
Because we were gringos right at the edge of our comfort zone, we didn’t dare to try the Frog Porridge or any of the numerous dishes with “Intestines” in the name. Even so, as at most authentic Chinese restaurants, the menu was so long that it was hard to choose. I guess I’ll have to go back to try some more dishes!
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Oct 08, 2007
We didn't know much about this restaurant before we went. It was our daughter's 21st birthday, so she wanted to go to a wine bar; her name is Lilly; and she had just come back from France.
Well, we lucked out! The food and the service were absolutely flawless. Our daughter assured us that the menu was typically French. Everything we ordered was delicious and done perfectly. For appetizers, we had the French onion soup, the goat cheese tart, and the Asian seared tuna salad (okay, maybe not so French). For our entrees, we had the duck -- very juicy and flavorful -- the mussels with french fries, and a sea bass and risotto special.
For dessert, we had the cheese plate (which is listed on the menu as an appetizer). The portions were very generous, and the cheeses were intense!
There is an extensive list of wines by the glass -- we had a lot of fun tasting and comparing French and California wines.
The prices are very reasonable for what you get. The duck, for example, was $18; the cheese plate, with three cheeses, was $8.
About the worst thing I can say is that nothing had that "wow" factor. Thus, this is more of a reliable neighborhood hangout than an "event" or "destination" restaurant. Still, I've been to supposed destination restaurants that had worse food!
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Sep 20, 2007
Pricey and pretentious.
"Smothered buffalo"? "Olive oil sorbet"?
Some of the food is fantastic (including, I must admit, the aforementioned smothered buffalo). Some, not so much. The dressing on the lettuce wedge salad tasted like Hellman's mayonnaise to me. My salmon was okay, but the side dishes that came with it were not -- way too salty succotash, and what was described as pureed peas but turned out to be just a green smear on the plate, too small to taste of peas or anything else, really.
But the worst thing was the attitude. The hostess couldn't find our reservation; rather than just seat us anyway (on a quiet Tuesday night), she kept us standing around until another employee found it for her.
And when I asked to have the lettuce wedge salad without the pancetta that came with it, the waitress informed me that the chef won't change ANYTHING; she added that it would be easy for me to take the pancetta off myself, and so it turned out to be, but at these prices, why should I have to? The pancetta goes to waste, too.
The prices were insane, and we didn't even order off the list of steaks and chops. Those come strictly a la carte, at prices ranging from $39 to $80; if you want a vegetable with that -- or even a sauce -- that'll be extra.
There were enough good things about the place that I'd like to give it a second chance; at these prices, though, I don't dare risk it.
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