Over 30 years ago now, when we moved to Bucks County Pennsylvania, our search for local Chinese food was satisfied in Doylestown, PA.

Continuing Search of Local Chinese Food

Chong’s Garden was a family-owned and run restaurant. Mr. Chong staffed the kitchen and Mrs. Chong ably waited on all the tables even when it was full. Although, throughout the years, the son and daughter both helped out as well and they employed some of the local youth as well.

The food was fantastic. Ingredients were fresh and well-prepared. We went there so often, they started to treat us more like friends than customers. So we were devastated when the Chongs decided to retire and sell the restaurant. The new owners did a really poor job of continuing on the quality and very quickly closed down the restaurant completely. The Chongs retired around 2008 and we’ve been searching for anything decent and local to replace them since. To no avail.

Recently, we found an excellent Chinese Restaurant in Princeton Junction, NJ. It’s not close but it’s near where we go every Sunday, so we’ve been enjoying it sporadically. Shanghai Bun, as the name might infer does excellent dim sum items. Although I’m not a fan of their version of scallion pancake (that’s probably just because it’s different than what I’m used to). Their food is really quite good and we will go back as often as we can. Their soup dumplings are a very popular favorite.

How I Evaluate a Chinese Restaurant

Before I retired, I worked with a woman who grew up in China. I suggested that we go to a really good Chinese restaurant in Schenectady, NY (it’s called A La Shanghai). She was dubious. I’m sure she’d had lots of non-Asians recommend shitty Chinese food. I assured her that she’d like it…it served very authentic Chinese food. She reluctantly went and learned that she could trust my taste in Chinese food.

First of all, any Chinese restaurant that is mainly filled with Chinese people speaking to staff in Chinese, that’s a good sign. But I also usually order two dishes to see if I will like their food.

Double-Sautéed Pork – This dish is one of my favorites when it’s done well. The featured photo shows a stir-fry of shredded pork, cabbage, dry tofu, shitake mushrooms in a spicy/garlicky sauce. Their version is a bit greasy, but very good.

Egg Foo Yung – I know…I know…this isn’t authentic. But I like it, and I find that if a Chinese restaurant does it in a way that I enjoy it, I’m going to like many dishes from their restaurant. Shanghai Bun doesn’t serve this dish.

How do you evaluate a good Chinese Restaurant? What’s important to you?

Current Crochet

I was able to finish the second sleeve and also start to do some finishing on my current cardigan.

I’m pretty certain that the sleeves are too long. But I had to go in a certain order. I attached the first sleeve and started to seam it up. But realized I didn’t want the extra weight of two sleeves while I crocheted on the button/neck band. So I’ll finish the collar/button band (with no buttons) and then attach the second sleeve to measure. Then I snip/unravel the end of the sleeve to make it a better length for me.

I think it’ll be good!