CTE Restaurant

On Wednesday, March 23, 2016, I had lunch at the CTE Restaurant, 819 South Braddock Street. This small place at the corner of Handley Boulevard and Braddock has its own parking lot out front with four patron’s spaces, plus a space next to the building which the owner uses for his vehicle.

CTE is closed on Sunday; it’s open Monday-Thursday, 11:00 AM-8:00 PM; Friday, 11:00 AM-9:30 PM; and Saturday, 12:00 PM-9:30 PM. The telephone number is 540-773-5198, and takeout is available. Its Web address is www.cterestaurant.com, and includes a menu with pictures of various dishes.

CTE opened on Monday, September 22, 2014 and I first visited it for dinner a few days later, giving it a review with only a three-star rating and a short life expectancy of six months. Today’s visit was to see if it deserved a new evaluation in recognition of its staying power.

A small patio with wooden flooring is along the front of the building, and has three iron table and chair sets seating two apiece. The entrance is at the left front of the building and opens into the smaller of its two rooms. The room’s corner location has windows on the front and left side. Seating here is with two half-booths and a table. A TV screen is here, and the single restroom is in the back.

The larger room on the right has the small open kitchen along the back wall and you may watch the chef; a counter for the cashier is in front of the kitchen. Two booths are here in the front, next to the window, and a booth and a half booth are next to the counter. Decorations include pictures of menu items, along with Oriental scenes.

The Asian Fusion Cuisine includes Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Thai dishes. The menu folder has a cover page and five menu pages. Categories listed are Beverages, Sweet Drinks, Appetizers, Kid’s Menu, Soups, CTE Special, Japanese, Vegetarian, Chef’s Special Rolls, Salads, Nigiri and Sashimi, Sushi Combo Meal, Desserts, and Seasonal Hot Pot for Two. It’s very much the same as the menu for my original visit.

I wanted only a light lunch, and ordered a bowl of Miso Soup (Tofu, Seaweed, Mushrooms, Green Onions, and Broth) and Tempura Shrimp (2) from the Appetizer Menu. I didn’t think to ask for tea, and just had water for my beverage. The soup was served in a medium-sized square bowl, quite hot, with cubes of tofu, etc. Although the shrimp were served as finger food on a square platter, with a small dish of sweet tempura sauce, I had to ask for a napkin.

CTE’s current seating arrangement with booths is far superior to the original awkward arrangement of cluttered tables I noted on my first visit. My new rating is four stars; I thought the server could have been more helpful.