Names can often times be deceiving; but in the case of Tasty China, a Chinese food restaurant not far from campus, the name is quite fitting, because the food is just that: tasty!
The restaurant itself is a pleasant experience from start to finish. Although the rooms are poorly lit when entering the building, the waiters that greet the customers are very polite and hospitable.
They promptly guide anyone who comes in to a clean table and take drink orders, which are brought out within seconds of taking the order.
Since it is a buffet style restaurant, when a customer is seated, he or she is then able to grab a plate and head down the two isles of assorted Chinese foods, which include fourteen different kinds of chicken, twelve kinds of shrimp, five types of pork and twelve types of beef entrées.
Although that seems like quite a lot for a single buffet, there are still other foods offered, such as Chinese tacos, fried rice, and other traditional favorites.
The dim lighting makes it slightly difficult to see when walking down the buffet, but the lighting above the food trays makes it easy to determine what kind of food it is.
The great thing about the buffet is that a customer can mix all the foods and get a small helping of a few things instead of one huge plate of something they may not even like when they get it. If a diner at Tasty China doesn’t like what’s on their plate, they can simply grab a new one and select something else.
For a Chinese restaurant, the prices are fairly reasonable and range from $5.95 to $6.95, depending on the time a person decides to come in. The lunch buffet every day from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. is $5.95, while the dinner buffet on Monday through Thursday is $6.95 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. On Friday and Saturday evenings, establishment hours are extended an extra half-hour, until 9:30 p.m.
In order to accommodate those who may be watching their weight or cholesterol, Tasty China cooks all of their food in 100% vegetable oil, which really just makes the food all the more tasty in the end.
As opposed to Panda Chinese, the second Chinese food restaurant in Commerce, Tasty China offers a wide array of desserts, both traditional and American.
There were at least eight different types of cookies to choose from, as well as a tray of hot brownies in the designated desserts section of the buffet line.
One of the setbacks with the restaurant is that some of the entrees are not always fresh when a customer comes in to eat.
For a picky eater, foods that have been sitting in a thick sauce for more than a few minutes, such as sesame chicken, may seem a little soggy when eating them.
Another problem customers might face is the limited beverage selection. The drinks are not expensive, but diners can only choose from a few soft drinks, tea, or coffee. No alcohol is served at this establishment.
After dining at the other Chinese restaurant in Commerce as well, it can safely be said that Tasty China is the better pick of the two and is highly recommended to anyone with a Chinese food craving.
This restaurant is located at 2206 Live Oak in the Children’s Museum Shopping Center near the Burkes outlet, Fred’s general store and Chicken Express.
The restaurant also offers chinese takeout available by calling (903)-886-4400.
All major credit cards: American Express, Discover, Visa, and MasterCard are accepted as payment.