Restaurant Review: Same Name, Different Flavors at New Hop Sheng

My plate from the newly-reopened Hop Sheng Chinese Restaurant with Sweet & Sour Pork, General Tao's Chicken,
 Beef with Broccoli and Fried Rice. 

WORDS & PHOTOS BY LUKE PHILLIPS

Sweet and Sour Pork

   After hearing from a handful of people that the food at the newly-reopened Hop Sheng restaurant was “no good”, and hearing a rumor that the new owners where snowbirds from Nebraska who didn’t know how to cook Chinese food, I was a little bit weary of giving it a try, but I’m happy to report that neither of those rumors are true and the food is quite good.

   The new owners are actually from Los Angeles as we learned from the friendly young man behind the counter and they seemed perfectly qualified to be cooking Chinese food. The menu featured a good variety of different dishes and the pricing has been simplified over the previous menu. Most of the entrees available cost $5.50 for a lunch-sized portion (before 3 p.m.) or $7.50 for a dinner-sized portion with the exception of a few seafood dishes that are about a dollar more. All in all, the prices are very affordable and the portions are fairly generous.

Beef with Broccoli

   We ordered the Beef with Broccoli, the General Tao’s Chicken and the Sweet and Sour Pork and they were all quite delicious. There were many dishes I enjoyed at the old Hop Sheng, but for some reason I never did like their Sweet and Sour Pork which just happens to be one of my favorite Chinese dishes. The sauce was never quite right, leaning heavy on the ‘sour’ side of things, and it never failed to give me heartburn. So I was very happy to find the new Sweet and Sour Pork to be very agreeable. Not too much sour, not too much sweet. It had the perfect balance and none of the acid bite. So, thank you New Hop Sheng for bringing one of my favorite dishes back into my diet.

General Tao's Chicken

   The Beef with Broccoli was likewise very good, with a nice, rich sauce, tender meat and fresh, crisp broccoli, but the stand-out was definitely the General Tao’s Chicken. For those unfamiliar with it, the dish consists of coated, fried pieces of chicken with a sweet and tangy glaze and covered with red pepper flakes that gave it a spicy kick. The flavors were almost delicate and complimented one another well.

   The only disappointment in the whole meal was the fried rice that came with our entrees. It looked like a batch of regular steamed rice with some soy sauce in it, along with one piece of scrambled egg. There were no vegetables or anything else. It was very plain and a little dry, but the steamed rice was good.

   Overall though, I would definitely recommend giving the new Hop Sheng a try. It’s not the same as the old Hop Sheng, no doubt, but it’s very good in a different way. I can understand how some people might not like it, after all Chinese food is a very subjective thing, but I liked it and you might too. 

Restaurant Review: The Fields Steakhouse at Barbara Worth Resort

WORDS AND PHOTOS BY LUKE PHILLIPS

Caprese Salad

   Note: In the interest of Full Disclosure, I must mention that I am now employed by Barbara Worth Resort. However, I wrote this review of the resort's Fields Steakhouse several weeks before I was even considered for my current job and I can assure you that this review presents a completely unbiased opinion:

   My wife Liz and I finally had the opportunity last week to try out Holtville’s newest eatery, The Fields Steakhouse at Barbara Worth Resort, and we were quite frankly blown away. The food was beyond amazing, the service was friendly and prompt and the environment is elegant and relaxing. I really think it’s wonderful that we now have a restaurant of this caliber in our little town.

   The Fields is definitely an upscale place, but considering what you get for your money the prices are very reasonable. They have plenty of meals under $20 and none cost more than $30. I applaud the management for keeping the prices fairly reasonable which makes the restaurant much more accessible to more people in our community.

Double Bone Apple Brandy Glazed Pork Chop

   The Fields food is undeniably great, and we’ll get to that in a minute, but for me it was the little touches that made my dining experience truly great. A single red rose and a lit candle adorned our table along with cloth napkins, fine china, and a real table cloth, unlike the cheap plastic ones found at most restaurants in town. Big band music played softly in the background the golf course and nearby pond make for a lovely view from almost anywhere in the house.

   My amazement with the quality of the food began when our bread arrived. Freshly baked, soft on the inside with a nice flaky crust, the bread was to die for. It was quickly gone and we moved on to our salad. We ordered the Caprese Salad, one of my old favorites, and it also was outstanding. The tomatoes were perfect, red and flavorful, and the basil was nice and pungent. The only thing lacking at all was the mozzarella which was good, but not as fresh as it could have been.

Shrimp Scampi

   On the chef’s recommendation I had ordered the Double Bone Apple Brandy Glazed Pork Chop and as soon as my meal arrived, I knew I had made the right choice.

   I don’t hesitate in the least to say that this was by far the best pork chop I  have ever had in my life. Every bite was tender and flavorful. The glaze was perfect, not too sweet and it didn’t overpower the wonderful flavor of the meat. In fact, the Apple Brandy Glaze almost reminded me of pork chops with applesauce, one of my favorite parings. I offered Liz a bite of my pork chop and she was instantly sorry she hadn’t ordered it too, although she did enjoy her Shrimp Scampi. At $17, this piece of pork is worth every penny.

Mashed Potatoes and Mixed Greens

   We both ordered the same sides, mashed potatoes and mixed veggies, and they too were delicious. The vegetables included collard greens with shredded carrots and squash with a hint of lemon added.

   For desert, Liz had a New York Style Cheesecake which she enjoyed very much, and that’s coming from a genuine New Yorker. I had the chocolate ice cream, because I am an unrepentant ice cream addict, and it was awesome. Real, rich, delicious ice cream, not that cheap soft-serve crap found in most restaurants.

   If you’re tired of the restaurants in Holtville and looking for something different, and you don’t mind paying a little more, check out The Fields. I personally can't wait to go back and try a few more of the dishes.