Ho Ho Choy

This is Food Ninja reporting for go gin chow commenting on a tasteful dim sum restaurant called Ho Ho Choy in Tampa. The prices were reasonable and the decor was nice and updated, way better than the last time I was there the dim sum was so good and filling. You definitely wont be hungry. Service was a little rusty, needs work. The servers need to be more attentive being busy is not an excuse to check on your customers. Well ok, back to the food, all in all the food was great. That is what kept me there. Honestly every little dim sum container that came to our table as nice and hot and flavorful and gave my taste buds lots of joy. Now if they can get a better service system this would right on spot. The decor is upbeat and clean. I felt good sitting at my table while I waited for our food. Definitely a place to go eat at. Take from the food ninja you will be back for more. As I always say, please enjoy!

Shadow Here.  Great place for Dim Sum.   The place can get busy though and with the handful of servers you may not always get the attention you deserve, though they were friendly and helpful when you could wave them down. Food is superb. Lots to choose from.  Everything tasted freshly made.  The skins on all the dumplings were tender and not too thick.  Steamed spareribs had a nice flavor to them similar to Pho broth.  The duck had to be the best Chinese style roast duck I have had in a while and definitely one of the reasons to come here, flavor was not too gamey, lots of meat not too much bone or fat and the skin was crispy.  The stuffed bean curd and stuffed tofu were both disappointing, cooked with similar sauce, they were bland and you can get better renditions of these elsewhere.  Bathrooms are clean.  All in all, solid choice to satisfy that Dim Sum craving.

                                              Ho Ho Choy
                                              1441 E. Fletcher Avenue Suite 125,
                                              Tampa, Florida,  33612
                                               Phone: (813)962-2159 / (813)962-2290

Shrimp Wonton Soup

Beef Tripe

Pan Fried Shrimp Dumplings w. Chives

Fried Shrimp Ball

 Stuffed Tofu

Stuffed Bean Curd Skin

Shrimp Dumplings

Shrimp Dumplings w. Chive

Fried Mixed Dumpling

1/4 Roast Duck

Water Spinach w. Garlic Sauce

Steamed Spare Ribs

Beef Ball

Ha Long Bay

Go gin chow restaurant reviews by the food ninja, here is my take on a place in St. Petersburg  Florida on 34th street exit 28  called Ha Long Bay. Good place for dim sum. There they keep it authentic in the way that they serve the dim sum from stainless steel carts that is pushed around by the servers and they bring the carts by your table and explain and show you whats in each little container so you have the privilege to choose what you would  like to eat and you have a pretty good selection and what ever you can not find on the carts you can also order from their extensive menu. They give the menu to you when they politely seat you. The decor inside is modern day. It has open lay out, but you feel kind of in your own world when you are seated. The bathrooms very clean and also carry the same modern day decor. Back to the food and the prices and service - the food is hot and delicious and appealing to the eye and taste buds each container of food has its own distinct flavor and all of them very good. You will be happy to know the prices are reasonable, the location is not bad, but parking can be hard because you have to enter the right way into the parking lot in order to park your car right. The other down fall that day was our waitress was rude and pushy like she was trying to rush us out of there. Luckily for her the food was great, but it seemed like the other waitresses were polite and courteous from what I observed. Well maybe she was having a bad day. Anyways our visit was good aside from that so I would recommend this restaurant to anyone going to the St. Pete area. I am food ninja, as I always say enjoy.

Fried Stuffed Bean Curd Skin

Various Dim Sum - clockwise from top left: steamed pork spare ribs, pork stomach, steamed stuffed bean curd skin, beef tripe

Left - Beef Tendon, Right - Tofu Dumplings

Shrimp and Crab Dumplings

Golden Pheonix

Welcome to go-gin-chow restaurant reviews. Tonight I will be giving my review on a local Tampa place called The Golden Phoenix. It is a Chinese/Vietnamese restaurant that serves up some good food that I think is priced reasonable. The pho soup, which is a Vietnamese noodle soup, which there are a good amount of  different types of pho soups to pick from. The soup comes in a nice big bowl and for a little extra money you can add more ingredients and the broth is very good and everything is fresh.  The menu is pretty extensive so you have plenty of authentic Chinese/Vietnamese dishes to choose from, each one delicious in its own way. The atmosphere is nice there are a lot of bright colors that catch the eye but it's not overwhelming. Clean bathrooms, but small.  They have a good assortment of condiments to help you put your own little twist to enhance the  flavors of your food, but try not to over do it then that's on  you. They also have good dim sum.  Personally I really didn't like the curry squid it was bland and the curry that the squid  was served in was too watery there for I would not recommend it, but everything else was appetizing and gave your taste buds a wake up call. Now on to the service. The service can very from one visit  to the next so its not really consistent but the food is so if you want good Chinese food and your in the area of a Dale Malebry north of Raymond James  stadium and you don't mind getting ok service that can vary then this is your place for you. Take it from me,  I am ninja you wont be disappointed.  Eat well. Let me know your thoughts. Thank you.

                                                     Crab and Fish Maw Soup

                                            Beef Pho (With Extra Tripe and Tendon)

                                                Curry Squid (Dim Sum Menu)

                                            Steamed Spare Ribs (Dim Sum Menu)