I was looking for Cantonese places and Kirk of mmm-yoso!!! suggested Yenchim Garden Restaurant.
I tried the $9.99 lunch special. Free won ton sticks arrived first. Crunchy with a fried flavor. They were ok.
Crispy won ton was a crunchy fried won ton wrapper. I liked the fried flavor. Egg roll was crunchy and had a nice assortment of veggies. I would have liked a chicken egg roll.
Won ton soup had a few pork won tons with a light pork flavor. I would have liked if the meat was marinated more.
Fried rice had minimal flavor and some tiny yellow specks that may have been egg pieces.
Yenchim chow mien had a mix of beef, chicken, and shrimp. Meats were tender and had nice flavor. Dish had a smoky wok flavor.
2nd visit I tried the tea smoked duck and the house fried rice. It seemed like the duck was fried as the skin was crispy like fried chicken skin. Also some of the pieces were overcooked as happens when the small pieces cook faster than the pieces with no bone. Loved the flavor of tea smoked duck.
House fried rice had lots of egg, beef, chicken, and shrimp. Meats were tender and full of flavor. Strongest flavor was of egg as you get tons of it.
3rd visit I tried the won ton soup and fried dumplings. Won ton soup featured pork won tons with 2 pieces of chicken and shrimp. Won tons were small and the pork filling was very lightly seasoned. Chicken was very lightly seasoned and did not have much flavor. Shrimp did not have much flavor either. I wouldn’t get this dish again. Sab E Lee on the other side of the parking lot has a delicious won ton soup.
Potstickers were crunchy on top and the bottom was soft and getting close to disintegrating.
Pork filling was heavily seasoned with soy sauce. You get lots of pork but I didn’t like the flavor that much. I prefer my potstickers deep fried with some veggies in the filling.
Service was good. Lots of free parking. Not crowded at lunch.
Yenchim Garden Restaurant
13297 Black Mountain Rd #6
San Diego, CA 92129
(858) 484-7277
Would you visit again? Sounds like a few dishes were not to your liking.
No. I prefer Sab E Lee on the other side of the parking lot.
Thanks for the mention. Man, seems like they’ve really gone downhill over the years.
You are welcome! I was suspicious when Yenchim was deserted at lunch while Sab E Lee was packed.
Sounds very hit and miss, mainly miss. I don’t see how they can survive with the current economy.
I tried their take on my favorite dishes and can’t recommend them. Sab E Lee is better and the same distance from home.