First Impression

John: The wild thing about Ya Shu Yuen is not that I've never been there before, but that I've never seen it before. It's in the Roswell Market Place plaza and somehow over a two-year period, I've never noticed it. Although that's probably because I've never been to Starbucks, which is one of the main tenants in the plaza (and yes, you read that right, I have never been to a Starbucks. And I made a pact with myself 10 years ago to never go to a Starbucks unless I'm at the original store in Seattle Washington). Alright, Starbucks aside, Ya Shu Yuen had all the decoration of a normal Chinese restaurant which really isn't a lot. However, they did have a fish tank at the door that was filled with fun looking fish. The kids will love this, unless they're afraid of fish, then they will probably hate it.

Tim:  It was raining cats and dogs when we showed up at the place. Which means the restaurant could replenish its meat supply. Haha! Just kidding. But there's nothing like running through 2-inch deep puddles of pollen mud to get from your car to the parking lot. That was a blast. Also, there was no background music on when we got there. I may have mentioned this at some point in the past, but you don't realize how vital background music is at a restaurant until you sit down and don't hear it. It's deafening silence broken only by the gripe-filled office talk at the business lunch three tables away. Someone at the restaurant must have noticed everyone talking in whispers because they quickly turned on a TV that created some good background noise. All that sounds like I'm griping, but the place is quite nice and we were greeted with warm smiles by both the welcome lady and our server. Plus, I don't know who owns Ya Shu Yuen, but I'm pretty sure it's not God. So you can't blame them for the rain.

First Impression: John 7, Tim 7.5

Appetizer

John: To start things off we ordered some Crab Rangoons and since that wasn't enough, we also ordered two cups of soup (Egg Drop and Hot and Sour). Now I wouldn't call myself an Egg Drop soup expert but here's what I think I know: the flavor of the broth is suppose to be kind of plain so that the egg taste stands out. The good news: the broth was plain. The bad news: I didn't really taste any thing that I would call an "egg" flavor. However, Tim's Hot and Sour soup was loaded with plenty of ingredients, including pork and it tasted like someone put some serious time and energy into making it. The Crab Rangoons are good and they're even better with the special "red sauce" that you'll be provided with.

Tim: Unless you really like horseradish, stay away from the "yellow sauce" when eating your rangoons. I presumed it was some sort of basic mustard and went to town just a-dipping my rangoon in it. My first bite promptly ended that practice. I actually like horseradish in certain situations, but I just wasn't expecting it. Being surprised by horseradish is like having your in-laws just pop in unannounced. It really goes a whole lot better when you have time to mentally prepare.

The soup was delicious however. Hot and Sour soup is one my favorite Chinese dishes and it definitely hit the spot on a rainy day.

Hot and Sour Soup: John 8, Tim 9
Egg Drop Soup: John 6, Tim 5
Crab Rangoons: John 7.5, Tim 7

Entrée

John: First, I should probably note that Tim and I visited Ya Shu Yuen for lunch. The lunch menu is a little more limited than the dinner menu and the portions are a little bit smaller. On the other hand, the price is two to four dollars lower per dish. We were in a Disney mood, so we ordered the Snow White chicken. We also got the Beef Brisket and the Five Happiness pork (both of which are only on the lunch menu). Now your first questions is probably going to be, "John, how happy did the Five Happiness Pork make you?" I would have to say about a four happiness. The sauce was light and sweet and it complimented the pork. The Snow White chicken didn't have a ton of flavor, but if you're looking for something healthy, then look no further. The Snow White consists of chicken and a lot of vegetables – lets see, there were carrots, some broccoli, mushrooms and possibly some cucumbers. I have to think that if you ate the Snow White Chicken every day for a month you would lose weight. But lets be honest, no one eats the same dish every day for a month (except for that weirdo Jared from Subway).

Tim: I'll admit we ordered Five Happiness pork strictly because of the name. Neither of us had any idea what we were getting. Same goes for the Snow White chicken. Any time you're in a restaurant and you can order happiness and a Disney princess, you have to take advantage of that opportunity. And they both turned out to be delicious.

Oddly enough, the most normally named dish - the beef brisket - was also the tastiest. The meat was tender, the sauce had a good balance of sweet, tangy and spicy and the veggies were fresh and flavorful. And all of Ya Shu Yuen's entrees come with a heaping helping of white rice, which you can order fried or steamed, so there's plenty of food.

Beef Brisket: John 8, Tim 8
Snow White Chicken: John 7, Tim 6
Five Happiness Pork: John 7.5, Tim 7

Dessert

John: I don't want to say it, but I have to: there was no dessert. No ice cream, no rice pudding, no anything. However, Tim and I were both given fortune cookies and as many of you know, there are 'lucky' numbers on the back of each fortune. Well, Tim and I have both decided to play our numbers in this week's Mega Millions. If we win, you better enjoy this Dining Duo because it will be the last one you ever read (Mainly because I'll be in St. Croix 30 seconds after I win the money, but I promise, I will remember everyone in North Fulton fondly).

Tim: I was pretty bummed out that there was no dessert. Last week we got bailed out of a dessert dilemma by a passing man with an ice cream stroller. This week it was pouring down rain, so that wasn't even a possibility. Then I suggested to Breech that we go over to the Starbuck's for a $5 drink with caramel in it. He got indignant and mumbled something about Seattle. Then he threw my keys into the fish tank when I was in the bathroom. (Okay, that last part's not true, but he's dead serious about never setting foot in a Starbuck's, so don't test him.)

Grade: N/A (Pending outcome of Tuesday's Mega Millions drawing)

Final Impression

John: Right before we left, I decided I should check out the dinner menu (remember, we ordered off the lunch menu). Well, I can now report that the dinner menu has about 100 more options than the lunch menu. With that in mind, if you're going to visit Ya Shu Yuen, I recommend doing it at dinnertime. There is something called the Phoenix and Dragon on the dinner menu that I would order just to find out what it is. Finally, I should probably mention that Ya Shu Yuen sells something that not all Chinese places sell: beer. If you love beer and you love Asian food, then there is no reason you shouldn't visit this place this week. Oh and if my lottery numbers hit on Tuesday, I promise to buy everyone in Roswell some five happiness pork.

Tim: I'll be honest here. I didn't have high expectations for this place going in. But everywhere I turned I was pleasantly surprised. The staff is friendly and eager to serve. The food is tasty, generously portioned and promptly served. And there's no chance to break the bank. We got all of the food in this article for around $25. It's not must-eat dining, but if you're looking for another lunch option or you want to sit down for a nice Chinese dinner, Ya Shu Yuen fits the bill nicely.

Overall: John 7, Tim 7.5