It had been roughly a year since my last visit to Eat Joy Food (EJF), so I decided to grab takeout and bring it over to my mom’s place nearby. Upon ordering, I immediately noticed the price increase and a definite decrease in portion sizes. My wife was craving honey walnut shrimp, and the $30 price tag for just 12 small shrimp felt quite steep.
The owner’s demeanor was as consistently gruff as ever, which is almost part of the EJF experience at this point, haha. After placing my order, he directed me to wait on the sofa, mentioning it would be ready in 25 minutes. However, 40 minutes passed before I inquired about my order. It turned out the food had been sitting on the back counter for a good 20 minutes already… a bit of a letdown.
Bringing the food home, my mom asked about my experience. I mentioned the owner’s usual coldness, and she remarked that this was precisely why she had stopped going to Eat Joy Food. She felt the service had significantly declined as the restaurant’s popularity grew. Observing the servers, they did seem to have a rather indifferent attitude towards the tables they were serving.
I even overheard a couple asking a waitress for a good vegetable recommendation. The waitress responded, “I don’t know. I don’t know what vegetables you like,” delivered with a tone of clear annoyance. Quite the customer service moment, lol.
Despite the service issues, we did try a variety of dishes:
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Honey Walnut Shrimp: My wife described it as fine, just average. She wasn’t expecting anything extraordinary from a Taiwanese restaurant known for other specialties.
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Miso Black Cod: This was a highlight. My wife really enjoyed it, praising its flavor and texture. However, my daughter found it too bony, which detracted from her enjoyment.
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Pork and Egg Fried Rice: I personally enjoyed the fried rice. It was prepared in a style reminiscent of Din Tai Fung (DTF), but not quite as “Q” (chewy/springy). In a direct comparison, I would still prefer DTF’s fried rice – it’s better quality and surprisingly, less expensive.
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Bittermelon Salted Egg: I had initially wanted louffah, but a quick, firm “no” from the owner clarified it was out of season. The bittermelon salted egg was a pretty good rendition of the dish, though.
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Three Cup Mixed (Squid/Chicken): My mom felt this dish was lacking. She noted there wasn’t enough chicken skin on the chicken pieces, resulting in a somewhat dry taste.
Despite the mixed experience, I am planning to return to Eat Joy Food soon, hopefully with a larger group. Some friends have expressed interest in trying it out, and I have my eye on some other dishes, like the goose and various soups, that my family doesn’t typically order. Perhaps dining in might offer a different perspective on the service and overall experience at Eat Joy Food.
