San Rafael Chinese - Hunan & Mandarin

[lumi]

New restaurant I tried out - Tsing Tao Eric's, over the weekend. Tasty, spicy Chinese home cooking good-eats in Marin(!!!). Located on B street between 3rd and 4th Street. Definitely go for the "Specials" on their menu... Then there are special tapioca drinks and sweets...yum!

[TerriL]

I had broccoli beef last week, and the broccoli was very good -- not overcooked at all.

[Mick Ruthven]

I ate luinch at Tsing Tao Eric's today and had the Cashew & Broccoli Chicken from their lunch menu ($6.25). It started with a cup of pretty good hot and sour soup, then the plate of Cashew & Broccoli Chicken arrived and contained enough rice for four people. Anyway, it was quite tasty, but the broccoli was overcooked and limp. The cashews seemed like an "add-on" and although I like cashews, they didn't seem to add anything to the dish. I'd call it a very good value for $6.25 and it would have been quite good if they had cooked the broccoli properly. Only time and some more reports will tell if the overcooked broccoli was a one-off thing or not.

[Sharuf]

Mick -- I was there at, oh, 11:40 waiting for takeout. Maybe our paths crossed.

Got the Hunan fish lunch for a sick friend along with some wonton soup. The deep-fried fish was tasty in a semi sweet-sour sauce. Friend loved it. A big 3-meal-sized pile of rice accompanied it. The wonton soup was sparse on the wontons and they were rather flabby and mushy - maybe they were using up yesterday's before the lunch crush.

[alfairfax]

Have not been to Tsing Tao Erics, nor had I been to previous Tsing Tao. Would like to add to this discussion, however, that the eponymous Eric is the same Eric as Eric's in Noe Valley which has received 'loveit-hateit' postings on this board in the past. When the previous Tsing Tao became Tsing Tao Eric's, the Marin daily noted that Taiwanese street food would be a feature. If I ever get it in gear to activate my intention to try it, I will report. Meanwhile, I wanted to respond to previous postings wondering whether it was still same owners as previous Tsing Tao, which it apparently is not.

[Mick Ruthven]

Thanks for the clarification. I remember Tsing Tao from quite a while ago and thought it was just "OK Chinese" but very cheap for lunch. I need to try the new place.

[TerriL]

I especially the mu shu pork at Tsing Tao Erik's.

[foodphoto]

Lumi,
What a surprise, good eats in Marin!!! Didn't know us North Bay foodies were so deprived! I thought all there was available were hot pockets in pepto-bismal reduction!
Robert

[rworange]

This is what this board is about reporting great food finds ... or warning about places to stay away. You seem familiar with Marin. I hope you'll let us know about your favorite spots in the area.

[foodfan]

Did they keep any items from the old Tsing Tao? They used to have a great crispy shrimp with a sweet / hot dipping sauce, listed (I think) as Hunan prawns. I always liked Bobby who ran the place at night. Is he still there or is all totally new with most of the same name?

[lumi]

I am afraid I do not know the old Tsing Tao. But there is the Emperor's Prawns on the specials menu, which is a battered deep fried prawns in a five taste sauce - not tried this yet but will ask the owner when I return to the restaurant.
The owner is a happy fellow who moved from the east coast - Georgia, set up shop in San Rafael because of a friend he had who owned a Chinese restaurant in the area...perhaps that is Bobby you mentioned?

[rworange]

What did you eat there?

[lumi]

Pardon the last response. I had a fried mushroom garnished with deep fried basil leaves - it was the basil leaves that was the nice tasty surprise. I also tried out the Shanghai Chicked, minced chicken breast meat with pine nuts which made the dish very flavorful.