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| - When in Rome... Okay, this isn't Rome. And this isn't an Italian restaurant review. This is the Beijing Garden restaurant at the Chinese Cultural Center. And this is one of the regular lunch stops which me and my "culinary co-horts" like to frequent.
Beijing Garden is a tastefully decorated Chinese restaurant located toward the rear of the cultural center. Apparently, there is another Chinese restaurant in the vicinity. To make sure you are at the correct restaurant, just open your eyes and read the sign over the door.
I've eaten Chinese food at lots of restaurants, including China Town in San Francisco. So I know there are better options out there. But we are here in Phoenix, and there are only three Chinese restaurants I like to dine at locally. I will eventually get around to reviewing the others. And no, they are not buffets.
Today, I was joined for lunch by Mr. W. He is the one who introduced me to Beijing Garden. He let me sample his Egg Plant in Garlic Sauce. It was really good! It's not something I would've considered ordering, but I will now. I went a little more mainstream with my Sesame Chicken. The entree was delicious as was my Hot and Sour Soup. You really can't beat the prices or portions of their lunch specials! My only disappointment was having to substitute for regular rice because they were out of fried rice. That's never happened before.
Glancing at the reviews, it appears that people are unhappy about the service. I've dined here at least a dozen times so trust me when I say, I've never had bad service. And I've never been kept longer than my lunch hour would allow. It appears they are short handed, but they manage. As soon as you are seated, the house salad (which I really like) is brought out and drinks follow quickly. The food always tastes fresh and is served hot. Beijing Garden has always satisfied my appetite and tastebuds, so I will keep coming back!
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