With several locations around the Bay Area, Mamahuhu is serving up modern takes on Chinese American favorites in a fast casual setting.

The concept comes from chef Brandon Jew, best known for his Michelin starred Mister Jiu’s and cocktail forward Moongate Lounge in San Francisco. Mamahuhu’s original location has been open for a few years now and we’d been meaning to check it out especially since one of Tommaso’s old coworkers happens to be the R&D chef there. As a fast casual spot, you order at the counter, grab a number, and they bring out your food once it’s ready.

The menu keeps things simple but nostalgic; think beef and broccoli, sweet and sour chicken, and their popular fried chicken sandwiches with a creative twist.

Egg Rolls (7.5/10).

We started with the egg rolls, classic, crispy, and satisfying. Nothing groundbreaking but sometimes that’s exactly what you want.

Pineapple Bun Chicken Sandwich (8.5/10).

Their signature fried chicken sandwich comes on a pineapple bun (a sweet crackly topped bun that gets its name from the pineapple like pattern on top). There are three flavor options: Honey Hawthorn, Tingly Spicy, and Super Savory and we went with the Honey Hawthorn. The fried chicken was perfectly juicy inside and crispy outside and the bun was pillowy and slightly sweet. We added a side of cleaver fries with their house made ké-tsiap (their play on ketchup) which added a nice tangy touch.

Sweet and Sour Chicken with Rice and Sesame Cucumbers (7/10).

To round out the meal, we tried the sweet and sour chicken with rice and a sesame cucumber salad. The flavors were balanced and comforting but the star of the show was still that fried chicken sandwich.

Overall, Mamahuhu delivers on what it sets out to do: casual and well made Chinese American classics with thoughtful updates. It’s the kind of place that feels familiar but fresher. I’d definitely come back for another fried chicken sandwich so my rating is a 7.5/10.