China Garden Inn

In our family, Sunday night means eating together. My husband and I, along with his immediate family, relish the weekly opportunity to come together and share a sumptuous meal painstakingly prepared by my mother-in-law. 

My children love playing with their uncles and grandparents, and I am grateful that we are invited back every week despite the unholy noise and mess that they make at my in-laws’ house. 

Every so often, say after a particularly busy week, we decide to meet out at a restaurant.  Last week, we chose China Garden Inn. 

China Garden Inn is a staple in the Upper Moreland community, a favorite of mine since my high school days (circa mid-1990s) when my girlfriends and I would gather there to dish and share dishes of lo mein and Vegetable Delight.

From the outside, one might never guess the elaborate intricacy that awaits you inside. From floor to ceiling, China Garden Inn is covered in gilt, decorative relief and Asian-themed wallpaper.  No surface is left unadorned. 

There is a full bar when you first enter, with a small sushi bar around the corner.  The main dining room is split into two rooms, separated by an ornate archway and large beautiful fish tank, brimming with bright orange fancy goldfish and other exotic fish. 

Happily together, our multigenerational family settled in at our table. My in-laws started with soup, and my husband ordered an egg roll.

The hot and sour soup ($1.95) received high praise from my father-in-law. He said that although some hot and sour soups are too spicy to eat, this one had good flavor and just the right amount of heat. 

My mother-in-law liked the wonton soup ($1.95), saying that the wontons were tasty, and the broth was flavorful without too much salt. 

The crispy egg roll ($1.50) was large and fresh, without the greasy texture that can ruin some egg rolls. 

We each ordered a main course, but passed our dishes around family style to share everything. The plates were lovely to behold, lots of color and garnished beautifully with flowers made out of vegetables. 

Crispy fried chunks of juicy Orange Chicken ($11.95) were deliciously glazed in a spicy and syrupy citrus sauce. Small slices of orange peel added to the flavor of the dish. A lonely piece of broccoli was the only vegetable on the plate, but we all liked the chicken and quickly emptied the plate. 

The Warshu Duck ($9.95), a special that evening, arrived covered in vegetables.  Cabbage, baby corn, pea pods, water chestnuts and mushrooms coated in a brown sauce were piled high atop the duck.  Had we eaten the vegetables and stopped there, the dish would have been nice, but the duck below greatly disappointed. 

The duck had an unappealing tan-colored coating, and the meat was somehow both mushy and chewy, without the fatty goodness that is the hallmark of good duck. Most of this dish was left untouched.

The sautéed fish and vegetables dish ($13.95), on the other hand, was delightful.  The mild pieces of fish had a soft coating and were mixed in a brown sauce along with pea pods, mushrooms, carrots, broccoli, water chestnuts and baby corn. It was really enjoyable, and everyone had seconds. 

The shrimp fried rice ($7.95) arrived as a huge platter of rice mixed with sprouts, scallions, and peas. The small, perfectly cooked shrimp were fished out quickly. They were tender and tasty. 

We ordered a plate of steamed broccoli and carrots without any sauce for the kids, and although this wasn’t officially on the menu, China Garden Inn was happy to oblige. Along with this, the kids ate the sticky white rice that accompanied the other main dishes. 

As is inescapable with babies learning to self-feed, more rice probably ended up on the floor surrounding her high chair than did in my daughter’s mouth. My son was hopping up “visiting” everyone around the table and getting in the way of each passing server and guest.  Despite this, the staff was gracious and even brought the children little fold-over fans. 

At the end of the meal, June, the kindly owner of China Garden Inn, stopped by our table to say hello, fill us in on her family, and check in on ours. 

By commenting on how big the children were getting and how fun it was to be a grandparent, she completed our Sunday night family experience. 

She even invited us back. 

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China Garden Inn receives 3 ½ out of 5 Whisks for classic Chinese fare in an exquisite setting. 

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Second Helping of Information:

Location – 1007 Easton Road, Willow Grove

Hours – Monday - Thursday, 11 a.m. - 10:30 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. - 11:30 p.m.; Sunday, 12 noon - 10:30 p.m.

Phone – 215-659-5009 or 215-659-4242

Website – www.chinagardeninn.com

Reservations – Available but not usually necessary

On the Kids Menu – No kids menu, but special requests are taken; high chairs are available; no changing table.