The Golden Buddha

  "Fun Frank Friday" adventures off to the Far East, not the actual country of China but rather the Chinese Culture Center here in Phoenix.  We entered the restaurant at about 5pm and immediately was impressed by the stylish Chinese decor.  We were ushered over to our table that overlooked the Chinese gardens outside.  We were also pleasantly surprised that instead of canned music playing overhead or watching the chinese channel on the TV, we were treated to a live pianist who played both a piano as well as a small electronic organ when the song called for it.

Naturally this restaurant remains in good standing with us as they do serve Coke products.  But the one item on their menu that caught my eye was the "Jelly Fish marinated with Vinegar".  Most people recognize jellyfish as the sea creatures that deliver a horrifying sting from their tentacles.  For this dish to be prepared they had to remove the tentacles and the bell, or head, was cut into small thin strips.  These were then marinated in a sweet vinegar along with carrots and what we think was water chestnut or something similar to a white radish.  The entire dish was then sprinkled with sesame seeds which added a nutty flavor and a sprig of cilantro.  It is really difficult to describe this dish because I truly have never eaten anything with a similar texture.  The best way for me to try and describe it, is when you bite into a really good sausage and the casing provides a crisp snap.  You then pair this crisp snap with a limp noodle.  So there is a combination of a wiggle and a crunch in the same bite.

 

 Because Patti can never make a decision when it comes to appetizers, we went with the Chinese version of a combo platter, also known as "Po-Po Platter for 2".  This consisted of Crab Rangoon, Pan-fried Pot stickers, Garlic Chinese short ribs, egg rolls and teriyaki beef (on a stick).  It came with two dipping sauces, one was a sweet and sour while the other was soy sauce with onions.  The Crab rangoon had a nice crisp outside wonton with a rich cream-cheese with crab center.  The Chinese short ribs, while some parts were dry and overcooked, the other parts were rich and fatty.  All the parts were covered in a sweet, garlic glaze.  The pan fried pot stickers were doughy, more than expected, and with not as much crunch as we hoped from the pan frying.  It was filled with a rich meat center.  The egg rolls were wrapped in a crispy won-ton and filled with shrimp and vegetables.  Finally the teriyaki beef was the best item on the platter.  The meat was so tender it almost fell off the stick.  The rich teriyaki marinade brought out the beef flavor without overpowering it.
Patti was searching for an old flavor from her first Chinese restaurant experience back in Logan, UT and the closest she came to the "Tiny Spicy Chicken" was called the "Sesame Chicken".  Pieces of tender white chicken meat were battered, deep fried then smothered in a sesame sweet glaze.  The meat was still very juicy and was complimented by the outer crunch of the batter.  The glaze provided a sweet contrast to the cooked broccoli on the side.  It was served with a side of white rice.

My entree came with some assembly required.  I ordered the ever-so-famous "Peking duck".  It was explained to me that this was a whole duck that would be deep-fried in its own skin.  You do have the option to choose it without skin but then you would get "duck skin soup" on the side.   Our server recommended the skin on the duck option.  The entree arrived at the table with a lot of duck meat a top a bed of crispy rice cakes.  The first thing that caught my eye was that this whole duck had four drumsticks.  Now I don't know about you, but I've never seen a duck with four legs.  But with the amount of meat I received, I think it was actually two bottom halves of the ducks.  The one of the items that he brought out to accompany the meat was Chinese pancakes, similar to a white bread roll.  The third plate included carrots, Chinese onion (similar to a scallion) and duck sauce.
So to truly appreciate all the textures and flavors you must assemble it all together.  First you take a pancake and open it up like you would a dinner roll.  On one half you spread the desired amount of duck sauce, place on it a few carrots and onions then add a piece of duck meat, don't forget the skin.  Then fold the other half of pancake back over and eat.  The duck does not have a gamey taste, on the contrary it was quite tender and juicy.  The skin added a salty crunch.  The pancake added a sweet doughy texture that was off-set with the tart duck sauce.  The vegetables gave it extra crunch in every bite.

 Our meal ended in the traditional way with a fortune cookie for each of us.  Every time I read mine, I always like to enjoy it by reading it out loud and adding "between the sheets". {Patti just shakes her head}.   The Golden Buddha is a great Chinese experience with a very elegant and romantic atmosphere without the elegant price.  So if you haven't tried the Jelly Fish, try it now.