Best of Flag, December 2021
Written by Gail G. Collins
Diners voted Golden Dragon as the Best Chinese Restaurant, so you can trust the reviews: “This is what Chinese food is supposed to taste like;” “pure taste, comfortable environment;” and the capper, “generous as well as delicious,” from a mother with seven boys who dined there and will be back.
The raves are constant for the hot and sour and egg drop soups, so you know where to begin when ordering. But other bestselling appetizers include the crab puffs, which according to general manager Kinson Li are, “crisp, full of goodies and cream cheese,” in a mouth-popping size.
Three partners share in the ownership of Golden Dragon: Jimmy Liang, Randy Lee and Winnie Cheng. Liang is from Toisan in the Guangdong region, while chef Sun Chung is Cantonese with an extensive cooking background.
As Li puts it regarding the recipes, “They each have their own ways and focus on fresh food made with quality ingredients to stay on point. The heart of it is in return customers, so we work for that ‘wow factor.’”
The aim at Golden Dragon is a modern interpretation of classic dishes. Some popular examples include the General Tso chicken, honey walnut shrimp with large prawns or Li’s personal favorite, the tilapia fish fillet in hot chili oil. For a bright, colorful dish overflowing with fresh vegetables, order the happy family, which is also protein-packed with shrimp, shredded beef and chicken.
The kitchen is open plan with a long, marble bar from which to catch a quick meal or to watch the chefs in action. The setting of wood and warm, golden hues features cheerful statues of Buddha. The smiling good luck images with bountiful bellies are scattered with coins which regularly are contributed to children’s education.
After 10 years, the local customer base is strong, but also includes the high turnover business of hotel guests looking for reliable quality and delivery.
Golden Dragon has snagged this award several times over the years and continues to seek ways of improving the eatery.
In response to the happy news, Li said, “We extend a big thank you to our customers, who visited us and voted us Best of Flagstaff.” BestofFLG