Saturday, October 29, 2022

Hood River: Grace Su's China Gorge Restaurant

 We went for the panda.

Maybe that's an oversimplification. I was researching the Hood River Fruit Loop, which we were thinking about making one of our excursions.

It was sounding like mainly wines and jams, and wasn't really that appealing for us (if that's your thing, great), and then I saw this photo of a panda statue. Tell me more.

I am not a hard sell for Chinese food anyway, but my sisters are not that into it. They were still willing to go, though, because the reviews were good, and also there's a panda statue.

The amazing thing was that they loved it!

It was the best sesame chicken ever!

It was the best almond chicken ever!

Okay, I liked my kung pao chicken, but that was more likely than not. The other two things are miracles.

We went for the lunch special, where the entrees come with a choice of soup or egg roll. I appreciated that the egg roll came with both sweet and sour sauce and hot mustard.

Although they had posted that there were staffing issues, we only knew because of the sign as our service was prompt. We did get there early. More people were coming in as we were finishing up, which could have had an effect.

Since our visit, we have found other people who do not live nearby, but who still call China Gorge their favorite. One customer picking up an order mentioned that he lived three hours away. That's the kind of pull the restaurant has. It has been a favorite -- local and not so local -- for over forty years.

Although you are quite near the river, the way the location is set up, these windows are the primary view, and more windows would not increase that. You are coming for the food. You get plenty of good views on the drive.

Accessibility: The space seemed very navigable, including restrooms.

COVID: Probably better for us because we came at a non-crowded time, though I am sure it can fill up. During busy times take-out may be a better option.

Then there is the panda. Up close there are some cracks... it has been there a long time. It is still adorable. If it works to lure people in for delicious food, that's just a bonus.


Recommended.

https://www.chinagorge.com/

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