West Windsor/Princeton Junction

Sunny Gardens has the reputation of being one of the best chinese restaurants in New Jersey. We like the food as well as the modern look of the restaurant. The food is very well prepared. The staff is hospitable to requests not to include msg in the food and will warn you when msg can't be avoided, as in pre-made stocks for some soups.

One take-out foray on Saturday night yields a few observations. Saturday night is a busy time for the restaurant. The parking lot was completely full and the restaurant lobby was crowded with people waiting for tables, some reserved, some not. Their take out service was prompt and courteous. During a hiatus in the cashier's work, they permitted me to pay prior to the food's delivery. As the credit card transaction was completed, the food came.

Our food included Steamed Shrimp Sao Mai, Mango Beef in Tamarind Sauce, and Stuffed Egglant. The steamed shrimp were a sort of a dumpling, shaped like a crumpled paper bag. The shrimp were fresh and had a slight crunch to the bite. I liked them enormously, but my partner, a shrimp lover, was less enthralled. We both adored the stuffed eggplant [stuffed with shrimp]. My partner, without knowing the name of the dish, described the mango beef as sweet, fruity, and crunchy. The mango was sliced and cooked. Atop the beef was an uncooked julienne that may have included mango and jicama. The tamarind sauce was not distinctive to us. The mango flavor predominated. The eggplant was a small slice butterflied and stuffed with shrimp that had a defined texture to the bite The dish was covered in a light garlic sauce. We ate at home and drank Gewurtztraminer with dinner. The spicy character of the wine went well with the seafood and the spicy sauce on the beef.

They have also been very accomodating about take out orders while we were without a kitchen. When I walk in the door they know who I am and they remember that I need both a plate and utensils for my order.

Another recent trip [April 2006] to Sunny Gardens had us ordering Steamed Mussels with Lemongrass as an appetizer, Eggplant Stuffed with shrimp in mild garlic sauce, a south asian Beef Curry, brown rice, and tea. My partner who normally loves mussels and lemnongrass, did not like these. I did. She just did not like the mussels, but the seasonings were ok. As usual we loved the stuffed eggplant. The Beef Curry was new. It was a tasty spicey stew, seasoned differently than any curry we had had before. We will need to taste it again to comprehend the flavorings.

Big Fish, Chili's, Chevvy's, Macaroni Grill, & On-the-Border are chain restaurants, with highly variable food quality and service quality. More-to-come.