Royal Mandarin - An "Ab-cee-dee" Fry-O-Rama

We've developed a term for restaurants like Royal Mandarin. We call them "ABCDE", that's pronounced "Ab-cee-dee", otherwise known as "American Born Chinese Dining Establishment". You know those places, no chopsticks to be found; when you ask for them and old drawer will be opened and wooden chopsticks delivered. Royal Mandarin is such a place:

Located on busy Plaza Boulevard, Royal Mandarin serves a mix of ABCDE and Chinoy type of Chinese Food. As is typical with many of these restaurants when you enter, it's as if you've stepped into a time warp; the decor screams 60's Chinese Food. This quite non-descript storefront is deceptive. Many times the restaurant is packed to the gills.

The menu here is similar to other ABCDE restaurants; namely Mandarin Canton and Golden Chopsticks. So today instead of heading over to Golden Chopsticks, we drove one block East to Royal Mandarin. We started with an order of Upside Down Crispy Noodles($7.50):

I've explained my quest for "Cake Noodles" in previous posts, and really didn't expect anything close. And was proven right again. These were just deep fried noodle cakes, with stir fried veggies, shrimp, and beef in a brown sauce, which in this case was pretty tasteless. The broccoli was cooked to perfection, cooked completely through, and still crunchy.

Salted Pepper Shrimp without Shell ($9.95), probably the most expensive dish on the menu:

These shelled and deveined shrimp were dusted with flour and deep fried, instead of being heavily battered like we're used to. So we approached this with some doubt. But the shrimp were very tasty, not overly salty, slightly sweet, and the shrimp were cooked to perfection. A good rule of thumb for restaurants like these; "when in doubt, go for the fried." If they can't do fried well, they can't do anything.

After this visit, I found out that Royal Mandarin is one of the "players" in the Best Salt and Pepper Chicken Wings sweepstakes. In fact we saw trays, and in one case a whole cart of wings leaving the premises while we ate. There is a general consensus(maybe urban legend) that the "original" Salt and Pepper Chicken Wings were first served here. So armed with this info we paid Royal Mandarin another visit.

We started with the Classic ABCDE dish, a favorite of the Missus, Wor Wonton Soup for Two($4.50):

This soup was not half bad, the broth was much better then the usual tasteless watery broth. There was nice plump shrimp and several wonton, bamboo shoots, button mushrooms, and spinach.

And of course those Salt and Pepper Chicken Wings ($6.25):

These have the same "crack-like" addictiveness as the version at Golden Chopstick. This version has less of the garlic-green onion mixture and the chicken is placed on the top of the mixture instead of visa-versa. If I were to do a comparison, I'd say, the RM's wings are more crunchy, obviously from more cornstarch, there are more drumettes instead of wing pieces, and have a more balanced flavor. GS's version has much more "punch", and alot more of the delici-yoso garlic-green onion "topping".

The real hit of the meal was the Salt and Pepper Fish Fillet($7.95):

The batter on the slices of fish had a texture between a beer and tempura batter; crunchy, light, very tasty; and the fish was so moist. Three fried salt and pepper dishes, three different batters. This was by far the best.

Now the guilt kicked in. And in our weakness we went against our normal strategy and ordered Buddha's Delight($5.50):

Blech! This vegetable dish was very bland, though the veggies were cooked well, this was a waste.

Here are a few other fried from other visits.

Salt and Pepper White Meat Chicken($5.95):

Can you say Salt and Pepper McNuggets? Too dry, same batter as fish fillet, but doesn't work here. Very bland. The price - it's cheaper then the Chicken Wings should have been a clue!

Salt and Pepper Tofu($5.25):

Though a textural delight - cubes of tofu are deep fried were nice and crunchy outside, creamy inside; this dish would be better served with a sauce. Served in this manner  it tasted rather bland. Can you say Tsoh(stinky) Tofu without the smell! Funny thing, on this visit our waitress thought the Missus was Filipino, but thought I'd want chopsticks because I was "Korean", after she found out the Missus was Chinese, they had some very nice conversations in Mandarin. The Missus noticed that a combination of Cantonese and Mandarin was spoken by the Employees. As we were leaving, we noticed a whole aluminum tray of Wings(60 pieces - just $17) sitting on a Lazy Susan on one of the tables with other dishes. There were 8 people just totally "grinding" on the wings, my kind of people! Why bother with plates - just give me a tray; I can deal with that! Also, as we were driving home, we noticed, no thirst, no swelling, it seemed that the amount of MSG in the food is pretty low, which I found to be strange considering the type of dishes we selected.

So the next time you're at a Filipino party in San Diego and the Salt and Pepper Chicken Wings are brought out, you can be pretty sure they've come from either Mandarin Canton, Golden Chopsticks, or Royal Mandarin. And when faced with an ABCDE, go first with the fried. If they can't do fried, I'm pretty sure they can't do anything!

If I can get some volunteers, I'll be willing to do a Salt and Pepper Chicken Wing tasting. Any takers?

Royal Mandarin Restaurant
1132 E. Plaza Blvd
National City, CA 91950

Comments

[Rachel]

woo bring on the fried food train!! All that stuff looks soo good. I have a secret passion for fried chicken as well and its only my waist (waste?) that keeps me from having it more often. We have many of those establishments you so mention here as well only they are known as ABC restaurants, serving the standard mongolian lamb, sitr fried beef in oyster sauce, chow mein, chop suey etc. One of these in my town is an all you can eat plae but I only go there for one thing .... Fried Chicken !!! its beautifully marinated with ginger juice and salt and pepper and fried golden brown. Anyway, I look forward to your review on chicken wings :)

[Kirk]

Hi Rachel - I love fried chicken too, maybe a little too much!

[Brian Bautista]

I have been patron to this restaurant since I was 6 years old (I am now 22). I have grown to love this place! I am so happy it's finally been viewed here! I also do believe this is the place where the garlic chicken wings craze started.

[boo_licious]

Wow, the chicken wings look like they will crackle on my screen.

We have a special WCB get well edition for Clare and Kiri this weekend. Do join us even if you do not have a cat. Further details on Farmgirl's link and my site:

http://foodiefarmgirl.blogspot.com/2005/11/hearts-cats-for-clare-kiri.html

[Lisa]

When you say "cake noodles" have you tried the Chinese noodle dish where they serve the stir-fry dish in what looks like a basket? I think they some times refer to it as a birds nest or something, of course not to be confused with bird nest soup.

I think the last time I had the basket noodle dish it was at Emerald Seafood or some random place in LA that I can't remember. The texture of the noodles was different from the sort they use for normal Chow Mein.

[thess]

i'd like to try that salt n pepper tofu, looks good!

oh man! i miss going to an authentic chinese restaurant, which is not many here because most of the time, 'chinese food' here is adapted to the dutch taste...may i say 'bleh'? so i settle for your reviews *sigh

have a fine weekend, kirk.

[Angie]

Chicken Wing tasting? Count me in!

[Kirk]

Hi Brian - Nice to "hear" from you again. By the looks of it, Royal Mandarin will probably still be going strong 25 years from now! I'd enjoy any recommendations that you might have for National City - I'll be doig Manila Tokyo in the future, that's a real fun place.

Hi Boo_licious - Thank you for thinking of me and including me! I'll come up with something.

Hi Lisa - Thanks for stopping by and commenting. Cake noodle are flat "cakes" of noodle that are fried and cut into squares. A stir fry of meat and veggies is poured over the noodles, so ome of it becomes soft, while part of it is crunchy, it's a real nice textural experience, and more of a HBC (Hawaii born Chinese) dish.
http://onokinegrindz.typepad.com/ono_kine_grindz/2005/03/happy_days.html
I've had those "noodle basket" dishes, they are good, but never had them at Emerald, I'll definitely give it a try next time.

Hi Thess - I find the modifications that Chinese Restaurants make so interesting, I'd love to know what makes Dutch Chinese unique.

Hi Angie - That would be fun, wouldn't it?

[elmomonster]

I'll take that Deep Fried Fish Fillet anywhere...even from an ABCDE. That's a clever acronym, BTW! I've not heard it before until now! I'm going to start using it!

[Courtney]

OHHHH! That noodle dish! I can say no more.

[Kirk]

Hi Elmo - That fish fillet is really good...I think we'll be having some tomorrow.

Hi Courtney - Thanks for stopping by! Not much I can add to what you said! LOL!

[Jack]

Fried chicken wing excursion? I'm there!

[Kirk]

Hey Jack - I'll make sure to count you in.

[Ed]

I just noticed your blog on SD/LA-area restaurants (with a mostly "ethnic" view) - great work!

I grew up in San Diego near National City, so I used to go to the Royal Mandarin - wow, I haven't been there in ages. And I really miss their garlic-salt-pepper wings - it is, as you said, just like a crack addiction. I just wish there was a place like that here in Santa Barbara - most of the food at the RM would blow anything that the ABCDE places would have here... Sigh.

[Kirk]

Hi Ed - Welcome and thanks for commenting! You're right, those wings are so addictive. I actually crave them once in a while. I don't ever recall having them anywhere but in San Diego....funny, eh?

[Ed]

The other things I always crave when I'm down there visiting the family are the chicken and beef pies from the Canton Bakery next door. Flaky, greasy, probably not so good for you, all wrapped in nostalgic goodness - why can't I find these elsewhere, arghh! Well, here in Santa Barbara, we're talking about an area that only has four small Asian-themed markets - I'm probably not going to see any good chicken or beef pies anytime soon. But the Indo-China market here has some reasonably cheap "clotted cream" ;)

[Kirk]

Hi Ed - We call it Scary Lady bakery. The Lady who works there, isn't mean or anything. She just looks very intense....like scary intense - I wouldn't want to mess with Her intense.....

[Charles]

Do you know the recipe for those wings? I've been trying to cook them at home since I don't live in San Diego anymore. Love them. I also like Golden Chopsticks Egg Foo young. Best in san Diego. I was really upset that Golden Dragon (hilcrest) closed. Iloved there General Tso's Chicken. It was crispy and very spicey and sweet.

[Kirk]

Hi Charles - I wish I had the recipe for those wings... then I wouldn't have to drive down to National City everytime I get a craving. Those are like crack! Maybe someone out there knows????

[Troy]

I have had the salt and pepper wings numerous times now from Royal Mandarin and every time I bring them to an event/party, all the "newbies" fall in love with them. I thin a true testament to good wings are the people who love these and are not even truly wing eaters, like some of my female friends in the under 100lb category!!! These are always a hit!