If you’re in the mood for Chinese food and have limited transportation, Pinecrest Plaza’s Hunan Kitchen is the place for you.  Unfortunately, the restaurant is not great and many other options would likely offer better dining experiences. The dull strip-mall exterior matches the interior and the whole experience overall.

The standard Chinese menu does not impress, but provides an overall solid Americanized cuisine. The lengthy menu is fairly impressive, offering most if not all typical Chinese restaurant options.  However, standard entrees such as General Tso’s Chicken are lackluster.  Non-rice and non-noodle dishes come with white rice, fairly average for this type of restaurant.

The service is where the overall experience falls through.  Dishes took between 10 and 30 minutes to be delivered, a problem if you’re in a hurry.  Additionally, servers took away plates before the food was finished.  Hunan Kitchen’s décor is seriously lacking and fails to provide a comfortable place for eating.

For Jefferson students, the most appealing factor of Hunan Kitchen is its location at Pinecrest Plaza.  The possible change of pace from other local restaurants is also appealing, but the cuisine does not offer a big enough draw to make it worth it.  Hunan Kitchen charges around $10 for entrees, which is slightly higher than most other local restaurants.

Hunan Kitchen serves adequate Chinese food within easy walking distance of TJ.  If you have the absolute craving for Chinese food, Hunan Kitchen does the job, otherwise it is likely to be a rather disappointing experience.

The Verdict:

Food quality: 3/5

Cost: 3/5

Location: 5/5

Service: 2/5

Overall: 3.25/5