All the latest news and notes about Princeton's favorite Asian restaurant

Sunny Garden still shines under new owner

Friday, February 08, 2008

By SUSAN SPRAGUE YESKE

Sunny Garden, a Princeton-area favorite for nearly two decades under the ownership of Yu-Lien Yen, has a new owner, a new look and some new items for the menu.

Eric Chen, who took over the restaurant in September, said he kept the best that Sunny Garden had to offer, including the cooks who had been working there for years. Then he increased the menu, bringing in the most popular items from restaurants he owns in Bergen County.

"About 20 percent of the menu is new," he says.

Also new is the decor, designed by his wife Danielle, who chose warm shades of gold and burnt orange to add warmth and coziness, Chen said.

The opening of the sushi bar makes the dining room appear more expansive, while huge chandeliers add elegance.

Added staff -- so many that an empty plate rests only briefly on the table -- with a cheerful, helpful demeanor is another of Chen's changes.

Although youthful, Chen brings 20 years of experience in the restaurant business to his new endeavor. He began working for an uncle at his restaurant in Manhattan when he was 14; at 24 he opened his first restaurant in Englewood.

Now he owns two there, plus Sunny Garden, which gained his full attention once he took over.

"My vision was to update it and keep the good food that was a tradition here," he says of the award-winning restaurant. "My goal is to focus on the total dining experience."

The use of reduced-sodium soy sauce and the arrival each day of fresh vegetables, fish and meats are part of meeting that goal -- and evident with the first few bites.

Soups are delivered to the table fresh and hot, with plenty of flavor and no saltiness. Hot and sour soup and wonton soup, $2.50, are traditional at Chinese restaurants, and those at Sunny Garden can hold their own against all comers. The wonton broth was rich but light, while the hot and sour was peppery and thick with firm slices of tofu.

Tom Yum soup, $4, had a nice heat with just the right tang of lemongrass and a mix of shredded chicken and red bell peppers. Slices of colorful zucchini floated on top.

Scallion pancakes, $4.95, were pleasantly laden with chunks of mild scallion. Cut into wedges, they were firm but light. Fried to a crisp exterior, they were easy to dip in the accompanying low-sodium dipping sauce.

From the list of weekly specials, a serving of seven crystal shrimp dumplings, $7.95, delicate and flavorful with near-transparent rice noodles covers, was a perfect preview of what was to come. Spinach dumplings, $6.95, were deep green and pinched into perfect, tidy bundles. Created for the vegetarian palate, the noodles were thicker than for the delicate shrimp dumplings and came filled with cooked spinach seasoned with tiny bits of chopped scallion.

One of Chen's recent additions to the menu is the crispy sesame chicken entree, $14.50. White meat chicken is lightly breaded, then dipped in enough sesame seeds to provide a clear taste but not enough to overwhelm the accompanying mild citrus sauce. The only complaint was that more sauce would have been appreciated, especially since there was enough chicken left over to take home.

Mango beef in tamarind sauce, $6.50, was mildly spicy, allowing the subtle flavor of the tamarind to come through. Generous chunks of mango made a nice pairing with the tender beef.

A generous portion of sizzling half-duck, $18.95, arrived at full sizzle, moist and rich in a black bean sauce seasoned with ginger.

The choice of brown or white rice was appreciated. But we were puzzled that our leftover brown rice was not included in our take-home carton.

While many Chinese restaurants skimp on desserts, Chen has gone out of his way to offer a variety that he imports from Bergen County. A mango mousse, $7.95, perched on a round of yellow cake, was pleasant, as was a dish of coconut ice cream, $3.50. But the best was a kiwi lime mousse, $6.95.

Tinted a bright green, the circle of mousse was wrapped in a lacy white and milk chocolate border and topped with small dollops of white chocolate. The right blend of tart and sweet, it was outstanding, so it was no surprise later when Chen said it had won a national dessert competition.

Fans of the old Sunny Garden will not be disappointed if they visit Chen's updated version. With all the old favorites still in place, plus a larger menu and a new decor, it's a delightful continuation of an old tradition.