By Jason Yun
As the rain begins to gently fall and the darkness creeps through the sky we often crave something warm and convenient like Chinese food. In America a Chinese restaurant can almost always be found to satisfy this craving. On rainy days, we often see windows of the Chinese restaurants fogged up from heat from the kitchen or just heat radiating off the famished people devouring their food with such eagerness. The world outside, being smitten with thousands of tiny raindrops, appears so unpleasant when seen from within the comfort of the hospitable restaurant. This comfort along with warm, delicious Chinese food is probably why we so often indulge in rich Chinese food on rainy nights.
Chin Chin, a restaurant in Midtown Atlanta, is even more impressive than the average Chinese restaurant. For eleven years in a row, Chin Chin has been recognized for having the best Chinese food in Atlanta. Although it may be located in a small strip mall, this restaurant distinguishes itself from other Chinese restaurants in a variety of ways. Chin Chin serves exquisite food from several other Asian countries in addition to standard Chinese food. Also, unlike the outer appearance of an ordinary Chinese restaurant, Chin Chin has a sophisticated and elegant décor that is usually absent from ordinary Chinese restaurants. The dimly lit restaurant colored with variety of brown hues invokes feelings of tranquility and relaxation. A greenish bronze color speckles the stone tile floors and complements interesting accessories of similar color scattered through out the restaurant. Metallic objects around the room provide just enough pizzazz within the dark surroundings to keep diners from being bored. A curious little bar located in the one side of the restaurant contains colorful bottles of wine and liquor along with beautifully hung crystal glasses that give a modern appearance to the restaurant along with the metallic decorations. However the most impressive feature of Chin Chin has not even been mentioned yet. This feature is clearly noticed when one glances through the large window to the kitchen. This large window is visible from the every angle of the restaurant; through it, diners can see how their food are being prepared. This feature also keeps diners from being bored. Whenever cooks prepare an order, diners can enjoy the large flame that they can usually see from cooking shows. Some of the restaurants offer a live music or a show; however at Chin Chin, diners can enjoy an intense Chinese cooking involving large flame through a large window.
As my companion and I walked into the restaurant, the manager greeted us with a gentle smile and gesture towards a booth. After leading us to our table, an austere waiter dressed in a fine black uniform asked us what we would like to drink. After a short absence he returned in a very rushed manner and abruptly inquired as to what we would like to eat. Although I was still in a dilemma, deciding between ordering the Hong Kong Style Filet Mignon and ordering the Seafood in Bird’s Nest, and my companion was just beginning to open the menu, he rudely interrupted. This rushed feeling completely shattered the tranquil image of the fine restaurant and gave it an air of a low-class fast food restaurant. We entreated the waiter for more time to decide what we would order. “We are not ready to order yet.” The slow tempo background music in the restaurant did not seem to affect the waiter in any way. It is quite possible that the waiter had just recently been hired, causing him to be nervous, or maybe he had recently been reprimanded by his manager for not being productive. Although he did have this negative trait, he remained very attentive and helpful during our meal.
In a few moments, the waiter arrived with our food on a large round tray. Our sushi plates came first. Rainbow and Volcano Rolls were put on one big plate, garnished with the usual pickle ginger and fresh-made wasabi. The Rainbow Rolls were accented with different colors of egg; The Volcano Rolls were drizzled with a sweet brown sauce. More colorful and ornate than a regular dessert plate, the sushi looked absolutely delicious. What made this plate unforgettable was the flame. A spectacular flame, created with liquor that was lit soon before the food was delivered, was very impressive. The rice was cooked very well, being not too hard and not too soft, with just right amount of vinegar. The fish was fresh with a slightly firm texture when chewed. The meat had a delicious sweet taste that tantalized my taste buds. In my own opinion, the most important components of sushi are rice and fish. The nori, seaweed around the rolls, always tends to be consistent in any sushi restaurant as long as it is freshly prepared. All together, my plate of Rainbow Rolls and Volcano Rolls, prepared by chef Richie, was very satisfactory.
"Seafood in Birds nest" - Shrimps, scallops, lobster meats and assorted vegetables cooked in white sauce in unique bowl made out of noodle. One of the Chef's signature dish at Chin Chin.
Second, The Pineapple Chicken and Seafood in Bird’s Nest were served. Just as the flaming Volcano Rolls had impressed me, the bowl constructed out of fried noodles opened my eyes up widely. As soon as I saw the Seafood in Bird’s Nest, I understood how they had devised its interesting name. Shrimp, white fish meat, scallops and lobster meat with assorted vegetables all soaked in a white sauce filled the noodle bowl past to the brim. As if the combination of lobster meat, scallops, vegetables and white sauce was not creative enough, the chefs must have thought it necessary to make them even more striking by placing them in such a unique container. The Seafood in Bird’s Nest not only tasted good, but also was a very unique experience that is not easily forgotten. Pineapple Chicken, my other dish, appeared to be an ordinary Chinese dish except for pineapple and had a very distinct taste. A creative chef had once decided to add pineapple to a sweet brown sauce. Surprisingly, the pineapple made the dish extremely delicious. I have never thought that adding one ingredient will greatly improve the taste of a dish; however, this sweetness and fruity flavor of pineapple blended into a Chinese dish, which generally has tendency of being greasy, created something extraordinary.
Just like Pineapple Chicken, most of the dishes on Chin Chin’s menu are fusion of two or more distinct foods that complement each other nicely. Upon first glance, the foods might not appear to go with one another; however, after tasting them together, the person eating them is often surprised by how great they taste together. All the plates at Chin Chin are garnished with a beautiful flower meticulously carved out of a carrot and radish. The delicious and beautiful food, along with the stylish modern décor makes Chin Chin a great choice for a romantic date or casual meeting.
The only thing lacking in my experience to Chin Chin seemed to be a friendly waiter who could be efficient while still remaining affable and pleasant. However, this minor grievance would not stall me from revisiting this fine restaurant. From the beginning Chin Chin was full of surprises, having an impressive décor that gives modern look to the restaurant, interesting menu combination of ingredients people have not experienced before, sensational way of presenting food articulately decorated and constructed plates, and most importantly an amazing taste, successfully proving itself as worthy of being honored as best Chinese food in Atlanta eleven years in a row.
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