China Dragon - Petaluma

127 N McDowell Blvd, Petaluma, CA 94954
(707) 763-6699
Parking: shopping center parking lot
Hours: Mon-Thurs 11:30am to 9:30pm, Fri-Sat 11:30am to 10pm, Sun Noon to 9pm

Last Visited: October 29, 2006

Food: 2 stars
Atmosphere: 2 to 3 stars
Service: 3 to 4 stars
Price: $ to $$

The food rating was once 3 to 4 stars and has since dropped down to two stars due to my recent visit. I really used to enjoy their food a lot. I have joked about China Dragon’s healing power to many of my friends. It’s a strange coincidence, but I have gone to China Dragon when I happened to be feeling sick. After every visit where I ate their buffet when sick, I have always gotten better very quickly. I joked that it was something to do with their hot and sour soup. I couldn’t explain it. Unfortunately, during my last visit, I got an enormous MSG headache. I called the establishment to tell them this when the headache came on, and they told me that next time, they wouldn’t use MSG. This is hard to believe considering that first, their menu says “NO MSG” on it. Why would there need to be a ‘next time?’ Second, how do you not do it next time when it was used on buffet items for which the patrons don’t specify that they don’t want MSG. For those that don’t know, MSG is short for monosodium glutamate. It’s a flavor enhancer. When used in small quantities, it can be very effective, but when used in large quantities, it tends to create dry mouth, thirst, and sometimes, headaches or stomach aches. I had a headache. I think MSG was used in the salad. You can often see it in spice mixes when it hasn’t fully dissolved.

- Lunch Buffet – The lunch buffet is a steal at this price. There have many customers which means a very fresh buffet. Some of my favorite items included the hot and sour soup, beef with broccoli, tofu with fresh vegetables, fried squid, salty/spicy shrimp, and on and on. The usual pot stickers and egg rolls are available too. They also offer seasonal fruit in abundance – orange wedges, watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew and the like. $7.30

Service is always good with servers clearing plates frequently and checking to see if you need anything. Tables are available without long waits and the servers are efficient getting everybody in and out in a quick, but not hurried fashion. Too bad that they don’t live up to their claims about not using MSG.