Hunan Color is located on Stanford Ranch Rd in Rocklin, occupying the former location of Chang…read moreBros.
The menu is primarily Hunan Style, including Changsha and Xiangxi dishes. There are also some Sichuan menu items. Both Hunan and Sichuan cuisines are famously spicy, so beware or be delighted if you like it hot.
The owners, chefs, and server are all native Mandarin Chinese speakers, so it can be challenging to ask questions about the menu. On my last visit, the server used a translator on her phone. I recommend looking at the menu and Yelp photos ahead of time. In addition, the paper To Go menu is more descriptive than the restaurant menus, so best to refer to that.
On my first visit, I asked the server what he recommended as an authentic dish. He suggested $22 C2 Stir-Fried Yellow Beef from the restaurant menu. On the paper To Go menu, it's called C2 Hunan Style Stir-Fried Beef. When I asked if it was spicy, he said the level could be adjusted. My receipt said it was less spicy, but it was more spicy than I was in the mood for. Had I known Hunan was in the menu item's name, I would not have ordered it. It sounded like it was his favorite dish, so I tried it.
Yellow Beef or Hunan Style Stir-Fried Beef comes with jalapenos, cilantro, celery, and garlic. The jalapenos make it hot. Not my favorite vegetables to eat; they're more for adding flavor. It is a tasty dish. I was able to get 3 meals out of this order.
R3 Dry Mix Rice Noodles mentions Hunan Style Pork on the paper menu, and R7 Beef Fried Rice/Chow Mein mentions Yellow Beef on the restaurant menu. Actually, the restaurant menu labels the entire "Rice Noodles & Special Staple Foods" section as Hunan, so you might want to inquire about spiciness.
On my 2nd visit, I decided to order $18 T1 Country Style Bowl (aka Farmhouse One - Bowl Aroma). Sauteed Pork, Eggs, Black Fungus (wood ear mushrooms), Jalapeño, Celery, Green Onions, Ginger, Garlic, and maybe another type of a slivered mushroom that looked like part of a soy sauce noodle. Again, tasty and more spicy than I anticipated with the jalapenos. I will probably get 2 meals of this order.
Both dishes had a little garnish of red chili peppers and came out within 5-10 minutes of ordering. If you're in hurry, this restaurant is for you!
On my first visit, a regular customer let me taste one of his dishes: C5 You County Dried Tofu Stir-Fried Pork. The small bite I took wasn't spicy, so maybe that would be a better dish for me to order.
On my 2nd visit, I was worried that a neighboring table would accidentally order spicy food for her young children, but fortunately, the mother is fluent in Chinese and knew how to order nonspicy. She chose M1 Orange Chicken and V7 Stir-Fried Tomato and Egg. The kids seemed excited for the tomato and egg dish. It really looked like a delicious generous portion. I probably should order like a kid as well!
It would be helpful if the menu had spice level symbols. Perhaps substitute the jalapenos with bell peppers for people not wanting spicy. I don't feel like I have had jalapenos at other Chinese restaurants.
Lunch Specials Menu is offered weekdays, 11 am to 3 pm. $16 as of June 2026. Choose 1 meat dish from 5 choices, 1 vegetable dish from 6 choices, fried rice or chow mein, and hot & sour soup or a soda. Meat Choices are Orange Chicken, Kung Pao Chicken, Mongolian Chicken, Mongolian Beef, and Black Pepper Beef Tenderloin. Vegetable choices include Eggplant, Green Beans, Baby Bok Choy, Shredded Potato, Tomato & Egg.
You'll have to flag down the server if you want anything. Fortunately, you get a pitcher of water on your table.
These are the more unique menu items catching my eye:
W3 Chinese Sauerkraut Fish
W4 Sichuan Style Boiling Fish
R2 Hunan Dried Mix Rice Noodles with Ground Beef and Pickled Long Beans
D2 Hunan Style Dry Pot Smoked Pork with Organic Cauliflower
D5 Hunan Style Dry Pot Spicy Cumin Lamb
The Hunan Style cold appetizers look fun to try as well:
H2 Changsha Dry Mixed Beef
H4 Changsha Jelly Noodles
H6 Beef Tripe
Best wishes to Hunan Color!