All the latest news and notes about Princeton's favorite Asian restaurant
The Princeton Packet, Despite new ownership, this Princeton spot
still offers high-quality Chinese cuisine in an elegant setting.
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Since we first dined at Sunny Garden about
15 years ago, we’ve regarded it as the stylish place for Chinese cuisine in
the Princeton area. Although it has recently changed hands, the previous
chef remains in charge of the kitchen, and the food meets — at the very
least — the previous high standard. The atmosphere has become more elegant
and warm, the service more lively and polished.
The Chinese menu is little changed, but the sushi menu has expanded
considerably, and the small sushi bar is slated to be enlarged. The two
principal dining rooms are spacious. Recent renovations created salmon-hued
walls illuminated by amber sconces and large chandeliers with drum-like
shades in one room. The adjacent room has Chinese red walls accented by
glowing brown woodwork. The varnished, high-backed chairs display a carved
cartouche displaying the Chinese characters for “sunny garden.”
The menu offers 14 appetizers. New on that list are chicken lettuce wraps,
perhaps a competitive response to a similar, popular dish at nearby P.F.
Chang’s — with which Sunny Garden’s restful atmosphere and slightly formal
service has little else in common. Little juicy steamed buns ($7) is a
special appetizer, but was not listed on the menu or the weekly specials
list on the night we dined. We asked for it on the chance it might still be
available. And so it was. Served six at a time in a bamboo steamer, the
light little dumplings are filled with fragrant broth that floods the taste
buds. The nugget of ground pork, vegetables and spices at the center adds
new tastes and textures to this intriguing appetizer. But watch out: the
first buns out of the steamer are truly steaming.
Sushi makes a fine preface to the meal. We ordered threepieces ($2.75 each).
Wrapped in seaweed, the delightful uni, or sea urchin, is light as a breeze
and frothy as foam, tasting of the sea. Unagi, or smoked eel, was delicate
and lightly smoky. In this as the other sushi, the rice was perfect, densely
packed but preserving the texture of each grain. Yellow tail, or hamachi, is
a relative of the pompano. This mild fish was well presented, but was the
least interesting of our sushi trio. Light, ivory-toned thin-sliced ginger,
beautifully curled into a helix, accompanied the sushi as a palate cleanser.
Also available to launch the meal are a dozen soups and salads. Tom Yum soup
($4) is a version of the Thai Tom Yum Goong, a hot and sour soup with shrimp
and mushrooms. Be warned: this version is extremely peppery, but it is not
marked with the red pepper symbol that identifies spicy items. While the
shrimp were tender, the heat of chilis overwhelmed the kaffir lime,
lemongrass and cilantro that should also contribute to the taste of this
soup. Hot and sour soup ($2.50) does display the red chili pepper symbol,
but was milder, tasty and hearty. James, our server, noticed that the Tom
Yum soup was barely touched. When we explained it was too fiery for our
tastes, he solicitously asked if we would like something else — typical of
the thoughtful service we experienced.
Entrées, including Peking duck ($18.95/half), number about 50. Seafood is
the highlight, including a whole crispy striped bass, served in a mild chili
sauce ($22.50). A choice of about 10 vegetable dishes is available. The
sushi bar offers more than 50 rolls, sushi and sashimi choices, and a dozen
entrées.
For our main courses, we ordered favorites from previous visits to gauge the
effect of the transition to new ownership. These selections were just as
extraordinarily good as before. The menu’s wording, “Chinese eggplant, with
shrimp” ($15.50) doesn’t begin to describe this sublime entrée. Sandwiched
between crisp-fried slices of eggplant is a savory filling that includes
ground shrimp, mushrooms and scallions in a mild garlic sauce. The dish
consists of several of these little delicacies. It’s a must-have experience.
Poached flounder with ginger, scallion and soy ($17.50) is exquisitely
simple, served in the poaching liquid, brightened with hints of ginger and
julienned scallions, with dark notes of soy sauce adding complexity. The
fish was light and firm, and each bite a burst of flavor. We also sampled
Sunny Garden’s reputed best seller: Creaky Chicken ($14.50) —
scaloppini-like filets of tender breast meat, coated with pepper-flecked
brown ginger sauce. The sauce is sweet and both piquant and slightly sour,
offering lots of flavor, but no subtlety.
On one visit we tasted so many dishes that we couldn’t face dessert. Our
attentive server, seeing the satisfaction written on our faces, suggested a
pot of tea to close the meal. The Chinese black tea was smooth and more
satisfying than any dessert. On another occasion we divided a generous
serving of deep-fried banana among three diners. Resembling a beignet, the
deep fried fritters enclose soft centers within a crisp, shiny glaze,
drizzled with golden honey.
Do not miss the redecorated rest rooms. An orchid graces the counter and the
three raised sinks are deep enameled ceramic bowls, painted to resemble fish
bowls inhabited by small, bright koi.