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Hollywood East Cafe, Wheaton - Owner Janet Yu Now in Wheaton Shopping Center - STILL OPEN


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They have not been the same since moving from the old-old Fern Street location. Every time I went, it got worse. Last Chinese New Year, my family went for dinner to see the lion dance. The line dance was definitely the best part of the evening. We never go there any more, especially since there are better options in Wheaton.

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They have not been the same since moving from the old-old Fern Street location. Every time I went, it got worse. Last Chinese New Year, my family went for dinner to see the lion dance. The line dance was definitely the best part of the evening. We never go there any more, especially since there are better options in Wheaton.

I respectfully beg to differ .... somewhat. I've been going to Hollywood East for many years. It does seem the glory days were at Fern Street, but things were still pretty good for a while when they were on University, although the second half of their tenure there showed major slippage. The food at the mall location has been pretty good most of the time, at least as far as what I usually order there goes (e.g., honey walnut shrimp, e fu noodles, steamed ling), but just not consistently at the level it was on Fern and for a while on University. The couple of times I was there for dim sum everyone at my table was satisfied with the quality and variety. They do have their screw-ups . . . e.g., last night had takeout from there and one part of the order was missing. Hate when that happens with takeout ... no real practical remedy.

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Went for a quick Dim Sum lunch at noon. Really looked at the issues... we had two dim sum that were piping hot... they were farking fantastic! As good as the old days. Two were warm... ok to very good, but not great. 2 were coolish or worse. Not good because of temperature but would have been good or better if properly hot. Fried item tasted of cold oil. The front part of the room was full at noon and the back room starting to fill up so lack of busy wasn't all to blame.

We have been having dinner there on the way home somewhat regularly {2x a week} and they have been good but we pick carefully. Cold appetizers, shredded duck & pickled cabbage soup, fresh seafood, deep fried spicy tofu.

So I'd say our experience validates all the recent comments good and bad. We were too in a rush to talk to Janet about the issue, but it seems fixable. Will alert her to this thread because when they are on, they still are on.

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I went a few months after their opening and everything was great. I guess I need to go back and see if they are slipping.

I do *not* enjoy New Fortune at all, but it may have been because I went there during the work week for lunch. HE was my favorite dim sum after I tried it, I hope when I go to re-visit it still lives up to my memories.

I live closer to Fortune/Hong Kong Pearl/China Garden and am not as happy with their fare as with HE.

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My son and I decided to try Hollywood East Cafe again after not having been there in several years.  In a word, we were disappointed.  It had become too "White Americanized" was the way we put it.  There was nothing that was "unusual" like we get at other dim sum places.  There were not duck feet, chicken feet, jelly fish, etc.  When the cart with tripe came around, we were never told that it was available, she just asked if we were interested in the congee.  All the servers described what was in the dumplings, etc. instead of saying what they were.  I've eaten enough dim sum to know what zing gau, siu mai, char siu bao, fun gor, har gow, etc. are.  I also like to try different and exotic things that many Americans don't.  However, there were not any there.  The most exotic dish was the tripe, and as I said, we weren't even offered it.  What was available was ok, but nothing special.  This is nothing like what HWEOTB used to be, and is not nearly as interesting as even Good Fortune just down the street.  At least at Good Fortune, nobody thought that just because we were not Chinese they didn't have to let us know about all the dishes available.  We won't be back, there are plenty of other dim sum places to go where the food is better, and the selection much more interesting.

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My sister was home and it is her favorite- so we had lunch at Hollywood East on Sunday... Mother's Day. We never go on Sundays because it is busier let alone a holiday, but they did an amazing job with all the celebrants there.  We arrived about noon and were seated at 12:35.  We may have gotten our favorites, FASTER than usual. Even better than our usual visits, everything was hot because it was getting pulled off the carts so fast. We had: har gow, shu mai, sticky rice in lotus leaf, steamed pork buns, chicken with ginger dumplings, fried shrimp with eggplant, fried taro dumplings, and chinese broccoli with oyster sauce. I noticed some of the more labor intensive dishes were not circulating as much, like the rice noodle crepes, but that makes sense given what needed to come out of the kitchen. I mentioned to one of the son's how well it seemed to be going and he said they were down 2 staff from their normal Sunday team.

The key may to be to go when it is crazy busy- or totally quiet and you order from the menu.

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I was the last one to write here- but for a pandemic update..

I was fortunate enough to receive my covid vaccines at the cvs next to wheaton plaza (as I will always call it.) Hollywood East has an IMPRESSIVE contact free system. I almost don't want to share because it is so great. but you will not be near people. There are video screens and electronics involved.

In any case, I realized when I looked (while waiting after my shot) that you can get dumplings any time... not just lunch hours. I drove mine 40 min home, so they were not as good as right out of the steamer, but that is my issue not theirs- and it still hit the spot.

They are my favorite dim sum spot, and if I were closer.. I'd get dumplings al the time. I will go more frequently and I am glad they are still there. If I am nearby- I am glad to know I can get them after 3 pm. I got har gow, chicken ginger dumplings, and shrimp toast (treat yourself after a shot, right ?)

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We've been here a few times over the last month or so for dim sum in the dining room, and it's been fantastic. 

I thought I'd miss the carts, but the easy online ordering system, and the fresh items clearly being made to order changed my thinking. 

I'd prefer few more vegetable options...most of their vegetables come in a dumpling...but beyond that they hit all the right notes. 

I think the deep fried taro shimp cakes benefit the most from getting rid of the carts. Came to us right out of the fryer, and the taro was shatteringly crispy and hot. 

The only thing I don't like there is their overly dense pork dumplings, but beyond that, we've rarely had anything that we didn't really enjoy. 

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In addition, you can order most of their dim sum at any time. I was in wheaton a few weeks ago and since I am rarely there- picked up 3 dim sum items for dinner (har gow, chicken and ginger dumplings, and shrimp stuffed eggplant.) a nice thing, when I used to limit my visits to only weekends.

 

EDIT- I scrolled up and saw I posted virtually the same thing in 2021. But it holds!

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