Little China Kitchen
215 E. 3rd Ave.
San Mateo, CA 94401
Tel: (650) 348-3890
M-T: 11am – 9:30pm
Friday – Sat: 11am – 10pm
Sunday: 12pm-9:30pm
www.littlechinakitchen.com
Free Delivery with $15 purchase
Price Range: $15 and up
Contrary to its name, Little China Kitchen serves a big menu creating fusion delights across the board. Patrons can easily bypass the less than spectacular façade and will be surprised to be immersed in its charming interior. Walking past the fortune bamboo plants, I was immediately greeted by Christine Lee, who operates the front of the house while her husband is busily pouncing stir fry in the back kitchen.
Her smile pairs well with the ambiance, a feeling of calmness accentuated by chocolate colored walls, soothing jazz, and dark wooden tables.
A few selections of wines are available, but I choose water with lemon so that I can clearly taste the dishes. As the menu clearly states, Little China Kitchen aims to provided healthy Chinese cuisine. Chef Tony Lee adamantly states that he uses very little oil in his cooking resulting in a more light after taste.
The sampler for two $8.95 (fried prawns, spring rolls, crab wonton & fried wonton) is a great choice for starter. One bite through the spring rolls, thinly sliced carrots and cabbage display great knife skills. The crab wonton is a popular fusion dish and is all about texture. One bite through the crispy skin, soft cream cheese plays center stage.
Served elongated similar to a shrimp tempura, the fried prawns needed a quick dunk in the sweet and sour sauce for flavor. Fried wontons rounded out the sampler. One obvious note is the light and clean after taste. This is accredited to Chef Lee using non trans fat oil and changing the oil frequently.
To stir up the appetite, the hot and sour soup (chicken breast meat, organic tofu, white mushrooms, carrot and egg-$5.95) offered a tart and peppery taste. Served with organic spinach, the wonton soup is a great comfort dish at $5.95. A dash of kosher salt would have rounded out the dish.
Served with nuggets of roasted walnuts, the walnut prawns ($12.95) coated with a syrupy honey glaze did not disappoint. Unlike most walnut prawns served at other Chinese restaurants, the prawns are coated with a thin layer of batter and flash fried. In Chinese cooking, flash frying refers to cooking while ladling hot oil on top of the food continuously to minimize cook time. The result are prawns that are translucent, sweet, and cooked just right.
The kung pao chicken (diced chicken breast, sautéed with roasted peanuts, onion and chili peppers) – $8.95 prompted me an order of rice. Served uniquely at the restaurant, the salmon fried rice ($7.95) married well with the savory sauce. For a combination of sweet and sour flavor, the orange flavor beef ($8.95) pronounces notes of tangy orange juice with chili peppers.
Chef Lee has had his challenges as a restaurateur. Just ten years ago, he opened a restaurant in the East Bay. It failed because a lack of cash flow. With just $130 left in his bank, he decided to buy a lottery ticket and won $20,000. He sold the failing business and worked for a successful Japanese seafood buffet.
During this time, he learned the importance of presentation. Chef Lee emphasizes that interior design and service plays a critical role since it sets up the mood and experience. Lee said, “I read in an article and learned from the CEO of Nordstrom.
I can train anyone as long as the worker can smile and provide great service.” Especially with all the competition in his neighborhood, restaurants owners have to go the extra mile and build personal relationships. Lee believes that opening a restaurant is a great creative and emotional process.
With this in mind, he advises aspiring restaurant owners to avoid partners if possible. “Its not a democratic system if you have a business partner,” Lee said. Often times, decisions are left in stalemate and arguments arises. Despite the long hours and the challenges in building a consistent customer base, Lee said that he find the industry very rewarding.
Restaurant Hat.
Often times, successful entrepreneurs fail many times before striking the gold mine.
“It is not how many times your fall down, but how many times you get up.”
I find this to be so very true. Only after his failed restaurant and working for a Japanese buffet, did Tony learn more about the importance of both packaging and presentation.
Failure can be our best teacher.
