Jeff S.
Yelp
Today I made a daring escape from the confines of not only the home office, but Owasso in general.
Doesn't happen often.
As I was headed into T-town, I had a destination in mind, one that had been on the bookmark list for some time.
As I barreled down highway 169, I swung a right and exited on 31st street, and kept going west.
My destination: The China Garden.
I'd salivated over other Yelper!s pictures for far too long.
I arrived just past noon, and was seated immediately. As in, right away. Note to new visitors.... you seat yourself. Don't stand around looking lost like I did for a couple minutes.
A very friendly gentleman greeted me with a smile and a menu, two of my favorite things in a restaurant. Since I'd already perused the pics online, I had a pretty good idea what I was going to go for, but still, I did give the menu a good shakedown. It's pretty large with lots of variety.
One thing I knew early on, and got confirmed when I saw the menu.... this isn't your typical corner location, MSG laden fast food Chinese takeout joint. As I commented to The Wife, this isn't your usual 'AmerAsian' joint. The menu is very oriented towards much more ethnic Chinese cuisine.
I started with a chicken egg roll and fried dumplings and opted for the dry pot ribs for my entree. Because I wanted a little something more to sample, I also got a lunch order of beef lomein to go, figuring I'd nosh on it a bit this afternoon, purely for the sake of the review, you understand.
The things I do for you people..... seriously..... :)
The dumplings hit the table first, still sizzling from the pan and accompanied by a really nice dipping sauce. The sauce was a slightly sweet soy with a hint of toasted sesame. Really subtle and nicely done.
The dumplings were nothing short of perfect. Perfectly sized, perfectly cooked, and perfectly good. I left a couple for The Wife to try later, and I must admit, I resented it just a bit. I wanted them all.
Next up was the egg roll. Thinner than your usual egg roll, more like a spring roll, it to was cooked perfectly. Sometimes they get overcooked and get all brown and crusty, but not this one. Delicately seasoned with a nice amount of filling, it was a worthy addition to the lineup.
Shortly on the heels of the apps, and I do mean shortly, my entree arrived.
First, they use the cutest little steel wok on a stand with a burner underneath. The wok was still sizzling, but oddly enough, the burner just kept the food at a good temp without overcooking, or overheating it.
Now for the ribs.... Really well seasoned and dry (hence the name). Included in the wok was a generous amount of fresh green beans and onions, lightly sauteed in dried chilies and a seasoned oil. Also present was an abundance of dried chili pieces, which I have to confess, I wasn't fond of. It's seasoning, I get it. And most of the time they're a pain to pick around, but not this time. The beans and onions were easy enough to fork, and the little riblets I just nabbed by hand.
While not very big, each one packs a punch of flavor. A little crunch on the outside, tender on the inside, and possessing plenty of porky goodness. I'd eat em again in a second, and probably will.
Service was great, with no issues there. Atmosphere was nice and quiet, lighting a bit on the dim side, which is nice.
The lomein arrived just as I was wrapping up, which was my plan all along. I tossed the last couple of dumplings in the container but paused to take just a bite of the lomein.
This dish didn't win any points with me. It's pretty much sauced noodles and beef, and not much else. My favorite lomeins have always had some green onions, celery, carrot slivers and maybe a piece or two of bok choy, and all lightly sauced, if sauced at all. I'm just not a fan of heavily sauced noodles, so I'm taking the hit on this one. This isn't a reflection of the product at all, but just a taste thing with me. That said, the lomein did taste good.
Overall, The China Garden is indeed a neighborhood hidden treasure. The food is great, and best of all, unique. I plan on returning to sample many of their more exotic dishes, especially now that we're looking down the throat of fall and cooler weather. All the better to deal with those spicy dishes.