Jung's Golden Dragon
3009 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70115, USA
Uptown 1: Garden District & Environs
Anecdotes & Analysis
After New Orleans's Chinatown came to an end in the 1950s, those looking for Chinese restaurants found most of them on the outskirts of town. It's only lately that Asian restaurants managed to infiltrate the Uptown area. Jung's Golden Dragon is one of the best of these relocations, having left a long-established Metairie restaurant behind to cash in on the current vogue among younger diners for Asian food.<br /> <br /> On Magazine Street, hipness is essential. Perceived authenticity is the index that gets people talking about Asian places. In the Chinese arena, one must now have a special "Chinese menu" of dishes supposedly preferred by Asian customers, preferably printed in Chinese. And yes, that's here.
Backstory
Jung Tan was barely out of the UNO Hotel and Tourism School when she opened East China, her first restaurant, in the early 1980s. It was in New Orleans East, which had the best Chinese restaurants in town then. Things changed, and Jung moved a couple of times. She ultimately took over the Golden Dragon, across from the Clearview Mall. In the mid-1970s, that restaurant was a culinary leader in the Chinese restaurant market. Jung kept its food exciting, but the second-floor location in an unattractive strip mall became untenable. In 2011, Jung moved the Golden Dragon to Magazine Street, just as a wave of new restaurants there transformed the area.
Dining Room
The busy room looks classically Chinese, but in a modern way, with light-colored wood paneling creating a feeling of substance. Jung is always in the room, talking to everybody, and eager to give you background and recommendations.
Why It's Essential
In the busy restaurant row centered on the 3000 block of Magazine Street, the reincarnation of the long-running Golden Dragon fits right in. The customers, wooed by such a variety of eateries, holds out for better food than take-out fried rice. Jung Tan rises to this opportunity and finds that the customers are ready for the best she can dish out.
Why It's Good
Although exotic specials and a "Chinese menu" (as opposed to Chinese-American) are available, most of the food here is the standard collection you know well. However, it's cooked with better ingredients and more skill than the New Orleans average. The dishes from the Dragon's glory days--most of them it the spicy Szechuan and elegant Mandarin dishes--don't skimp on the garlic or Szechuan pepper. Deep-frying--which has taken over a large percentage of Chinese kitchens in recent years--is still kept at bay here, with most dishes still stir-fried.
Most Interesting Dishes
<em><strong>Starters</strong></em><br /> Barbecue ribs<br /> »Spring rolls<br /> Vegetable rolls<br /> Fried won tons<br /> »Shrimp toast <br /> »Fried or steamed dumplings<br /> Crab Rangoon<br /> Onion pancakes <br /> »Cold sesame noodles <br /> Won ton soup<br /> Egg drop soup<br /> »Hot and sour soup<br /> »Seafood soup<br /> Crawfish and corn soup<br /> Vegetable soup<br /> <em><strong>Entrees</strong></em><br /> »Sesame chicken or beef<br /> General Tso’s chicken<br /> Mandarin chicken <br /> Boneless fried chicken, Chinese vegetables<br /> Sweet and sour chicken, shrimp or pork <br /> »Lemon chicken <br /> Chicken with broccoli <br /> »Kung-po chicken or shrimp<br /> Curry chicken, beef<br /> »Garlic chicken <br /> Chicken or beef with snow peas<br /> Pepper steak Chinese style<br /> Beef with Chinese vegetables<br /> Beef or shrimp with broccoli<br /> »Moo goo gai pan <br /> Chicken with almonds or cashews<br /> Chicken with pecans<br /> »Chicken, pork, beef, scallops, shrimp or tofu Szechuan style <br /> Hunan beef, pork, or shrimp<br /> »Beef or chicken with orange peel <br /> »Mongolian beef<br /> »Peking duck (whole), steamed buns, tofu vegetable soup<br /> Mandarin duck<br /> Sauteed duck with onion and garlic<br /> »Moo-shu pork<br /> Roast pork with Chinese vegetables <br /> »Sauteed pork with Szechuan pickled cabbage<br /> »River Shang pork <br /> Pork or shrimp with hot garlic sauce <br /> Shrimp with cashews <br /> Shrimp with lobster sauce <br /> Shrimp or crawfish with Chinese vegetables<br /> Sweet and pungent pork <br /> Shrimp with black bean and garlic sauce<br /> Shrimp with vermicelli noodle in hot pot <br /> Tofu family style (steamed or fried) <br /> Tofu with black bean and garlic sauce <br /> Combination of vegetables <br /> Sesame General Tso's tofu<br /> Sauteed baby bok choy with fresh garlic <br /> Steamed broccoli in garlic sauce <br /> Snow peas with garlic <br /> Eggplant home style or Szechuan <br /> Tofu with vegetables in hot pot <br /> Chicken, beef, shrimp, seafood, crawfish, scallop, vegetable or combination lo mein <br /> Jong-Pong noodles with beef, shrimp and scallops<br /> Ul mein noodles with chicken, shrimp, pork and vegetables<br /> Beef noodle soup Taiwan style<br /> Singapore thin rice noodle with curry<br /> »Golden Dragon vermicelli noodle with pork Szechuan style<br /> Fried rice with roast pork, beef, shrimp, crawfish, chicken, vegetables or combination<br /> <em><strong>Desserts</strong></em><br /> Almond cookies <br /> Cheesecake <br /> »Fried banana with honey
Deficiencies
There is room for innovation here, and we'd love to see it. Some of the food is oversalted, to the point that I specifically request salt be cut back.
For Best Results
Take advantage of the owner's presence and ask what might be especially good. Suggest that you don't need the food to be Americanized, and you'll wind up with a more interesting meal.
Bonus Ratings
1
Attitude
1
Environment
1
Local Color
1
Service
1
Value