Today we had the pleasure of dining at East Taste Cafe which was first established in 2003 on Gouger st, the heart of Adelaide's China Town. It was relatively empty when we walked in but it was still very early but most of the tables had "reserved" signs on them. In fact, by the time we were leaving every table was full and there was a lot of good eating being had! The dining room was definitely very clean and that normally gives me confidence in the food that's going to come out of the kitchen. Our waiter was just so adorable he could have sold us anything! He was happy to engage in a bit of non intrusive small talk and we just thought he was so cute we had a photo with him. Such a lovely man and definitely an asset to this place. We decided to order a few different things from the menu and share. We started with a serve each of the Shallot Cake. All I can say is "wow"! They were seemingly so simple, yet so full of flavour. The outer pastry was crunchy and light while the inside was gooey and full of the gorgeous shallot taste. I'm so glad we opted for a serve each! Just looking at that picture is making me wish I was eating them again. Not too sure about the carrot and cabbage on the side. I just think it's better to have nothing than to have something that can only work as a "filler". There was no dressing on it, just a bit of colour on the side. That's a very minor criticism though! This was really a great way to start our meal. We chose three items to share, Coriander Chicken, Sizzling Black Pepper Beef and Vegetarian Fried Rice. I must confess, I had to stop myself from gobbling it all up myself instead of sharing. Every dish was just so full of flavour and made you want to eat more and more. First the chicken... I know some people don't like Coriander. I don't get it, but I know it. This was very heavy on the coriander which just lifted this dish. The chicken was tender and everything else on this plate just married so nicely together. My favourite of the night though was definitely the sizzling beef. Our waiter brought it to our table and did the final preparations before placing it down, sizzling heavily, on our table. It smelt so divine!!! And honestly, I don't know how they get their beef to be so tender! It was just a pleasure to eat. It was definitely a different flavour combination to the chicken, yet was equally, if not more flavoursome in its own way. I could have had double this serve on my own but had to show restraint! The mushrooms were definitely a stand out. Finally the fried rice was again, just perfect fried rice. Again I tried to think of what they could have done to improve it and really, there was nothing! It was not too full of ingredients and there was a slight smokiness to it all. I could have had a full serve of this to myself too!! We were really in raptures over everything and as mentioned, by the time we left, the place was full and buzzing! I'm glad we'd got there early, enabling us to have a bit of a chat with our waiter. The fact that he was passionate about the food they produce was evident. I really can't wait to go back again!

Great Chinese food at a reasonable price. The food is consistently good with a great selection of dishes to suit anyone. The staff are always friendly and accommodating and the place is always busy. Standout dishes for me are the Silver Thread Loaf, Crispy Beef and Garlic Butter Pork Chop.

My vego friend and I had dinner here on a Saturday night and despite the fact that it was a weekend at 7.30pm and the place was jumping we were immediately seated with menus in front of us ready to be perused. A waitress was with us minutes after we were seated and took our orders; we ordered a carafe of wine, some honey chicken for my omnivore appetite and a plate or greens and salt and pepper egg plant for my herbivore buddy. 3 minutes later we were served our wine (flavoursome without being too strong on taste) and some water and 5 minutes after that our food arrived - super efficient service for such a busy and clearly popular place. The servings are quite large and certainly pack a punch with taste. The honey chicken was delicious but the meal that made me put East Taste down as a place to return was my friends Salt and Pepper Eggplant. The flavours went so well together and the egg plant was not stodgy or dry but perfectly cooked. The rice came in a metal pot to keep it warm and we were provided with separate bowls to scoop it into. My friend and I had mastered the use of chopsticks that they provide on the table when you arrive but they also subtly provide you with western cutlery with your meal which I thought was a nice touch. The prices are super reasonable and you leave the cafe with a very happy and full belly. Definitely returning!

I have eaten here dozens of time, and every time I love the food. My favourite dish is the black pepper beef and sizzling venison. There special fried rice is amazing and doesn't have the frozen vegetables like some other Chinese restaurants, it contains nice pieces and prawn, you could almost have this as a main it is so good. All dishes are in sensible proportions, not too big or too small, they are served quickly and without fuss. Don't expect everything to come out in order and at the same time as they are cooked fresh. Service is very good and they have never made any mistakes, really quick and attentive. If you are in the mood for great Chinese, this is the place a great price.

Cheap eats on Gouger nom nom nom. I think they've lifted their game since I was here a few months back with a noticeable improvement in the quality. The veggie dishes are delicious, you've gotta try the shallot cake and the salt and pepper eggplant (plus everyone I know who has been here raves about it). Cost: Dinner for two with entree $42!

If it's a cheap and cheerful meal you're looking for, East Taste Cafe is a solid choice for quick and easy Chinese food. I came here with a group and we purchased some wine next door for BYO, but then discovered that the same bottle was on the menu for only $2 more, so unless you have something special to open I would just wing it and choose off the menu. The much-raved about shallot cakes were definitely a winner. Which was a relief, because their dumplings are absolutely terrible. Possibly the worst dumplings I've ever had and they were served with soy, not dumpling vinegar. If I were to ever come back, I'd skip the dumplings and go straight for the shallot cakes. Another dish that compensated for the shoddy dumplings was the mapo tofu - really tasty. It's served with chicken not pork surprisingly, but we all enjoyed it. All in all, a tad hit and miss but I want to give it just a bit more than 3 stars because if it's Chinatown style food you're after, you're unlikely to be disappointed.

Shallot cake, BBC (broad bean curd), salt and pepper eggplant and rice. Last meal material. ++++ VEGAN FRIENDLINESS -- Plenty of options. There is a whole "vegetable" section on the menu. Just ask them to not use oyster sauce on some of the things. If in doubt, take my recommendation and go the three dishes above (^^^).

East Taste Cafe is never my first choice when I'm in the mood for Chinese food. But it's the next best thing, and a worthy alternative when I'm not feeling my usual places. It's always really hard writing about places that are neither brilliant, nor horrible. I suppose that's a good thing in this case, as there's nothing to complain about. The food is delicious, and the service is excellent. It's just not a restaurant I'd rave to my friends about. It can get really busy on weekends, but if you don't mind sitting a few inches from the next table in the outdoor dining area, then you shouldn't encounter any problems. I must say though, Chloe's description of the Sizzling Peppercorn Kangaroo has me second-guessing myself, and I'm considering going back purely to try that dish. East Taste is also apparently vegan friendly. I've got a friend that swears by this place, and whilst I myself could never have the courage to take on being a vegan, I like the fact that I could come here with non-meat eaters and please everybody.