Star East

"I visited Star East on Wednesday (2/13) and it was unusually quiet for lunch hour. I took advantage of this and changed my to-go order to dine-in. Sure, after some discussion over string beans (and the apparent lack of fresh ones across The South), I pointed to a picture on the interior wall of the establishment and asked for tofu with garlic sauce. This was in addition to an order of a small hot and sour soup and white rice. In total, I thought $18 (including tip) was a little pricey. Since I am aware that a lot of Chinese Fast Food restaurants don't cook authentic dishes for their customers as they do for themselves, "American-Chinese" food generally caters to either White or Black people's tastes. Part of this is rooted in certain biases, it largely depends on the demographic of the establishment's location. This of course is a two-way street. Hence, the common attitude that what makes Chinese food Chinese is Chinese people. This would be a misnomer, because not every American can cook period. Because of this, these Chinese fast food joints can get away with skimping on the quality of the food they serve. As one who is aware of this, I generally indulge in American-Chinese from time-to-time, and even then I would do a franchise like Chin-Chin which has a new balance of food quality and authenticity and the flexibility to offer restaurant or fast-food service. This day, stuck in Mableton, Star East trumps New Han's across the street any day. I was graciously served my food by the hostess, and right off the bat, the white rice didn't look so white. Having been married to a Vietnamese, having learned Mandarin as well as Chinese culture to a certain extent, I know rice. I even know cooked, uneaten rice will yellow if left in the rice cooker for a period of time, which is often repurposed—because in most Asian cultures, rice is never allowed to waste. But the rice I was served was just cheap rice, easy to dress up as "fried rice". NOTE: Don't except "it's sushi rice" as an explanation for bad rice. Moreover, the clean look of the tofu and garlic in the picture I pointed to (which the dish appears steam or lightly sauteed) was not what I received. I received fried tofu, because the more inexpensive tofu is too soft to hold up to heating, so it is always fried. (Expect push back if requesting the tofu be steam or unfried.) The veggies in the dish were okay, but obviously the garlic sauce was a miss. Either that, or the picture is misleading or the establishment is misrepresenting its menu. The hot and sour soup saved the lunch. Still, while the food was savory and hearty, I should have held on to it, or at least my stomach should have. But it didn't. A few hours later, I was flushing it down the toilet. If I didn't have the social experience of being regarded as a dog or animal and certain people trying to control or manipulate my choices or indoctrinate or associate to created bad experiences, I would have chalked it to "bad Chinese". However, in but some past comments, I am convinced the food was tainted as to cause defecation. But to be fair, Star East isn't the only eatery or food establishment in Mableton, let alone in the metro-Atlanta area, that is harming people's health on behalf of hate and ignorance. NOTE: I had returned to Star East to get a sense of its atmosphere during evening hours. It was the kind of busy one expects if it was lunch, and based on other reviews, if the food was truly hitting then I could understand it being busy in the evening. However, the food is just "hai hao le". So so. What I witnessed in the evening was an effort to convince me it was just bad Chinese. But such support is routine in trying to manipulate one's reality."

"I don't usually write reviews but I had to for for this place. This is a very brightly lit takeout spot. Ordered General Tso's chicken, which is supposed to be spicy. It had no spice, no flavor, and no vegetables. Just deep fried chicken pieces and tasteless fried rice. Egg rolls were bland. Waste of money. Threw it in the trash. Service was OK but I won't be back, lost my business."

"This is a solid spot! There aren’t too many great take-out Chinese restaurants in the area, but Star East is our favorite in Mableton. Always has been correct with our order, solid food, good value. Not really an atmosphere where you eat though; would recommend as a take out-only option."

"I’m new to Georgia and have been looking for a go to Chinese restaurant. I’ve passed Star East almost daily on my way to work, so I figured I’d give them a try. The first thing I noticed is that they had a health department score of 100 A. As I walked into the small restaurant ( I’d wager they can’t seat more than 20) I was impressed by how spotless the place is. I’m guessing they do mainly takeout, hence the small dining area. Any way I ordered the small hot and sour soup, shrimp egg rolls, Mongolian beef to take to work. Everything was fresh, hot, and delicious. The lady working the counter was very friendly, and apologized for the delay in my order. Which was a LOT faster than I’m used to back home I really enjoyed my meal, and will definitely be back"