What did you order?
I think the SJB are very good, as is the eggplant and the stir-fried rice cakes. Snake gourd was okay. XLB are a skip.
I should also say that I haven’t been to the highly-rated newer SGV places, so that could be part of it. Tasty Noodle might be mediocre compared to the very best places in the SGV, but it may not be all that different from an SGV average place…
The xlb (Luke warm and leaking), sjb (pretty good but a little dry), spicy wonton? (good), cold chicken w/ hot sesame sauce (pretty good), sauteed string beans (very good), pork belly w/ preserved veggies (pretty good), house noodles w/ sesame sauce (eh), rice cakes w/ chicken? (don’t remember). I want to say we ordered a shrimp dish but can’t recall - sorry.
As I mentioned above, the progression of Chinese options is amazing. And this opinion was based on only one visit during a busy Friday night not too long after they opened.
Would disagree with regard to Qin West. They are keeping it real.
Good point. Tasty Noodle House doesn’t really have a flagship location in the San Gabriel Valley. Indeed, they don’t even have a WSGV location, and their ESGV location in Hacienda Heights is very modest. They’ve made their mark in secondary Chinese communities like Lomita, Cerritos, Irvine and Chino Hills.
I’ve been maybe 3 times? From what I can tell, the taste of the food hasn’t changed much in that time.
The menu is so extensive that there’s bound to be some duds. I haven’t had a lot of the dishes you’ve had but agree that the XLB are simply not good. I assume DTF will be opening shortly, and that’s the only place I plan to eat XLB on the westide. 
Were the rice cakes stir-fried? I thought that dish was done really well when I had it (the rice cakes were very tender). Also enjoyed the pork chop noodle soup (pork chop served on the side).
To your larger point, I really like Popcorn Chicken, for instance, but I wouldn’t consider the food “Good” (capitalized intentionally) or high-quality. It’s more like stuff that I grew up w/, so something that’s a reasonable facsimile (and I think Popcorn Chicken is a good bit more than a reasonable copy) makes me very happy for nostalgic reasons, as much as for gustatory ones. And having grown up in the SGV, I’ve had some duds at least a few resaturants there, too (whereas I imagine most people who are making a special trip out there are only eating at highly-rated restaurants/cafes and are likely only eating dishes for which the restaurants is well-known).
I’ll take your word on that. My wife likes it. I’ve only eaten takeout from there not too long after they started their business.
Anyone been to the Chino location? Our dog does sheepherding (really!) right down the street, and we’re always looking for places to eat lunch after. There’s also a sichuan place and a noodle spot in that same Ranch 99 Plaza. Scoped it out, but haven’t tried any of them yet… We always end up further west.
Do not go there.
Head to Flavor Garden in the same center.
Damn. All this banter has made me want to… No, make that NEED to go back to the Sawtelle Tasty Noodle for my own re-assessment of this location.
I actually like the “popcorn” Chicken at its namesake. It’s nice snacking food with a couple of brews - even when they’re not fresh. The rest of the food is eh.
I’ve been to all the places in that shopping center and most are quite good. Many are branches of restaurants established in the San Gabriel Valley. Indeed, Hong Buffet, which was in that center for a couple of years before closing, was the best Chinese buffet in the Los Angeles area during its tenure there.
Wow I have a diametrically opposite view of this place. Popcorn chicken itself is meh, whereas the rest of the menu is good.
I really liked the popcorn chicken when I first had, but it’s become less satisfying for me over time. I don’t think the dish is different; I can’t explain why I have a different take on it now. I can see, though, how the dish might be nice snack food w/ beer.
I enjoy the beef noodle soup (even though it’s inconsistent), and the pork belly combo and ginger scallion chicken combo are like pure comfort food for me. Stir fry udon, though, was a miss (which is such a shame); I think HK cafes do a much better job w/ that.
Just because I like the popcorn chicken shouldn’t be mistaken as it being good. And if your tastes are diametrically opposed, it tells me that my contrarian views are in the minority.
Thanks! Good to know. Of course, pretty much everywhere in the SGV is fair game on our way back to Hollywood, so we haven’t yet eaten in Chino, aside from a quick shop at that Ranch 99.
Yeah, Chinese food options here in Hollywood are non-existent.
Hi @J_L, sorry if this came across in a harsh tone. Didn’t mean it to be. But after rereading it, it felt that way. My apologies.
I like fried food with my beer. This version of fried bird is different because of it’s seasoning. I like it with IPAs. A bite of the chicken, a sip of the beer. Rinse, repeat. Been watching reruns of “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee” a lot lately. The coffee porn shots get me yearning for all things coffee, but that doesn’t work at night for me. Beer is a natural substitute in this case.
I think my expectations for a lot of the first wave of eateries bringing more ealistic versions of Chinese cuisines might be too high, or I might just be totally off. The versions in SGV are primarily set to the standards, palates and wallets of the locals. Likewise, I’m assuming the same with what’s going on in the Westside.
As we drove past Tasty Noodle House last night, I asked my wife what her thoughts were. Again, she said it was good, but not what she recalls of the same dishes in the SGV. She said she would still drive out to the SGV when she wants this kind of food.
Again, sorry for sounding brusk.
Same
That “show” is just brilliant.
I’ll split the difference.
I think the entire menu at Popcorn Chicken (any location) is meh