China Yuan renovations (Tampa)

[andy huse]

Starting on 8/20, China Yuan will close for long-aticipated renovations. I hope to go there 2-3 times before then. They will re-open in October is all goes well. This is especially good news because Mr. Chen usually turns around restaurants and sells them. It looks like he is here to stay for the foreseeable future.

[rhnault]

I thought they had already started because I saw a dumpster out front the other day. Good to know we have till the 20th! I will definitely be there this weekend.

[andy huse]

No, the dumpster there now is for Hong Kong, the lousy fast food place next door. The shop closed down after the strange stabbing in the bakery nearby. One Chinese stabbed another, then everyone conveniently forgot English when the authorities arrived. I'm not sure, but i think the stabber was involved in Hong Kong's business.

[JacksonSP]

Ah, always has been an interesting part of town. I liked the layout of China Yuan because it still had some of the original stuff from the great Viet place that was there for a few years, Little Saigon (owned by Trang). Now with the renovations, I'll just have to get over that :-)

[Noice]

We stopped by China Yuan on Saturday afternoon hoping they'd be open for dinner after the long closure, but the owner told us it would not re-open until the next day, Sunday (yesterday). The renovations looked really nice (they were still cleaning up dust), and we are looking forward to sampling their goods soon (we've never been).

Noice

[andy huse]

I've been following Mr. Chen's renovation with interest. Not only does the place looks great (tile and woodwork), but he obtained a license for beer and wine. I'm not sure what this does for the BYOB policy, but it is a great development, which shoudl allow the restaurant to make more money. I must admit, I have missed the food in the last couple months. I will go back this week!

[rhnault]

Glad to hear they'll be open in time for my 4 day weekend! I have been calling and still getting the recording as recently as last weekend. Glad to hear they're back!

[Bergerman]

The newly expanded China Yuan is open and I'm happy to report the food is just as good but, if my experience during Sunday night's grand opening is any indication, the service has fallen. It's at least twice as big now, and they've added tanks of fresh fish, crabs including Dungeness), eel (yes, eel!) and lobster, and added seafood to the name. The Dungeness crab was $30, which we didn't realize until we got the bill, so that was a bit of a shock, since that would be the total bill for a feast in the old China Yuan. But the salt and pepper shrimp, wonton soup and snow pea pod tips were all as good as I remember them. We were seated quickly, got water and glasses and corkscrew for our wine (it's still byob, yes!) and then waited an hour for food. After a couple of trips to the counter to inquire, we got our soup, and then waited a while for the rest. I am willing to chalk this up to opening night problems and will be back when thing s settle down BTW, one fish tank contained some species of fish that I know I have thrown overboard many times in the past as junk, but they're selling it at China Yuan. One of these days I'll get the nerve to try it, since I've had chicken feet, duck's blood and lived to tell about it....

[rhnault]

thanks for the review! I am looking forward to going back soon. I'll make sure I am merely hungry and not starving in case they haven't worked out the kinks yet! Were the prices on the other dishes the same?

[Bergerman]

The prices seemed pretty much the same, though the menu is a lot bigger, so it's hard to say exactly. The greens were $8.95, which struck me as a couple bucks more than before, but I could be wrong. Maybe Andy Huse, who was the first to tout this place on this board, has a better memory for the prices. The total bill was $60 for four people and we didn't leave hungry, so that's not bad, since half of it was for the crab.

[proboscidian]

It must have been a temporary glitch. I was there today and the service was as good as ever. Lots of new things on the menu, including some things I have never seen anywhere else. I had crispy taro duck and pan fried mushroom rolls, which sound normal enough but were new to me - and duck's blood and chicken feet aren't new to me!

[Chandavkl]

Did they take over the space of the Chinese fast food place (Hong Kong, I think) next door?

[Mild Bill]

A funny thing I wanted to mention last week or so...

I popped in to the Din Ho market to get some stuff and thought I'd walk across the lot to China Yuan and ask when they thought they might be opening...
A bit of reporting for you guys...

Sticking my head in, I was really impressed by the renovations--- it's a whole new place--- but to me it looked like they were still in the middle of it all...

When I asked, after demonstrating my admiration for the great things they'd done, when they expected to open, he said; "Sunday"... My eyes opened wide and I said "this Sunday?!" They said yes...

I imagined them working like Santa's helpers till then...

So I went over to Yummy House and was doing my thing over there, when the folks from China Yuan walked across the parking lot, came in and sat down...

I giggled to myself imagining the Hong Kong rival restaurant karate death challenge that might go down--- and I had my cell-phone video ready--- but both factions seemed familiar and greeted eachother with laughs, smiles, and hospitality...

Maybe I'll pop in to Yuan today for lunch...
Ooooh, it's Monday... I think they used to be closed on Monday...
Ok, Yummy's then...

[andy huse]

I dined there last tuesday, and had a truly wonderfful meal. The renovations look great, at least triple the table space. Mostly new waitstaff. They were learning... but nothing disastrous, to be expected.

The new menu is impressive and a little overwhelming. what happenbed to the dim sum? We had some wonderful salt and pepper fried oysters, the pan fried taro duck (unfortunately, the taro sucks up lotsa lotsa grease), singapore noodles, snow pea tips, and our standby, the beef with ginger and scallion.

If prices have climbed, it hasn't been by much. The tips used to be $6.95, I believe.

I'm so glad to have this restaurant back!

[rhnault]

please tell me they still have the shrimp dumplings.....

[andy huse]

we had shrimp wonton soup, but not sure about the dumplings.

[rhnault]

We went on Saturday afternoon and there was all kinds of dim sum flying around. Dim Sum menu and pencils on the table and servers walking around with trays of dim sum. The place is so nice now. Lots of room and modern decor. The servers still seemed a little confused but everyone was friendly and we were taken care of and even had a tableside visit from Mr Chen.

[Noice]

Rhnault:

We were also there on Saturday for our maiden visit, and loved the shrimp dumplings you feared would not be on the menu. Wow! I might just make a meal out of those on our next visit. I agree that the renovations look really nice and I appreciate the service staff's uniforms --they look more professional than the staff at Yummy House.

The other dishes we had were also excellent, and I am looking forward to seeing how their salt and pepper calamari stacks up next to Yummy House's.

Noice

[rhnault]

haha we're also going to do that on our next visit. I don't think it was on the China Yuan menu prior to the remodel but it is definitely there now. Mr Chen also assured me that he could make *anything* we wanted!

[proboscidian]

Salt and pepper calamari has been on the menu for ages. The salt and pepper oysters are new. I have the old menu memorized, but the new one is long and will take a while to absorb. New website - not quite finished - http://www.chinayuanrestaurant.com

[rhnault]

thanks for the link! I was wondering if they were ever going to put up a website.

[proboscidian]

They had been talking about doing a website for a while. He was waiting to get the remodeling done - he was planning making changes a long time before he got the lease to expand into the place next door. I still have to get some photos from him to finish it up.

[andy huse]

I've been teaching a Florida Foodways course at USF, and held my final class at China Yuan last night. 14 of us, and the staff didn't miss a beat.

The spicy jellyfdish was quite nice, bathed in a little sesame oil, tasted mild like a sushi. Of course the roasted pork was great, and not a drop remained of the shrimp wonton soup i ordered for all. BBQ eel was at once bold and delicate.

Entrees were passed around. I was not impressed with the eggplant hot pot, and while the curried brisket hot pot had great flavor, the overwhelming fat content made eating a delicate task for the fat-weary. Fried quid was amazingly good, as were the s+p fried oysters. Beef wioth ginger and scallion is always a delight, as are the salty toasted pork chop, which I'd choose over almost any fried chicken. There were many other dishes.

They brought out sliced oranges for dessert, and i supplied wonderful mild cookies from teh chinese bakery located in the same strip mall. I had taken my class on many stops in the area earlier in the semester: Ted Peters, Gillie's BBQ, the Columbia, and the Chattaway. Every field trip came with excellent food, and Mr. Chen at China Yuan delivered a unique experience for less than $20 per person.

[andy huse]

I have a new favorite. Try the beef short ribs with black pepper sauce.

[CFishman]

I have a new favorite too. The pig intestines with mustard greens is excellent.

[rhnault]

will try! have you had the fish balls?

[rhnault]

Andy we were at CY Saturday and had the Beef chow fun w/ black bean sauce you recommended and it was amazing. Our new favorite dish. It was succulent. By funny coincidence we also had the Peking shredded pork which you recommended in the same post but I forgot about. Loved that too. It is also definitely snow pea tip season because Saturday they were the best I have ever had. Queen of Sheba Friday, CY Sat made for an awesome culinary weekend!

[SouthTampaKit]

I am so glad China Yuan is open again - the new decor is excellent and the food is even better.

[TampaAurora]

Any suggestions on what to try if a diner doesn't eat pork or shellfish. I'm going with some non-adventerous eaters and still want to enjoy the experience.

[rhnault]

Beef chow fun with black bean sauce. It has these really good thick noodles. Like Chinese comfort food. Do you eat squid? Their curried squid is excellent. Very succulent sauce.

[andy huse]

beef with ginger and scallion

general tso's chicken, which may seem like a strange choice for such an authentic restaurant, but it is excellent, especially if you have kids around.

chive dumpling

beef short ribs (?) with black pepper sauce, excellent.

the beef chow fun with black bean sauce--- call for it dry, which means a little less sauce. All of the Chinese I talk to eat it dry. Otherwise, "wet" is too much sauce and salt.

beef and cilantro soup--- a little adventurous, but it is kosher.

[TampaAurora]

Thouroughly enjoyed the beef and cilantro soup. SO and I split that and beef with seasonal veggies snce he wasn't in a "noodle-mood". The non-adventerous friends enjoyed their sweet and sour chicken and sesame chicken. A grand time was had by all.

[rhnault]

I love that beef and cilantro soup.

[proboscidian]

One of my new favorites there - boneless duck feet Thai style. Lots of sesame oil, a little spicy, and a crisp texture that is nothing like what I expected.

[Mild Bill]

Ooooo, I think I'll go tomorrow and try that... Maybe the soup too...
And the 'beef short ribs (?) with black pepper sauce' if I'm hungry enough...

[rhnault]

Have any of you tried the fish maw soup? We were about to order it one day and then our friend that was with us pulled up what it was on her blackberry and we decided we weren't feeling that adventurous lol. I think I could try the duck feet though....
We have also had the crab and corn soup. Not very adventurous but good.

[Mild Bill]

I went--- and did what I set forth to do... $34.00 lunch, jeez!

The boneless duck feets is a cold appetizer, that seemed steamed for 20 minutes, shocked in ice water---then tossed in a 'nice' mildly spicy, red pepper flecked, sesame oil dress...
It was still very chewy, but I liked it... Not loved...
Another hour +/- in the steamer and it'd'd a been great...

I've had chicken feet Dim Sum that was braised till soft and lip-smackin'...
I prefer that...

The Beef & Cilantro Soup was good because I like cilantro...
It would be insanely easy to make at home...

Chicken or vegetable stock thickened to egg-drop soup consistency with cornstarch--- cooked lean ground beef, some rough-chopped cilantro and a few mushrooms mixed in... End of recipe...

I added some soy sauce, a little chili oil, along with some white rice and that made it more interesting...

The Beef Short Rib in Black Pepper Sauce was 'very' good, but the title is misleading... There is no sauce...
I went in thinking that white rice would be soaking up some interesting black pepper sauce... I like gravy rice...

It's simply Galbi (Flanken cut ribs) seasoned heavily with black pepper--- tossed with fajita onions and peppers...
I loved it... Whether it was worth $14.00 is another matter...
There wasn't 'that much' of it...
Yes I'd probably get it again, but more likely I'll just make it at home...
I like snackin' on beef flanken rib sections and I like black pepper...

It's Tuesday and Yummy House is closed---- but the main chef from over there was hanging out at Yuan and we waved--- me guiltily...
I average about 10/2... 2 CY visits to 10 at YH...
If it's Tuesday and I'm driving by...

[rhnault]

I put the chili oil on pretty much everything I eat there. I am not crazy about those ribs. We tried them once. If you like gravy and sauce you'd like the Beef chow fun with black bean sauce I talked about above. Probably my favorite thing I have had there lately that made me want to lick the bowl was the squid in curry sauce.

[Mild Bill]

Excellent... Next stop, Squid in Curry Sauce.... A couple weeks probably...

[Mild Bill]

I was in the area today and had time to kill...

I popped in to China Yuan and got the Squid in Curry Sauce...

I think there's no doubt that it's the most enjoyable and delicious single dish I've ever gotten there...

A 'creamy' beautifully pastel yellow curry sauce----- with flavorful chunks of potatos (never expected) that were browned a bit first...
Generous tender squid pieces...

I'll get it again and again no doubt...

Lots of sauce that was great with the white rice...

Rhnault---------- nice rec, thanks!

Compliments to your buds...

[rhnault]

Glad you enjoyed! I figure the low cal/fat squid balances off the rich curry.haha