East Of China

This restaurant East China on Logan in Waterloo used to be great. Order at the counter, they bring to the table. We did carry out frequently. Sometime around 2009 the quality went downhill badly. The meat is not recognizable. Chicken looks like chicken skin or chicken fat. I am not sure it is even chicken. Could be the skin of something else. Beef does not taste like beef. Pork in the egg rolls resembles fake bacon bits, and is dyed orangish-red. It even seems to have 'hairs' or fibers in it. Today I asked if the chicken was OK and they said yes, but it was bad. Best I can describe is like unfried pork rinds. Fried rice is hard and small as if recooked over and over. Some chemical is being used for flames or heat in the kitchen and it smells like fumes in there. the rice had the same flavor. I have complained twice about the food and a friend has complained once, and they are still consistently bad. If you complain, they will argue with you and not give your money back. Very bad place. No idea what went wrong, as they used to be great. Also the owners babysit their kids in there so you have annoying kids screaming and running around.