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Yummy Garden
Rating Details »
- Hours:
Tue-Fri. 11:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Sat-Sun. 12:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
13 reviews for Yummy Garden
This is the Susan Boyle of Chinese restaurants. It's small and hidden on the backside of a small mall about 4 blocks from Walmart. From the sorta quiet and empty look of the parking lot, you might hesitate. Being Asian, I immediately thought uh oh, this is the burbs, maybe we should stick with kung pao chicken instead of "real" Chinese food.
But damn! We ordered straight up East Side Chinatown stuff and not only was it fresh and delicious, it was better than fricken 90% of the Chinese restaurants in San Francisco!
Next time you go there, ask them to cook up plain American broccoli without oil. Trust me. They got, as the Chinese call it, "Wok Hei." That's the flavor they generate when the stove is actually a jet engine spewing upwards like a volcano with 100,000 BTUs. The Shanghai dumplings are legit, and even the wontons are excellent. Amazing they even have dim sum for such a small place.
Sorry Susan Boyle, I promise not to judge a book by it's cover anymore.
It would be nice to eat dinner without the cook enjoying his cigarette with the back door wide open letting all of the smoke in.
The service was ok and the food overcooked.
This place is only Ok for me and my hubby. Growing up in Sf we've been lucky to have a variety of ethnic foods and tons of authentic Chinese food. Although I enjoy the noodle dishes here, especially the Hong Kong style pan fried noodles, the rest of the dishes, are just not up to pare with the city's or even the latest ones we've tried in Pleasant Hill.
We have yet to try the soups so we will probably do so next time. The prices here are reasonable and they do offer dim sum (though it's not the best) as well as delivery within certain parts of American Canyon and Vallejo for only a $20 minimum, unlike some of the other's who charge $30. Though it still can't beat SF's $10 minimum, lol.
Anyway, it's a decent place to have lunch or dinner in, but steer clear of the beef dishes as they are chewy. The Mongolian beef that some rave about here is just too chewy, has too much gravy, lacks spiciness and does not come with those thin clear crispy noodles. It's not all that authentic tasting and for some reason, the two times we've had it, both of our stomach's ached afterwards.
One thing I wish they had here, were actual CHINESE chopsticks. I think it's pretty unauthentic and unusual for a Chinese restaurant other than Panda Express, to have forks out while you have to "ask" for chopsticks. And even then all you get are those "take out" Japanese wooden kind which are just too awkward to use in a Chinese restaurant. It just kills the whole experience for me and lets me know who dines here. Nonetheless, for those of us who "do" actually know how to use chopsticks, we expect them to be already at the table and not handed out "take out" style . Instead have people request a fork if they need one!
Delivers to Vallejo.
New to this restaurants food but already I am impressed.
Ordered the chow mein, fried rice, mongolian beef and string bean beef.
The beef is REAL its not that weird melt-in-your-mouth- unatural type texture it's like true pieces of beef that you actually get to chew for a second... don't get me wrong it's not tough or gristley or anything.
I thought what we ordered was greasy and flavorful. Just how I like my chinese take-out.
We ordered blindly the first time but I was suprised to see dim sum on the menu we received with our order.
I would order from here again.
They are closed on Mondays....
Please forgive me as I thought I already wrote a review, or maybe I secretly didn't because I didn't want anyone to know how much I really love this place and how good it is......well as Bee. D said this place has DIM SUM!! Need I say more this alone makes coming here worth while.
IT IS F***ING AMAZING!!! I love EVERYTHING here, but I will give you my fav's below:
Fried Chicken Apt: This is crispy, nicely flavored, not too salty chicken with fresh sliced jalapeno's on the side to compliment the crispy salty taste.(The salt and pepper pork chops are pretty much the same thing as well.)
Chow Fun: This is also yummy, great flavor, and not to greasy like some other places.
Pork fried rice: Lots of pork, nice veggies, and great taste. Can't ask for more.
We have been here several times and like it more and more each time. I love the dim sum the most, but I really love how you can order all these yummy things from your car, and have it delivered to you at home. Now that is what gives it the 5th star.
Wait! Hold it! Stop the presses.
There are 4 previous reviews and nobody, not a single person said anything about DIM SUM!
We almost missed this restaurant which is hidden inside the Canyon Plaza right off of Highway 29/Broadway (which is Sonoma Ave until you Pass the Safeway. If you take Hwy 29/Sonoma Blvd and make a left on Crawford, right before you get to the stoplight, then make the first right into the Canyon Plaza, it will be ahead of you in the first building.
When we walked in around 1:15 on a Saturday afternoon it was empty. Just the hostess/server and the two cooks (who were eating their lunch). We were quickly seated and handed our menu's. I actually let out a little squeal when I saw the words DIM SUM peeking back from the front of the menu. That did it for me! No doubt what I was having for lunch.
Hunnie Bunnie figured that if I was going to be adventuresome, then he'd go with his old standby, Cashew Chicken. I ordered Sweet Rice w/Chicken in Lotus Leaf (3), Crispy Fried Prawns (8), Green Onion Pan Cake and Pot Stickers (6). Unlike some high end Dim Sum places, the bag of tea doing the back stroke in the pot of hot water was free.
Lunch Special - Cashew Chicken - Served with a heaping portion of rice was very tasty. The veggies were fresh and well prepared. The straw mushrooms were the largest I've ever seen and they were yummy (I stole a few off his plate. Shhhh)
DIM SUM/Appetizers -
Green Onion Pan Cake - Sorry, this didn't hit the spot for me. I see that Cynthia A. enjoyed hers, but for me it was lacking in flavor and it was a little on the underdone side.
Crispy Fried Prawns - 8 nicely sized prawns in a light sweet batter that didn't overpower the light and sweet prawns. They serve them without the tails, which made Hunnie Bunnie very happy. Served with typical sweet and sour sauce.
Pot Stickers - Very nice! 6 large pot stickers which were a nice balance of dough to filling. They are homemade and are served with vinegar. We both loved them.
Sweet Rice w/Chicken in Lotus Leaf - Three nicely steamed bundles that are filled with sticky rice and chopped chicken. These were very moist and tender.
Lunch for 2 $23.95, tax $2.10, tip $5.00 total $31.05
The service was very nice, but a little slow after 2 large parties, a table for 2 and a to-go order all arrived. The staff is attentive and very nice, if a bit shy. The prices were mostly a little less than the average Chinese Restaurant. ** FREE DELIVERY with $20 minimum (limited area) ** and very important - NO MSG -
We will be back!
My friend and his mom wanted to take me out for a birthday dinner. Based on reviews, I recommended Yummy Garden. The place is small and cozy, and on a Friday night, was very quiet. We were the only diners there until midway through our meal two more tables filled up. The staff is very nice and friendly.
We started with Wor Wonton Soup...very filling with good size of chicken, beef and pork. My friend commented they don't use MSG, which is good. I asked if they could make Eggplant and Tofu with non-spicy sause, which is not on their menu and had no problem getting it made.
Honey Walnut prawns were pretty good, not too sweet like some other restos. I didn't taste the fried chicken, but it did look appetizing. House special fried rice also had a nice blend of ingredients. The pork in their dishes didn't have that gamey aftertaste, so that's a plus.
Since it's a birthday tradition to eat noodles for long life, we ordered Hong Kong style House Special Pan Fried Noodle. While it wasn't bad, I expected more of a "kick" in the sauce for flavor. This dish also had hearty toppings of beef, pork, shrimp and bok choy.
For dessert, they served us complimentary Sesame Balls for the birthday, which was a nice touch.
I would definitely eat there again to try some other foods in the menu such as the egg foo yong.
OMG... I live nearby and I am sooooo happy to have Yummy Garden, and so pleased that others have reviewed it.
I haven't tried everything I want to yet, but let me just say: I LOVE when a Chinese place pays close attention to their rice, and Yummy makes GOOD BBQ pork fried rice. Not that bland, barely seasoned, filler rice of most resturants comparable to it's size, but SUPER GOOD YUMMY fried rice...
I highly recommend it. Nicely priced and VERY good food. :)
Plus, they make your order quickly and they deliver close by for free with a minimun of a $20 purchase!
Wow very impressed, its not Henry's Hunan but now a great option near home. We ordered wonton soup, potstickers, beef kung pao and chicken fried rice. I called in the order and left immediately, our order was ready when I walked in. I have to say the wonton soup is top notch, the dumplings had huge shrimp in each one and the broth was tasty, perfectly seasoned. I also enjoyed the potstickers and fried rice. I love kung pao and especially the peanuts in it, the was good too, the beef was good and the sauce was light it didn't overwhelm it all. I would definitely recommend this place and now that I have a menu there are many many other items I would love to try. I can't wait to go back for dim sum alone. And as Jason Y. indicated this really is the Susan Boyle of Chinese restaurants, a hidden gem in the land of mediocrity.
Kung Pao dishes are fantastic.
Just as good as anything i've tried in Chinatown.
$5.50 and plenty leftover for dinner.
3 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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10/23/2008
I had Shrimp and Bok Choy today for lunch.
The sauce is impeccable.
The lunch specials are really… Read more »
Just went again yesterday ...
I got the same thing except not as a rice plate and green onion pancake.
For a huge styrofoam box and 3 to 4 slices of onion pancake and a side of rice, it was 12$. :)
SOOOO good.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/2/2008 First to Review
This place just opened. :) (Grand Opening!)
I went today in search of Mao Pu tofu since my dad-in-law… Read more »
Prices are good and the fried rice rocks. Plus an extra star for FREE DELIVERY. Now if they would only put their menu online and finalize their operating hours...
You really can't judge this book by its cover. My family and I had passed by this place a few times and never really considered eating here because it always looked so empty. Last night we took a chance and dined here and were pleasantly surprised. We ordered wor won ton soup which was OK, but the other dishes, eggplant with pork, Mongolian beef, and house fried rice were all excellent! I was literally grinning from ear to ear for our great find. The food is authentic Chinese cuisine, something you would expect to find in SF or Oakland Chinatown. They even have a limited selection of dim sum dishes you can order all day! For dessert we took home some steamed custard cakes, which of course my kids devoured and I only got a tiny morsel. With this restaurant open so close to home, no need to drive into the city for great Chinese food!
