2008 Woodie Awards
Delightful Surprises Abound at Chinese Hideaway
Mandarin Pavilion has a menu full of favorites and flavorful options.
David Stelzmuller
Issue date: 9/26/07 Section: Local
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Incredibly over-battered entrees characterize these establishments, along with steam
tables that are constantly warming foods that were made long before you arrived.
So the obvious question is why would you settle for that when you can enjoy classic
Chinese fare without the odor of burnt coffee and donuts?
The next time you are looking to satisfy your craving for Chinese, head to the Mandarin Pavilion on Valencia Drive and Euclid Street in Fullerton.
Not obviously noticeable while driving down Euclid, the Mandarin Pavilion is an
unpretentious Chinese eatery that focuses more on providing its diners with memorable dishes than the gaudy, over-the-top ambiance found in many Chinese restaurants.
Despite the more functional appearance of the restaurant, there are large leather booths in which you can enjoy your lunch or dinner. Do not feel rushed at the Mandarin Pavilion; the menu is a long catalog of more than 100 dishes for adventurous eaters. The staff is both knowledgeable and helpful with descriptions of dishes or with their own recommendations.
The first order of the day was paper-wrapped chicken as an appetizer, just to keep busy while perusing the menu. The mere listing of paper-wrapped chicken on the menu is a good sign, a signal, if you will, that you have found a Chinese restaurant with chefs that know what they are doing. The chefs of the Mandarin Pavilion did not disappoint.
The paper wrapped chicken was an explosion of flavor in every bite. They used dark
meat chicken, making every bite extra juicy, and the small packets of meat remained perfectly seasoned during cooking; each morsel tasting of hoisin sauce, sesame oil, garlic, and scallions, with a hint of sweetness.
This incredible dish is consummated by seasoning the chicken and wrapping it with the sauce in foil and then deep-frying it. The result is chicken that is slightly caramelized without having any oil actually soak into the chicken.
The meal for the evening consisted of fried rice, egg rolls, aromatic chicken, and sweet and sour chicken. The fried rice and egg rolls were standard issue, but the aromatic chicken was another story.
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