Restaurant Review

Friday, December 8, 2000

Expect large portions at Golden Crown

Chinese restaurant offers predictable menu, and some dishes have extra kick

 

At a glance 6601 Everhart Phone: 854-5506 Entrees: $7.50 to $25 Credit cards: yes Checks: yes Spirits: Beer and wine list Wheelchair access: yes Hours: Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Saturday, noon to 9 p.m.; closed Sunday Food: 2 stars Service: 2 ½ stars Atmosphere: 2 stars

Located inside a strip mall filled with several shops off Everhart Road, Golden Crown is somewhat of a surprise. Visitors are immediately immersed in an Oriental setting. Fish tanks filled with brightly colored tropical fish sit at the entrance; dining room chairs are engraved with Oriental themes; and the plastic placements decorated with water garden flowers, instead of the usual Chinese calendar of birth signs.
   The menu was more predictable, listing pork, seafood, chicken, vegetarian, beef and house specialties in separate categories. We ordered what we typically get at most Chinese restaurants. One reason is because they're our tried and true favorites. But the other reason was because our waitress didn't know the ingredients or specific sauces of a few dishes, such as which sauces accompanied the Happy Family entree and other seafood selections.
   Satisfying soups
   We started with an appetizer of crab rangoons. We found the crab to taste a little fishy, overpowering the cream cheese mixture. Rather than watery sweet and sour sauce, the wonton wrapped tidbits were served with a thick and rich duck sauce that was sweet without being too sugary.
   For dinner, I opted for a non-spicy dish, the sweet and sour pork, for several reasons. First, the meal included the rice, choice of soup and an egg roll. Not all of the dinner specials included the side dishes. Another reason I selected the sweet and sour pork was because my companion consistently has a taste for the spicy side of Chinese. This night was no different. He ordered the general chicken.
   I opted for the hot and sour soup, rather than the egg drop, and found it rich and just the right temperature. Although on the salty side, I was pleased that the soup had been prepared truly "hot" and sour, rather than a version that would be for a more sensitive palate that didn't care of the spice. I was forced to share it with my companion.
   When our food came out I was quickly chagrined because each entree was enough for two meals. Rather than being served on a dish, our meals were served on what looked more like a platter that could be passed around the table by a family.
   Clever presentation
   My companion's general chicken was lightly spiced for his wired-for-hot taste buds, but for the average spicy eater it had plenty of kick. It came with a large bowl of fried rice dotted with small vegetables. The rice was a little on the bland side that required a healthy dose of soy sauce for flavor.
   But the overall presentation of the dish was impressive: The chef had carved a large carrot into a bird and secured it on a "branch" of gingerroot. Very clever.
   My dish was a bit of a disappointment. The breaded, fried pork was overcooked, almost as if it had been fried twice. The carrots and zucchini in the dish were cooked perfectly, but the pork was so tough that I couldn't eat half of it. Fortunately, my companion's dish was good enough for two and my accompanying egg roll helped fill me up.
   Next time we'd bring more people, order several dishes and pass them around. A word of advice: Expect generous portions, order less than one entree per person if you can, and skip the hassle of boxing up any leftovers.
  
  

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