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upickforus Nov 30, 2010 09:50 AM

Desperately Looking For Good Chinese Restaurants in East Bay

Hi Everyone,

I was hoping to see if anyone has any good suggestions for chinese food in the East Bay. My girlfriend and I usually go to San Tung or So's in SF but are there any good chinese restaurants in the East Bay? We dont mind spending the money so no cheapy overly greasy chinese food. Any suggestions would be great. Thanks in advance!

  1. PeterL Dec 2, 2010 03:27 PM

    If you don't mind going deep into East Bay, a couple of our favorites are Green Valley, and King Palace, San Ramon, Tri Valley Seafood, Pleasanton, and Koi Garden (branch of Koi Palace), Dublin.

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    Koi Palace Restaurant
    365 Gellert Blvd, Daly City, CA 94015

    Tri Valley Seafood
    5588 Springdale Ave, Pleasanton, CA

    Koi Garden
    4288 Dublin Blvd, Dublin, CA 94568

    King Palace
    11040 Bollinger Canyon Rd, San Ramon, CA 94582

    1 Reply
    1. re: PeterL
      Melanie Wong Dec 2, 2010 10:23 PM

      What do you recommend at Green Valley?
      3191 Crow Canyon Pl
      Ste D
      San Ramon, CA 94583
      (925) 866-9479

    2. l
      lacerise Dec 2, 2010 11:24 AM

      some people like Renee's on Solano. I find that the ingredients are very fresh, but the preparation is lacking in flavor. Little Shin Shin on Piedmont Ave. has had a loyal following for decades. Their food is very flavorful and they've got an extensive menu. Great China is also good and has some dishes not found elsewhere.

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      Great China Restaurant
      2115 Kittredge St, Berkeley, CA 94704

      Little Shin Shin
      4258 Piedmont Ave, Oakland, CA 94611

      1 Reply
      1. re: lacerise
        Robert Lauriston Dec 2, 2010 11:59 AM

        Great China's house specialties are mostly Korean-Chinese. Chef Yu's has some of the same dishes, though they're prepared in a more rustic fashion.

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        Great China Restaurant
        2115 Kittredge St, Berkeley, CA 94704

        Chef Yu's
        3919 Telegraph Ave, Oakland, CA 94609

      2. k
        katnat Dec 1, 2010 08:18 PM

        I really like Jac's Asian Bistro on San Pablo in El Cerrito. I know they're planning or might have already moved just down the street and I'm not sure of the new address but the old place is just after Central ave. The place is totally a hole in the wall and basic, but the food is always fresh, not too greasy and really tasty. Place seems to be mostly full of Chinese families.

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        Mac's Wok
        10558 San Pablo Ave, El Cerrito, CA 94530

        1 Reply
        1. re: katnat
          e
          ernie in berkeley Dec 2, 2010 11:07 AM

          In the same area, L & L does great Cantonese seafood and dim sum. The traditional crispy noodles with seafood is remarkable in its subtlety and freshness.

        2. r
          Ridge Dec 1, 2010 08:05 PM

          There is some excellent Chinese food in the East Bay. The ones I recommend have already been mentioned:

          China Village
          Great China
          Asia Pearl (for Dim Sum)

          -----
          Great China Restaurant
          2115 Kittredge St, Berkeley, CA 94704

          2 Replies
          1. re: Ridge
            j
            Joel Dec 2, 2010 03:09 PM

            China Village is an excellent choice -- but so far there has not been a link to it in this thread. .

            -----
            China Village
            1335 Solano Ave, Albany, CA 94706

            1. re: Joel
              Melanie Wong Dec 2, 2010 10:21 PM

              PeterL, note that there are several restaurants named China Village, so it will not autolink. Thanks for using the "manage your links" function to select the correct one and hook it up.

          2. s
            SerenaE Nov 30, 2010 01:30 PM

            I have a hard time finding a Chinese restaurant I want to go because most serve food that is gooey, sweet, greasy, and sometimes not as fresh as I would like. I pretty much have tried every Chinese restaurant discussed on this board, and Chinese Village is the only one that I would return. With that said, I had a really good meal recently at the newly re-opened "Saigon Village" next to Ranch 99 in El cerrito. The food was fresh, lightly flavored and the service was very efficient.

            5 Replies
            1. re: SerenaE
              g
              gordon wing Nov 30, 2010 06:05 PM

              Hi Serena, Any specific dishes that you would order again?

              1. re: gordon wing
                s
                SerenaE Nov 30, 2010 09:29 PM

                We ordered steamed frog legs, octopus salad, a clay pot (lamb, I think) and a fish dish I don't recall. I was pleasantly surprised that I liked all dishes, which had never happened to me at east bay Chinese restaurants. All the ingredients were fresh, the service was fast, and all dishes came up nice and hot. (except salad of course). Right now this is the only Chinese restaurant in the east bay that I actually WANT to go back to. It could be a one-time wonder, but I hope not. Judging by the large number of native Chinese diners there, I think it is promising.

              2. re: SerenaE
                Civil Bear Nov 30, 2010 09:10 PM

                Also in the same mall and very good is Asian Pearl. Prices are slightly higher prices than your average Chinese Restaurant, but it is easy to see why.

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                Asian Pearl
                3288 Pierce St, Richmond, CA 94804

                1. re: Civil Bear
                  d
                  dordogne Dec 1, 2010 08:47 AM

                  Agreed: quality of ingredients and careful preparation warrant the higher prices. I've had only the dim sum and lunch-style dishes there, all excellent. There are big dim sum crowds on the week-end.

                  1. re: Civil Bear
                    k
                    kc72 Dec 3, 2010 10:15 AM

                    Walked by Asian Pearl this morning and saw a sign posted outside w/ Weekday specials. The sign said Fremont, but they probably didn't bother reprinting for their other locations.

                    Monday: Empress Chicken $12/each
                    Tuesday: HK Style Crab $14/each
                    Wednesday: Peking Duck $12/each
                    Thursday: Ginger and Scallion Lobster $28/2
                    Friday: Queen Clam $5/each

                    * Dine-in only. Dinner only
                    One Table per order (except for Queen Clam)
                    Not available during Holiday

                    -----
                    Asian Pearl
                    3288 Pierce St, Richmond, CA 94804

                2. chefj Nov 30, 2010 10:51 AM

                  Spices! 3 or China Village for Szechaun
                  Diamo ,New Gold Medal for Cantonese BBQ meats, Noodles and the like.
                  Ark for hand pulled noodles.
                  Peony, Hong Kong East Ocean Seafood Restaurant, King of King for Dim Sum
                  Shanghai for Shanghai style
                  just to name a few.
                  There are also a few Americanized higher end places like Shen Hua

                  -----
                  Shen Hua
                  2914 College Ave, Berkeley, CA 94705

                  East Ocean Seafood
                  1713 Webster St, Alameda, CA 94501

                  King of King Restaurant
                  1139 E 12th St, Oakland, CA 94606

                  4 Replies
                  1. re: chefj
                    Robert Lauriston Nov 30, 2010 11:29 AM

                    Shanghai reportedly changed hands recently.

                    1. re: Robert Lauriston
                      u
                      upickforus Nov 30, 2010 11:56 AM

                      These are great suggestions! Thanks for the help I will look into all of these and let you guys know.

                      1. re: upickforus
                        bbulkow Nov 30, 2010 12:49 PM

                        China Village has a broad and unusual menu. there are long threads about what to order there, and reports of a couple chowdowns. Most of those posts are 3+ years old. Research is well rewarded. For example, the stir fried cabbage sounds blah but is one of my favorite dishes anywhere anytime. Wonderful wok breath. Their boiled beef - the classic szechuan dish - is similarly very good. There's one dish I had there once by mistake that I've never been able to order again, not for lack of trying.

                        Once you're tired of CV, do try Happy Golden Bowl up in EC (or if you live north). CV has a broader menu, but HGB has its moments.

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                        Happy Golden Bowl
                        10675 San Pablo Ave, El Cerrito, CA

                      2. re: Robert Lauriston
                        chefj Nov 30, 2010 01:42 PM

                        I have been fairly recently( 6 weeks or so).
                        I know that they have been taking a few knocks here on the board but the only dishes I have seen suffer are the sliced rice cake items.

                    2. d
                      dordogne Nov 30, 2010 10:01 AM

                      Despair no longer. Peking duck and mustardy hot double skin appetizer at Great China in Berkeley. Many excellent szechuan preparations at China Village in Albany (do a search on this board for particulars).

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                      Great China Restaurant
                      2115 Kittredge St, Berkeley, CA 94704

                      3 Replies
                      1. re: dordogne
                        u
                        upickforus Nov 30, 2010 11:10 AM

                        That sounds DELICIOUS! Thanks for the suggestions.

                        1. re: dordogne
                          Robert Lauriston Nov 30, 2010 11:31 AM

                          Great China (Korean-Chinese), China Village (Sichuan), and Daimo (HK) are my favorites. Also East Ocean Seafood in Alameda for dim sum (have not tried dinner there yet).

                          -----
                          East Ocean Seafood
                          1713 Webster St, Alameda, CA 94501

                          Great China Restaurant
                          2115 Kittredge St, Berkeley, CA 94704

                          1. re: Robert Lauriston
                            t
                            toofacetious Dec 1, 2010 04:21 PM

                            East Ocean is great at dinner. My go to place for well executed traditional Cantonese fare.

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