Chinese between Costa Mesa and HB (or thereabouts)

[adamclyde]

I moved to Huntington Beach and work in Costa Mesa. Somewhere along that corridor, or somewhere nearby, I was wondering if there are some really solid Chinese restaurants. I think I have a decent handle on a number of great Vietnamese in Westminster, and a bajillion mexican places in Santa Ana, HB, etc. But I realized I don't really know of any Chinese in the area... so I'm coming here to Chowhound to see if you can help me raise my chinese restaurant quotient in these parts... I've heard Irvine has some good places (though I'm not sure what they are yet), but wondering if there are any closer to the HB side too. Any pointers are appreciated!

[ipsedixit]

I'm not really familiar with the OC, but in Costa Mesa you might try May Garden.

If you get pass the faux exterior and the interior library setting (no joke here, it's a freaking library), and carefully navigate away from the Chinese-American dishes on the menu, then May Garden might be an OK choice in what is otherwise an area not exactly flush with good, authentic Chinese.

-----
May Garden Restaurant
1400 Bristol St Ste C, Costa Mesa, CA 92626

[adamclyde]

Thanks ipsedixit... double thanks because it's less than 2 miles from work. And I'm totally intrigued by the interior now... Anything in particular you've enjoyed on the menu?

[ipsedixit]

I think the luffa is pretty good. The fried taro sticks, house chicken, and the sticky rice were also decent. Only been once, so take it for what it's worth.

[Wonginator]

May Garden closed sometime during the summer. There's now some sort of vegetarian place, called Happy Palace or something like that.

Follow Das Ubergeek's advice. For a good variety of Chinese food, that Jeffrey/Walnut plaza in Irvine has Cantonese at SW Seafood, Shanghainese at Chef Chen, and Szechuan at Chong Qing, all in one plaza. China Garden is across the street for good dim sum, and Tri-Village is across the 5 freeway.

Only decent Chinese I like in Costa Mesa is Golden Dragon, off Harbor Blvd, pretty close to Triangle Square.

One good option that is very popular between CM and HB is Wei's, in Fountain Valley.

-----
China Garden
4790 Irvine Blvd, Irvine, CA 92620

Chef Chen's Restaurant
5408 Walnut Ave, Irvine, CA 92604

Wei's Chinese Restaurant
17046 Magnolia St, Fountain Valley, CA 92708

Tri Village
14121 Jeffrey Rd, Irvine, CA 92620

S W Seafood & B B Q Restaurant
5404 Walnut Ave, Irvine, CA 92604

[ipsedixit]

Hmm, did not know that about May Garden, thanks for the update.

Yes, Irvine is the place to go for Chinese, but for the OP, it's sort of out of the way if the commute is between Huntington Beach and Costa Mesa ...

[Chandavkl]

Gee--May Garden was there forever. I used to like Wei's, particularly their shrimp balls and the whole fish on a bed of noodles, but the last visit wasn't that good. I recall something about the original owner retiring, then coming back again for a while. Do you have a current status report?

[Wonginator]

It's been maybe at least a year since I went to Wei's, so I don't know if there's been an ownership change recently.

Just remember about Fu Wing Low in Fountain Valley also, another excellent choice.

-----
Fu Wing Low
16545 Brookhurst St, Fountain Valley, CA 92708

[Das Ubergeek]

Lotus is pretty decent Hui cuisine (that's Chinese Islamic). It's on Beach in HB.

As for Irvine, head for Jeffrey and Walnut and explore the two plazas there.

[Chandavkl]

Not much in Huntington Beach or Costa Mesa. Lots in Westminster and Irvine which should come up through a board search.