While others bustle on B Street and Second Avenue looking for a quality restaurant, Dessert Republic, a few steps away from the movie theater on Main Street in downtown San Mateo, serves customers authentic Hong Kong style dishes. With its casual atmosphere and friendly service, this is the ideal restaurant.

The menu ranges from quick snacks like Steamed Rice Rolls to main courses like Curry Beef Stew Rice. Dishes from Hong Kong offer a different taste at a reasonable price. The flavors and aromas transports one back into Hong Kong cuisine.

I started out with an appetizer, the Fried Calamari. The dish was simple with fresh cut onions on the bottom, followed by the fried calamari on top, and finally, a dash of paprika to give it some spice. My first bite was a crunch followed by the chewy texture of the squid.

Next, I ordered the Che Hou Beef Stew Noodle Soup as my main course. This dish included beef, ramen noodles, green onions, and aniseed. The beef was cooked perfectly and dissolved in my mouth. It tasted like a pot roast with the succulent savor of melted fat mixed in.

Finally, I finished with a Mango Lychee Crepe. The crepe included, mangoes, lychees, vanilla ice cream, Nutella, and whipped cream. The mangoes and lychees surprisingly complimented each other well and tasted like heaven when paired with the vanilla ice cream and Nutella.

Other than spectacular food, Dessert Republic features unique decor and great service. They added to their Hong Kong theme by painting and constructing the walls to resemble shops normally found in Hong Kong. The service was amazing with the food coming out in less than fifteen minutes. The staff made me feel at home and took care of me.

Great food, unique decor, and welcoming service makes Dessert Republic a definite thumbs up.

Rating: 5 out of 5

Price: $$