Chef Zhu 老正兴

We went here for lunch to celebrate a birthday on a weekday. Service was mediocre and so was the food. The place was a little fancier in decor than other Chinese restaurants. Though prices were a bit high for portion sizes and since there was no lunch specials. We did like the hot and sour soup. It has a lot of flavor and they didn't skimp on the ingredients. The kung po chicken and onion pancakes were ok. We did like the eggplant with tofu and the Singapore rice noodle dishes.

Fancier looking Chinese restaurant. The food was ok - the cumin lamb was decent, the chicken with mushroom had no taste and the pan fried buns were definitely defrosted. I would go back with a Shanghai friend to see if the food is legit, otherwise, would not revisit.

It’s not bad Chinese/Shanghai style food. The flavor is okay, but gets the job done for being in the Torrey Highlands area.

The recent addition of Chef Zhu to the Torrey Highlands shopping center has been met with much excitement, and after my visit, I can confidently say that it's a worthy addition to the culinary landscape. Despite initial reservations about its proximity to Joyee's dumplings, I'm delighted to report that Chef Zhu holds its own. We got here Sunday afternoon, I was pleased to find plenty of parking available in the center, making access easy. The restaurant itself has undergone a stylish redesign from its previous incarnation as a BBQ joint, boasting an inviting interior that sets the stage for a memorable dining experience. While the customer service initially left something to be desired – perhaps due to a focus on online orders – the staff proved to be friendly and accommodating once we garnered their attention. Despite being the only patrons at the start of our meal, we found ourselves waiting longer than expected for assistance. However, once attended to, our orders were taken promptly and accurately. As for the food, it did not disappoint. We opted for the Chicken Lo Mein and Orange Chicken, both of which arrived as generous portions bursting with flavor. The Lo Mein, in particular, stood out with its delightful smoky undertones and perfectly cooked noodles. Meanwhile, the Orange Chicken boasted a delightful balance of sweetness and crunch, leaving us eager to explore more of the menu offerings. Overall, Chef Zhu offers excellent value for money, delivering ample portions of high-quality Chinese cuisine in a pleasant setting. While there may be room for improvement in terms of service efficiency, the delicious food more than makes up for any minor shortcomings. I look forward to returning to sample more of their enticing menu offerings.

This place is super authentic Shanghainese food, I’m impressed! We ordered from Hungry Panda APP, and got the food delivered at my door. The whole meal is just very delicious. Everyone enjoyed it. The quantity is pretty big. I order $120 food with tips, and we four just finished a little bit more than half. I totally feel this place is very worthy to give a try if you would love to check out some very authentic Shanghai style food. I highly recommend Lion’s head meatballs and sweet & sour pork ribs, also the scallion oil noodles are pretty tasty as well.