China Room - Santa Rosa

500 Mission Blvd #E, Santa Rosa, CA 95409
(707) 539-5570
Parking: in parking lot

Last Visited: August 15, 2005

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

There is a small entranceway that immediately shows the dining room. The ceiling has molding that is highlighted by some teal trim. The creamy color of the wall pairs well with the teal and natural wood molding. All of the plates are from a matching set featuring blue and pink flowers on a white background. The large windows in front bring in natural light.

The lunch specials are a bargain. The lunch special menu is divided by pork, chicken, beef, vegetable, and seafood. Included with each meal is a choice of hot and sour soup or wonton soup, one egg roll, and choice of steamed white rice, fried rice, or chow mein.

For this meal, I dined with a large group of people and was pleasantly surprised at their speed and attentiveness.

- Orange Sesame Beef – With this lunch special, I selected hot and sour soup and chow mein. The hot and sour soup was hot in temperature, but too strong with sesame oil flavoring to be close to authentic hot and sour soup. Not bad for Sonoma County, but not authentic. The egg roll was served on a plate with sweet and sour sauce and a small amount of hot mustard. It was nice to have the egg roll served on its own plate, but it certainly made for a large number of dishes on the table. The egg roll was crispy on the outside and there was an average amount of filling on the inside. The egg roll was average to above average and would get a higher rating if it had more filling inside. The orange sesame beef was served with the chow mein. The beef is first lightly battered and deep fried. Then it is cooked in a dark sauce made with some onion and orange rind. This concoction is then topped with sesame. The flavor was light with orange, but what was surprising was the level of spiciness. The menu had a pepper next to the dish, indicating that it would be spicy, but I didn’t find it spicy at all. Overall, the flavor of the orange sesame beef was fine, but I would have liked it better had it not been battered and fried. The chow mein was served plain with only a light soy sauce flavoring. The noodles were soft and not overcooked. For the quantity of food, the price was extremely reasonable. $6.95

- Kung Pao Chicken – Free range chicken is cooked in a spicy sauce and served with the choices listed above. The portion was again large, but I didn’t find it to be particularly impressive. The flavor was okay, but I believe they use MSG since I was quite thirsty afterwards. Okay for Sonoma County. $8

Fortune cookies are served after the meal. During my second visit, we also received cut oranges. My overall impression of China Room was okay. It’s not bad for Sonoma County Chinese food, but certainly not up to par with San Francisco Chinese food. The service was attentive throughout the meal. The staff came to fill water glasses and remove dishes frequently.

After talking with another member of the dining party, I found his experience to be quite different despite us dining at the table at the same time. In his teacup, he found a piece of corn, and as his water glass was being filled, he noticed that the staff touched the top portion of the cup which he found to be inappropriate. The dish he selected was not made authentically either. Fortunately, during my second visit, the dishware seemed to be cleaner.

Based on my own experience and the comments above about cleanliness, the three stars for food became two to three stars. The service which was originally three to four stars dropped to three stars despite the very quick arrival of food. Quick food arrival remains a consistent feature of China Room.

China Room still offers a great bargain, but check your dishes and teacups before using them and you may want to watch your water being filled to see where your cup is being held.