Chinese place for Chinese New Year

I organize a dinner club that choses a new restaurant around town to try each month. We have been in existence about 3 years and have tried a lot of restaurants recommended by folks on this forum!

This month I want to "celebrate" Chinese New Year with this group by going to a really good Chinese restaurant. I am going with friends who like good food but who are not "foodies" so I would not say they are extremely adventurous eaters. It helps if the ambience of the place is warm and inviting. Also we like to go places where the price point it $20 or less for an entree. Any suggestions? I know many of you like Red Pepper but are there any other suggestions?

Thanks!

Amy

[Robin Garr]

I know many of you like Red Pepper but are there any other suggestions?

Red Pepper.

Oriental House in St. Matthews and Jasmine in Middletown are good, too, but Red Pepper, with its chef who was a long-time cook in Chinese embassies around the world, really knows how to put on parties and special events, and they have menus for both adventurous eaters and the more wary.

Absolute second for Red Pepper- wonderful food and very nice service.

I am not anti Red Pepper at all, I have had only excellent meals there, but I do favor Jasmine, mainly because it is within walking distance of my home. However you said

I am going with friends who like good food but who are not "foodies" so I would not say they are extremely adventurous eaters. It helps if the ambience of the place is warm and inviting

I think the food is quite comparable but the ambience wins hands-down. (It has just moved two doors south of its old cramped quarters and is now quite spacious and "up-town.")

You didn't say how many are in your group, but Jasmine also has one of its three round-susan tables in a small private room. Not that you have to end up eating there but I would certainly stop by and talk with Lan, the owner, before making a final decision.

You may also want to read the review that Marty Rosen wrote shortly after Jasmine moved into the new location.
http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20091128/SCENE02/911280329/1011/Restaurant+Review+%7C+Jasmine+Chinese+Cuisine

Bumping for my own interest.

Tried Red Pepper and it was okay. I tried general tso's chicken which is my go to dish, it wasn't bad but it wasn't something memorable for me. I'll probably try it again just in case it was an off day and I'd have to agree the service was fantastic.

Tried Yang Kee Noodle, omg bad...how do they stay open? Everything we ordered, lettuce wraps, 2 different soups and 2 different entrees all had some red oil in them and they all tasted the same, thought it might have been chili oil but it tasted like aspartame.

Anyone try Eggroll Machine/Cafe Mimosa since it reopened? Will have to check out Jasmine, that's in reasonable distance from here.

Tried Red Pepper and it was okay. I tried general tso's chicken which is my go to dish, it wasn't bad but it wasn't something memorable for me.

General Tso's chicken is not really Chinese, but if that is the kind of "Chinese" food you are looking for I would go to Jade Palace. They do a good mix of Americanese and Chinese.

http://www.jadepalacelouisville.com/
1109 Herr Ln
Louisville, KY 40222
(502) 425-9878

[Robin Garr]

Tried Red Pepper and it was okay. I tried general tso's chicken which is my go to dish, it wasn't bad but it wasn't something memorable for me. I'll probably try it again just in case it was an off day and I'd have to agree the service was fantastic.

You REALLY need to ask for the authentic Chinese menu at Red Pepper. There's amazing stuff on it, and it's in English so you can easily skip the intestine and organ-meat dishes if you want to.

Honestly, when people order from the "American menu" at these places, the chef is going to assume that they want something a little bland. Red Pepper's claim to fame is its authentic menu, and so many of the dishes on it are soooo worth exploring.

Tried Red Pepper and it was okay. I tried general tso's chicken which is my go to dish, it wasn't bad but it wasn't something memorable for me. I'll probably try it again just in case it was an off day and I'd have to agree the service was fantastic.

You REALLY need to ask for the authentic Chinese menu at Red Pepper. There's amazing stuff on it, and it's in English so you can easily skip the intestine and organ-meat dishes if you want to.

Honestly, when people order from the "American menu" at these places, the chef is going to assume that they want something a little bland. Red Pepper's claim to fame is its authentic menu, and so many of the dishes on it are soooo worth exploring.

Unique Chicken Smell and Mouth Watered Chicken are awesome.

[Robin Garr]

Unique Chicken Smell and Mouth Watered Chicken are awesome.

Totally agree. And Pan Fried Tofu with spinach is one of the best meatless dishes I've ever eaten. Eggplant with shredded pork. Cumin lamb and special ginger lamb! Dry chili chicken, and crispy duck. Ma po to fu! You really can't miss. When we had the big HotBytes forum offline there, they even got us to try dishes like spicy hot pepper shredded pork stomach ... don't knock it if you haven't tried it.

Here's my report on that offline, by the way. It lists a lot of favorite dishes:
http://www.louisvillehotbytes.com/secre ... or-me-chef

Cumin lamb rocks almost as much as the tendons.

We had the "Chinese style" Twice cooked pork. YUM.