Chef Yu's / YuYu Za Zang - 3919 Telegraph Ave

I'll note that we've actually eaten at this place twice now due to the really awesome fried rice and the homemade noodles.

This place has both Korean and Chinese food. I didn't realize that it was a Korean chef and that the noodle side of the menu was Korean food (not having had Za Zang before), but I was in the mood for soup and took a cue from the cartoon of Chef Yu making noodles that udon soup would be a good choice.

The PIC ordered pork dumplings, fried rice and some sort of chicken (we don't remember, and we lost the receipt).

The atmo inside is lacking - not as lacking as New Big Daddy's, but not somewhere you necessarily want to sit down and hang out. Takeout is probably the best bet here.

What we ordered (we'll combine both trips): Vegetarian udon soup, pork dumplings, chicken something, Hot and Sour soup, fried rice, Za Zang.
Service: friendly
Atmo: Chinese take-out
Crowd: the neighborhood
Spent: around $30.00
Overall rating: 4 sporks

We give Chef Yu's 4 sporks primarily for freshness. The ingredients seem fresher and cleaner than most Chinese food, and the fried rice was really delicious and not remotely greasy.

The Hot 'n Sour soup wasn't particularly hot or sour. It was good, but not a standout. The chicken was pretty good too; both these dishes merit a 3.

The pork dumplings were delicious and come with a dipping sauce that really brings out the flavor. They taste homemade, and we ordered them on both trips.

The noodles come separate from whatever you're putting them in - both zazang and udon soup had them packaged separately. I liked this because it means they don't leech starch while you're in transit, but if you wait too long they become a gluey mess and you have to throw them in water to have them separate and be able to be sauced (which is what happened on the Za Zang trip).

I've heard Za Zang described as Korean Mac 'n Cheese, and I can see why. This is starchy, slippery comfort food at its finest. I got the regular $4.95 Za Zang, not the made-to-order one (Yelp advised that the $2 price difference isn't worth it). I loved this dish, though I don't generally eat pasta as a main course. The PIC didn't like this dish - something about the black bean sauce struck her as "weird" and "ew."

The Udon tasted really healthy - the vegetables were fresh, the broth was clear and clean and this would be a perfect soup if one were feeling under the weather.

Overall, we were impressed by Chef Yu and glad to find a place where both of us have a couple stand-by orders on the menu.