Cafe 101 – Pretty Darn Basic

Considering the funky digs and quirky menu, I expected to be surprised and delighted by Cafe 101. However, as the name suggests, it was pretty basic and, unfortunately, not busy at all on a Saturday night. In the span of 10 minutes, my dining partner and I were asked no less than six times if we were ready to order (by about four different individuals), even though our faces were clearly still planted in the lengthy menu.

When we were finally ready, we settled on the mapo tofu, basil chicken (recommended by one of our many waiters) and dan dan noodles. The tofu, very soft and in a red sauce with tiny bits of pork, was perfectly fine but lacked zing. The basil chicken had great flavor, but lots of fatty, unsavory bits that turned me off. For me, the dan dan noodles took the prize for the tastiest dish on the scene.

While I’ve typically seen dan dan noodles filled with lots of good stuff including pork, scallions, chilis, etc., these noodles came quite naked with just a thin red sauce. Fortunately, their flavor made up for the lack of ingredients. This was one of those dishes I could have easily hoarded for myself and went to town on until sick to my stomach. But again, it’s just a bowl of noodles, pretty basic stuff.

One of the things I’d heard touted a few times about Cafe 101 was its great selection of shaved ice desserts. While the online menu boasted several pages to choose from, the restaurant now only offers a few choices, displayed by a very sad-looking menu on each table. After carefully reviewing it when we first arrived, and then again when we were finished with the entrees, I decided to take a pass.

On the way out of the restaurant, I spied a large party sharing some of my other faves from China – namely, bitter melon soup and salt & pepper pork. However, considering the uninspired service and lack of consistency, I think I’m going to continue shopping around for stellar renditions of these classics instead of returning to Cafe 101.

(I am happy to report that the leftovers did taste a bit more full-flavored the day after, having had a chance to marry and marinate. But with so many restaurants I still need to try in Atlanta, they really need to get it right the first time to garner my repeat business.)