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Whether you’re a Szechuan prawn devotee or a Mongolian beef lover, the Bay Area’s Chinese restaurants offer a wealth of delicious possibilities for every palate. Here are five tasty choices to try in San Jose, Walnut Creek and San Francisco, too.
Edna Ray, San Jose
Chinese food lovers mourned when the 54-year-old Edna Ray restaurant closed two years ago. Now the niece of the original owners has reopened the place, with family blessings all around, and she’s brought back not only the name, but the beloved menu — including classics such as honey walnut prawns, wor wonton soup, lemon chicken and Mongolian beef — and artwork from its previous Lincoln Avenue home.
Details: Open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays and Wednesday through Saturday, and noon to 9 p.m. Sunday. 1890 W. San Carlos St., San Jose; 408-293-3149.
Chef Chu’s, Los Altos
A Los Altos institution for 47 years, Chef Chu’s is ranked among the nation’s top 50 best Chinese restaurants by CNN. Chef Chu’s specialty signature dishes include Peking duck ($50) — you’ll need to order it four hours in advance — and chicken salad with hot-mustard peanuts.
Details: Open from 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 pm. Sunday through Thursday, 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and noon to 10 p.m. on Saturday. 1067 N San Antonio Road, Los Altos; www.chefchu.com.
Creek House Dim Sum Restaurant, Walnut Creek
Enjoy such favorites as wontons in hot chili oil and bbq pork appetizers, as well as Hong Kong style pan-friend noodles, beef with oyster sauce, Thai style eggplant stuffed with shrimp and dry scallop and egg white fried rice. Yum.
Details: Open from 10:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday/Sunday. 1291 Parkside Drive, Walnut Creek; shanghaigourmet.us.
China Live, San Francisco
This 20,000-square-foot foodie paradise in San Francisco’s Chinatown includes a main-floor Market Restaurant and Central Bar with four exhibition kitchens, menus devoted to small ($6-$24) and large plates ($16-$60) and eight specialized stations, where you can watch, say, a dumpling or dim sum master at work. China Live’s Oolong Cafe offers casual fare and a rotating selection of rare Chinese teas. Upstairs, enjoy a drink ($16-$22) at the Scotch-focused Cold Drinks bar.
Details: Open from 11 a.m. weekdays, 10:30 a.m. weekends at China Live, 644 Broadway St., San Francisco; Cold Drinks opens at 5 p.m. daily; https://chinalivesf.com.
Andy & Yu’s, Pleasanton
This Pleasanton restaurant offers a sleek, modern dining room and large outdoor patio with a fire pit. Menu favorites include prawns with honey walnut ($16), thick mu shu pancakes ($12.50), steamed spinach dumplings ($7.50) and more.
Details: Open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. 348 St. Mary St., Pleasanton; www.andyandyus.com.
