Review: Columbia Cottage (Upper West)

Don't let the name of this Chinese restaurant fool you. This is true-blue Asian, down to a menu that is partially in Mandarin, servers who barely speak English, and receipts that have no English on them whatsoever.

When we first arrived at Columbia Cottage, a little Chinese restaurant next to a tiny Hungarian bakery, I felt no surprise toward the borderline-cliche decor such as potted plants that greet guests as they walk in. Thankfully, the atmosphere was redeemed by some stately simply designed tables and chairs, which made me think I was in for a classier meal than I had originally thought.

After going through the menu at least a couple of times looking for tofu, I realized that it had been there the whole time labelled, "bean curd." I laughed at my stupidity for reading over the entire half-page "bean curd" section of the menu so many times.

Once I located my protein of choice, I chose a bean curd and cashew dish, a cup of hot and sour soup, and a side of brown rice.

Pictured above is my food after I plated it. The tofu pictured is probably only a quarter of what they gave me, the rice maybe half. The soup is seen in the background.

I needed a kick of spice in my tofu, so I used the chili sauce that sat in the middle of the table quite liberally. Other than that, my food came perfectly seasoned straight from the kitchen.

My meal was fairly cheap, especially considering it came with free hot tea and huge servings. I spent under $15, including tip and tax.

This restaurant is pretty much exactly what a Chinese eatery should be: cheap, huge servings, and tasty seasonings.

Pros:

Great flavors

Large servings

Free tea

Cons:

Receipt in Chinese