Craving some traditional hearty Chinese food, I decided it was time for me to try a restaurant I’ve had on my food bucket list. Hometown Taste, located in Rancho Bernardo, was opened in January by the mother of Westview alumni and serves Huaiyang Chinese cuisine. 

At the late lunch hour of 2 p.m., I arrived to find a bustle of customers in the restaurant and immediately felt a homey warmth. Despite the slight crowd, I was quickly seated. The service was incredibly friendly and it felt like I was being attended to by my grandmother or an auntie. The waitresses were very welcoming and even offered me a free bowl of rice when I conversed with them in Chinese.

With a wide variety of dishes, from soups to noodles to dim sum, it was difficult to narrow down what I wanted to try. I decided to order Shanghai thick fried noodles, Shanghai xiao long bao, and braised pork with pickled vegetables. 

My mouth watered as my meal came out steaming hot. The food was absolutely delicious. Incredibly rich and well-seasoned, the xiao long bao was full of flavorful soup and the braised pork was very tender. My favorite, the fried noodles, perfectly hit the spot for my cravings. 

With most dishes averaging around $15-20, the restaurant is on the pricier end. However, I believe it is a fair price for the quality of their food. My only critique is that their fried noodles were slightly greasy, but this did not deter me from their delightful taste.

My dinner ended with a full belly and a happy heart. A good meal never fails to lift my mood, and I could foresee Hometown Taste becoming a comfort restaurant for me. I cracked open my fortune cookie and packed my remaining food in to-go boxes, my mouth already watering as I thought about finishing my leftovers later for dinner.

Overall, I greatly enjoyed Hometown Taste and am excited to visit again with my family to try more of their dishes.