"We used to deliver a lot to local businesses," he says. "The medical companies and the electric companies would have lunch delivered two or three times a week. We would deliver for about 20 people. Nowadays we deliver maybe twice a month and only for about five to 10 people."

Young says that the restaurant is still doing well, but he misses the days when they were busier.

"I'm used to cooking for many people. It's difficult to make the recipes for smaller groups," he says.

But Young has learned to accommodate his customers' needs.

"Now we make a little less and put a little more on the plates or in the delivery boxes," Young says.

Mandarin Chili still delivers to Willow Glen residents' homes. And all of the items available on the Mandarin Chili menu are available for take-out or delivery.

"There are some days where you don't feel like cooking or going out to get dinner. That's where we come in," Young says.

One popular item on the Mandarin Chili menu is the honey prawns. Large prawns are sautéed in Young's own honey sauce.

Another house specialty is the Mongolian beef: thin strips of flank steak marinated in a soy sauce and rice wine mixture and then cooked with onions, green onions, ginger root and hot chili peppers.

The spiciness of this dish can be changed on request from mild to extremely spicy depending on how brave a customer might be.

"I attended cooking school in Hong Kong, so I learned to cook both Mandarin and Japanese styles. I have combined them to make some of my own recipes that the customers really like," Young says.

The spicy sauce that Young makes takes him about an hour to complete.

"I make five gallons at one time. Usually that lasts almost five days, but sometimes we go through it much faster," he adds.

Young doesn't always add the spicy sauce he makes at the restaurant to a dish.

Many of the restaurant's customers are older, so Young is sensitive to the level of salt and spice that is in his food.

"We let the customers add as much or as little salt as they want when the food is served to them," he says.

Another dish that seems to be ordered frequently at Mandarin Chili is the Mandarin chicken.

"We use only the white meat of the chicken for our Mandarin chicken. It's the most tender piece of the chicken and absorbs the flavors very well," Young says.

The chicken pieces are cut into bite-size chunks and then floured and browned.

Once the chicken is cooked, a sauce of butter, lemon and orange juice, honey, soy sauce and powdered ginger is added and the dish is sautéed until the chicken is tender.

While Young continues to offer the same menu items that pleased customers before the economy slowed the restaurant industry, he also has confidence things will eventually turn around.

"The economy will pick up, and the customers will start coming back. We're not worried. We still see many of our regular customers, and there are still a lot of new people coming in to enjoy our food. There are always good times and bad times in the restaurant business. We're just going to wait through these times and continue to serve the best food we can for our customers," he says.

Mandarin Chili is located at 860 Willow St. in the Willow Street Plaza. The restaurant is open Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. and Friday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to
10 p.m. For reservations or delivery, call 408.289.8879.