Omnivore - Tasty China coming to Emory area

• www.foodiebuddha.com
• Tasty China 2, Changless but chugging away

Here’s some good news: Tasty China in Marietta will soon be opening a third location in the Emory area, according to Karrina Lissandra, manager of Tasty China 2 in Sandy Springs. The location isn’t clear yet, but it’s great news for the many in-town diners addicted to the restaurants’ Sichuan cuisine.

Those addicts know that the infamously peripatetic Peter Chang was chef at the original Tasty China. Then he left. Then he came back to open “Peter Chang’s” with the Tasty China folks. Last month, he left town again — back to Richmond, Va. — and the restaurant has been renamed Tasty China 2. Chang retains no interest in the restaurant, according to Lissandra.

Got that? Chang’s story is even more complicated, but I won’t confuse you further. Who knew there was a culinary Chinese reality show/soap opera awaiting video cameras? Oh wait. We’re tired of Peter Chang and don’t really want to watch that show.

Lissandra told me that Tasty China 2 is employing five chefs from three areas of China. She also said that the restaurant is undergoing “reconstruction,” in all senses of the word, including re-training of the staff, which had quickly become notorious for its lack of knowledge about the menu.

The restaurant has begun preparing private banquets with custom menus geared to the specific price range of the party. It recently prepared an eight-course meal for members of the Chinese consulate.

Tasty China 2 is located at 6450 Powers Ferry Rd. (678-766-8767).

(I learned about the latest with Tasty China by way of a lunch at Gu’s Bistro. More about that in a later post.)