China Sea@ Bella Vista Hotel, Cobh

I’m not a fan of Asian restaaurants in the “West”. By that, I mean Europe and the US. Be they Indian, Chinese, Thai or Japanese, I am almost always guaranteed a disappointment. We’re all familiar with the neon orange concoctions, the thick, bland wallpaper pastes, unexciting puddles of grease and the hard, glutenous lumps of rice. I really have had enough. I’m tired of being overcharged for mediocre fayre. I’m fed up of that unpleasant bloated feeling I get from a dish thats been poisoned with MSG. When using fresh ingredients, MSG is completely unnecessary. On a recommendation, we went for dinner at the China Sea restaurant in the beautiful Bella Vista Hotel, Cobh. The building is steeped in history. We were seated promptly, and may I say, the service was efficient. I was uninspired and unexcited by anything available.The usual, generic fayre was on offer. I ordered Kung Po Chicken, and the others ordered Roast Duck Cantonese Style and a King Prawn Curry. M dish was flavourless and flat, the curry was okay at best and the duck was totally overcooked, and had been deep fried not roasted. I am disappointed in a restaurant, that despite their gorgeous location, with its stunning views, they serve food unworthy of such majestic panorama.My appetite for Asian restaurants, remains at the bottom of the China Sea.