China Phoenix Has Seen Better Days

by Anthony Capretta
(Bexley, OH)

Having been a regular (2-3 time) weekly customer since 1992. On July 8, 2008, I made a conscious decision to stop patronizing this restaurant due to a drastically changing clientele that has become so disturbing that I no longer enjoy a quiet meal there. The management appears to now be catering to a "neighborhood" bar crowd that echoes throughout the dining room with fowl language, boisterous conversation and questionable activities. In addition, the food as become somewhat inconsistent in quality; yet the menu prices have increased; the service fair at best; and the cleanliness and upkeep of the restaurant often not good--especially the restrooms. My last several visits were quite disturbing as I walked into a dining room full of uncleared tables with one waitress or waiter serving while management only stood by without assisting to help. Frankly, I cannot believe this is happening at this place. I approached the owner about the noise coming from the bar--he seemingly was disconcerned. The last night there, Wednesday July 9, 2008, I was not only witness to a bar fight (do you believe it...in a Chinese restaurant?) but to another distressed regular patron (a middle-aged white women dining alone) who shared her observations of seeing illegal activities taking place in the bar--and too has seen the decline of the restaurant. I ask myself, why would management permit its long time regular customers to experience such dissatisfaction? Well, I won't be back there again...so now I'm off to my new find...The China Bell in Grove City...a wonderfully clean restaurant with excellent service and great food!