Jessica Sportsman: Dragon House Restaurant
While walking on Geary Boulevard, I have passed by the
Dragon House Restaurant many times, a neighborhood establishment
that seems to have been here forever.
We all know of the hundreds of family owned/operated Asian
restaurants located here in the Richmond - from Chinese
to Indonesian to Burmese to Korean - that form the
backbone of the local business community. The list is countless.
Every boulevard, street and avenue is filled with these
home-style eateries. They go from highly-decorated restaurants
to town cafes, usually each with a unique variation and
a neighborhood following to match.
On a recent evening, my dining partner Lilia and I were
in search of freshly-prepared, savory seafood. After driving
to several spots and facing long lines and no parking, we
decided to stop at my home and walk to a local spot. Dragon
House Restaurant was close by so we ventured there. We were
not disappointed.
The Dragon House Chinese Restaurant has been in business
for more than 23 years and our waiter, Amy, has been working
there since the beginning. The interior of the restaurant
is not fancy but welcoming. It is brightly lit and features
classic cafe tables and chairs. The menu is several pages
long and touts everything from pot sticker and won ton appetizers
to every day Chinese dishes and fish entrees, served whole
and freshly prepared from the restaurant's seafood
tank.
Basically, all of the expected Chinese dishes are represented
on the extensive menu. There is also take-out (no delivery)
for customers who wish to enjoy their favorite dishes at
home. The local patrons, who frequent and obviously know
about the best dishes, gather together in large groups to
order their favorite dishes for sharing.
For appetizers, we decided to have the House Specialty
Saucy Duck and Honey Glazed BBQ Pork. Amy was hesitant at
first to serve us the duck because it was served cold, but
we felt adventurous and insisted on trying it. The tender
duck was almost pickled and was indeed served very cold
- a different twist from crispy roast duck -
but was worth being discovered. The thinly sliced barbeque
pork appetizer was generous and very tasty. It was served
room temperature without any additional sauces or garnishes.
Indeed, most of the dishes were presented in a basic unadulterated
form without additional condiments - letting the ingredients
speak for themselves.
To satisfy our unquenched palates for fresh seafood, we
selected a flash-fried whole catfish and a sauteed whole
crab with ginger and scallions. Both plates were presented
without flare - the fish was fresh and flavorful.
The prices were a little on the high side for a neighborhood
restaurant, with the market price this day running at approximately
$18 per entree for the fresh fish and crab entrees. We ate
all we ordered and were satisfied without having any additional
refreshments or desserts.
Neighboring tables with large parties (obviously regular
patrons) ordered mountains of dishes that looked and smelled
fantastic. The prices for many entrees, with the exception
of seasonal ones, are around $9.
Next time you are out and want to try a different Chinese
restaurant, try our long-time neighbors at the Dragon House
Restaurant. I am sure you will not be disappointed. After
all, 23 years in business speaks for itself!
Dragon House Restaurant
5344 Geary Blvd. (Between 17th and 18th avenues)
Open: Sunday through Thursday, 11 a.m. - 9:30 p.m. (closed
every day between 3 p.m. - 4 p.m.); Friday and Saturday,
11 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Food to go available
Telephone (415) 751-6545
Jessica Sportsman is restaurant review and publisher
of the local "Good Book."
