The Mandarin Restaurant

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maxzook

Joined 10 years ago

Gone, but there's an LA alternative .... ... the Mandarette Cafe on Beverly Boulevard near La Cienega was started by the son of Cecilia Chang who ran the SF and LA Mandarin restaurants.

I won't say it's as good as his mother's restaurants, but then again the Mandarins were*very* good. And it's cheaper. Just not in SF, sorry :(

They won't let me post the URL but Google on mandarette cafe and it will be the first listing.

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bonniesuec

Joined 2 years ago

Sadly, another outstanding one bites the dust. This was a truly outstanding restaurant in every regard. The decor was elegant, the setting and view superb, and the food was out of this world.

Unfortunately, as of this writing (January, 2011), it appears to have been closed for some time now. The Beverly Hills site apparently lost its lease many years ago and no search can turn up a new location for it... it appears this location is also out of business.

California's loss! The not-on-the-menu minced squab was to die for!

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yoda99

Joined 7 years ago

Good food, outstanding overall. We took a few clients there for a different experience and they loved it. For starters, the host told us about the preorder beggars chicken so we thought what the heck, it sounds good. What a choice, it was so unique and delicious. The rest of the food was very good and we all ended up eating too much. Definitely not the typical chinese fare that most people are used to. The decor for one is beautiful. Unlike many spots, you can actually have a conversation in this place. That plus the excellent food and wine made it a nice evening. The spot was a bit hard to find, but we're glad we found it.

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Contributor

Joined 10 years ago

Upscale Chinese with a killer view draws the masses to this much-hyped destination.. In Short
With a cavernous dining room outlined in dark peach walls and palm trees, this prime location invokes the grandeur of Imperial China. Well-dressed natives and tourists out wandering the neighborhood soak in old-style service along with crispy shrimp rolls, sweet and sour pork, or any number of completely vegetarian dishes.

Doesn't Recommend

batifol

Joined 10 years ago

great setting, ho-hum, overpriced food. The hot and sour soup and ma po tofu each tasted of red pepper and very little else, with the soup too gloopy and the tofu sauce colorless and thin. The sesame chicken (battered and deep-fried, with a sweet sauce and sesame seeds) was tasty. The interior is gorgeous and the view outstanding, but I still refuse to pay prices that are at least twice what most Chinese restaurants charge for food that's at best half as good.

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happynmw

Joined 8 years ago

Very good Chinese!. The service was impeccable, the food excellent and the decor was superb :)

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jannel

Joined 9 years ago

The cuisine matched the view.. I took my 10-year old son to San Francisco for a week in August and this was the only restaurant we went to twice. The decor was rich, the food was light and flavorful, and the ambience was serene as we watched the many activities on the bay. Superb dining experience!

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chillin04

Joined 9 years ago

Wonderful Experience. We went to the Mandarin restaurant for a birthday party and we had a wonderful and amazing experience. Unlike the Chinese restaurants in Chinatown, the atmosphere is much slower and pleasant. The waitstaff are courteous and attentive. The food is excellent and unique. The Peking duck was crispy and tasty. The glazed sea bass was cooked just right with an amazing sauce. The beggar's chicken was moist and tender with a knock-out aroma. I disagree with the review Citysearch has...the new owner has definitely cleaned up the place with excellent quality food and reasonable prices. I would come back here again and again.

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AdHere

Joined 10 years ago

great!. Great food, nice decor, EXELLENT service! It is not often you can find waitstaff that is genuinely friendly and extreamly attentive without being pushy. Their timing is impecable! Great job!

I had the glazed Sea Bass as an entree. It was not quite what I had expected (served as thin golden crusted pieces instead of a fillet), but that unusual and yummy dish is what made the difference in menu between this and other similar restaurants.

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Trig

Joined 10 years ago

A Turn for the better. Go for the ambiance and views of the Bay, but be pleasantly delighted by the quailty of the food. Reinvigorated kitchen is turning out more flavorful, if not creative Northern Chinese cuisine. Peking duck is a must - but call in advance (24 hr notice required). Mongolian beef solid too. New management has taken this SF staple

back to its roots as one of SF's best kept "secrets."