China Garden Buffet

FOOD

China Garden’s Chinese-American hot dishes are the foundation of the meal, with chicken on a stick among its characteristic choices. Skewered chicken gives the selection a preparation separate from the sauced entrees, including General Tso’s chicken and sweet-and-sour chicken. Those familiar dishes share the buffet with beef, seafood and vegetables, giving the main course considerable breadth.

General Tso’s belongs to the Chinese-American tradition of fried chicken in a sweet sauce with some heat, while sweet-and-sour chicken puts the emphasis on tang as well as sweetness. In the familiar General Tso’s style, the coating and sauce are central to the dish, surrounding bite-size pieces of chicken. Pepper steak supplies a beef alternative: the classic preparation pairs sliced beef with peppers, bringing the meal into a more savory register.

Seafood has a substantial presence. Butter shrimp and fried shrimp are two named preparations, offering a sauced choice alongside a fried one. Crab legs have also been included in buffet meals. Availability and the current meal package should be confirmed before making a crab-focused visit; they are not a reason to overlook the shrimp or the rest of the hot selection.

Kimchi is a particularly welcome detail on the cold bar. The Korean fermented-vegetable dish brings a different tradition to a buffet whose main emphasis is Chinese-American. Fermentation gives kimchi its characteristic sourness, often accompanied by chili heat, making it a lively counterpoint to sweeter entrees and fried appetizers. Its presence gives the cold selection a more specific identity than a routine assortment of salad ingredients.

Crab Rangoon and spring rolls are among the appetizers. In its familiar Chinese-American form, Rangoon is a crisp wonton with a creamy filling; spring rolls use a rolled wrapper. Both belong to the fried side of the spread, alongside chicken wings. The wings add another chicken preparation beyond the skewers and sauced entrees, broadening the selection of smaller savory dishes.

Green beans have a place among the hot vegetables, while fried rice and noodles supply the familiar accompaniments. Fried rice is traditionally cooked with already-cooked rice, allowing the grains to be tossed through a hot pan with the other ingredients. That technique gives it a different character from plain steamed rice. The rice, noodles and beans sit within a selection that also includes cold fermented vegetables, fried appetizers and several chicken preparations.

Soft-serve ice cream is the clearest dessert attraction. It is a simple, cold finish after the savory dishes, with a smooth texture that contrasts with the fried wrappers and chicken coatings earlier in the meal. Fortune cookies are also available. The dessert offering keeps to the familiar pleasures of a Chinese-American buffet, with soft serve providing a sweet course of its own.