Tuesday, January 11, 2005

good Chinese food

If you are in Berkeley and you want Chinese food eat at Mandarin Garden. Mandarin Garden used to be called Yu Ying. Yu Ying River? Or just Yu Ying? I think they changed the name at the recommendation of a consultant. We've yet to order something we don't like. They have prompt delivery, too.

Around the corner there's Long Life Vegi House, which is also good. When I was attending UC Berkeley my mother would visit once a month and take me to lunch at Long Life Vegi. She would tell the waiters how great everything was, how she came all the way from Sebastopol for their food. When I'd graduated and was finally making some money I would pay and insist she be the one to take home any leftovers. Finally, sick of the place, I insisted we eat other places.

Kent and I have probably eaten more times at Mandarin Garden than I ate at Long Life Vegi. And I still like the food. Not that I hate the food at Long Life. I'd eat there again, I suppose. Their gluten-based chicken simalcrum is pretty decent. And it has a certain atmosphere. A very Chinese-restaurant bustle.

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