China Aston

I’ve never had a problem with the food. I’ve basically had everything on the menu since I have been dinning here since they opened I remember when Amy the owners sons were in grade school now they are both in college.
I have no problem with the food always fresh, not greasy and you never walk away with that gross Chinese food feeling from what I swear is MSG. Literally this is the only Chinese restaurant that doesn’t do this to me.
I also don’t care about the minimum, I get it. You don’t have to eat there and you don’t have to like it. Also? Are you blind? Those warnings for the minimum aren’t hard to miss, AT ALL. So don’t complain. Open your eyes and be observant not stupid.
That all being said. The food is exceptional.
Amy is not, at all. I’m 30 years old and unless I’m in there with my mother/​adult in my family I’m treated like a petulant child. Insulted and ignored all rolled into one. Maybe it’s the cultural gap but she also makes extremely rude comments about what’s being ordered and why I order certain things but when I dine with my mother or any obvious adult in my family I’m treated with the utmost respect. Her behavior is just so uncalled for an irrational I refuse to eat here anymore.
I’m sorry Amy I’m not a child and shouldn’t be treated like one or that I’m doing something wrong. Yes I started coming to your restaurant before I could drive myself but I’m not paying for this abuse and its a shame I bring anyone I know who wants Chinese food to your restaurant even if it means driving from newtown square to Aston and passing 7 (yes I counted) other Chinese restaurants who I’m sure would give me better service and wouldn’t act like I was doing something wrong by being there.
Your tofu teriyaki is the best I’ve ever had but it’s just not worth this abuse, Amy.
Your attitude is as important as your husbands excellent culinary skills.

It would probably be useful if Unilocal separated dining in experiences from those of take out, as the issues are very different. But, until it does, the combined reviews will continue to skew the results in a negative direction in most circumstances.
So it is for China Aston, a fairly nice small Chinese resto in Aston, Pa., although there is another unique issue that applies only to how this house is managed.
When we walked in the three of us planned to have one person have dinner because she was hungry before a long drive across the state. The other two of us wanted to sit with her and perhaps have an app or soup because we had eaten before meeting up with her nearby. We discovered a sign on every table that said their was an $ 8 minimum to dine in, and a $ 5 min to take out. That meant to us that we would not be served unless all of us ordered more than we wanted, or got unnecessary take out to keep them happy. Inquiring of the owner/​manager of our circumstances was met with a blank stare and repetition of the House Rules.
We didn’t have time to look for another place to eat, and although wooden, we did not want to violate their demands. So, I ordered some Orange Chicken and Pork Dumplings for Take Away, and one dish of Steamed Veggies and Rice for immediate consumption. This satisfied the dowager, and we just grinned and bore it.
Turns out the Veggie dish while fresh and presented in a bamboo steamer, was bland and needed augmentation. No Sesame Oil here, only some form of Chili Sauce. When I returned home and went after the Chicken and Dumplings, I found very ordinary fare, with a thickish coating on the meat, and goopy mildly hot sauce at the bottom of the container. The fried Dumplings were adequate, but not really hot enough to appreciate its apex taste and texture. Everything was just meh.
The final choice of 2 stars comes from the complete absence of customer concern displayed by the house mother. Rules were rules, and would not be bent or compromised for any reason. In truth, this restaurant felt more like a school lunch program run by a cold and uncaring matriarch.
Maybe that’s why the place was practically empty on a Monday evening.
Regardless, my shadow will not touch its door again.

Have you ever seen the movie Terminator, the part where he beats that guy to a pulp and when he gets back up Arnold completely breaks him in half? That’s kind of what this lady will do to you if you try and order «crunchy noodles» for dine in. You can’t get them, and she won’t sell them to you. If you really want a good laugh, go sit down and try and order them. They’re free, but YOU can’t have them unless you dine out. The last time I got yelled at this bad, my ex-​wife found me canoodling with our 19 year old nanny…

This is possibly the best Chinese restaurant in the area. The service is good and the food is excellent. We’ve eaten here 3 times and had all positive experiences. The Kung Pao shrimp, Special Mei Fun, Vegetable Fried rice, Steamed dumplings Garlic Mixed vegetables were all as good as any place in China Town. The owner, Amy (Ya Ping) even has a great sense of humor. Only negative is no delivery. We highly recommend!

This is my 2^nd attempt at China Aston Inn — this time I placed a $ 40 take out order (I did not call it in — just sat and waited for it — took about 12 minutes).
When I arrived on a Monday night at 5:40 PM — again — the place was EMPTY.
So empty that there was no staff — so I said «Hello? Anybody Here?» a couple of times and finally a lady came out and took my order. She seems a bit pissed off at first and I wonder if it was the same woman from before. This time I was able to soften her up a bit.
The food itself was fresh and hot when i got it home — chicken with String Beans and wonton soup were good.
Other dishes — not great — the Kung Pao was loaded to excess with water chestnuts and mushrooms. Hardly any peanuts — and not very spicy even though we wanted spicy and asked for it that way.
Orange Beef was better — that one we asked for mild so our 9 year old could eat it — and she liked it. (Fried, dark meat chicken chunks).
Not a holy grail — but a change-​up from our usual Chinese place.
The place is always deserted — and maybe the odd service vibe and mediocre food is why?

Great food, decent price, be aware of the dine in order requirements before you sit down. there is a minimum purchase required per diner.