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2015-11-22
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We came here for a lazy weekend lunch. We had heard great things and were hungry, so were pleasantly surprised to find it nearly empty and we were seated immediately, in the middle of the restaurant. We asked to move beside the window but were told it was only for groups of 4. It seemed unnecessarily strict as the place was empty except for 3 other tables, one of which left a few minutes after we arrived. And as they don't take reservations, it seemed they should be willing to seat people on a f
The space looks great with lots of natural light, but the chairs were hard and the acoustics terrible. Sound bounced off all the hard surfaces and overall it was very noisy, creating a somewhat chaotic atmosphere. Not relaxing.
Service was fine and polite, with servers outnumbering customers. They were quick to refill glasses and to remove empty plates, but otherwise hung out a bit too idly, and did not venture to ask if we were enjoying our meals.
Food was nicely presented, fresh and clean tasting with good quality ingredients, but overall it was underwhelming.
The huevos rancheros arrived without cheese or sour cream - and the accompanying salsa, guacamole and black beans were bland and listlessly underdressed. The three palm-sized tortillas which came in a bamboo steamer were nice and soft, but likewise without much flavour.
The three types of tacos we tried were all better than the eggs but still nothing special enough to get us to return. In particular, the avocado/bean/cheese taco was a let-down. The avocado was battered and deep-fried which was unexpected. The added texture did little to make up for the missing seasoning. Even the spicy items had no zing, and there were no condiments on the table. We realised later that this was because salsa was charged as an extra side. We would have appreciated a bit of advice, i.e. to order the extra salsa to customise the spice levels.
On second thought: why wasn't the salsa offered for free? (Do burger joints charge for mayo, ketchup and vinegar? Or Italian restaurants charge for freshly grated parmesan, olive oil and basalmic vinegar?) At least offer a complimentary standard one, and then if there are special versions, then charge for those...
It was no treat. It was not horrible, but I would not recommend it. The drinks and food were overpriced for the small portions, and the lack of flavour drove us elsewhere afterward, to make up for the unsatisfying experience. We were still hungry but also not interested in spending any more money here.
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The hype surrounding Chino is not warranted. Glad we tried it, but sad it did not live up to its reputation.
(The above review is the personal opinion of a user which does not represent OpenRice's point of view.)
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