Established in 2009, King Palace, a traditional Chinese cuisine restaurant located in the Bollinger Canyon Safeway Plaza, hits home with its authenticity through a selection of East Asian dishes, from seafood to their reputed chow mein.

Atmosphere: 7/10 

From an outside perspective, the pale yellow sign compliments the building’s muted colors of jade green and peach, resulting in an overall aesthetic exterior. On the interior, natural light streams through the wide paned windows, giving the restaurant a peaceful aura. However, as the afternoon quickly turns into night, the dim, faintly yellow lights fall short of lighting up the whole restaurant. Hanging on the walls are mostly medieval Chinese paintings, contributing to the theme of authentic Chinese culture. The big maroon tables are completed with a lazy Susan, used to serve multiple dishes at once. The smaller tables are matched with comfortable cushions on either side. Generally, the exterior is alluring, but the mood of the interior needs improvement.  

Cuisine: 10/10

With a variety of dishes and specialties to choose from, I ended up ordering three items: sauteed string beans and beef ($10), zhao pai fried tofu ($10) and General Tso’s spicy and sweet chicken ($10), along with white rice. The sauteed string beans packed a surprisingly crunchy sensation, while incorporating the soft and tender beef meat into the dish. Sprinkled bits of garlic completed the dish with a unique and satisfying flavor. The zhao pai fried tofu was drowned in a secret sauce with morsels of mushroom, pork and onion, making the overall dish more savory. The texture of the tofu was unbelievably soft, even with the thin, fried exterior. Last but not least, the restaurant favorite General Tso’s spicy and sweet chicken, complemented with a small side of steamed broccoli, was the perfect blend of sour, spicy and sweet.

Service: 10/10

Once we entered the restaurant, we were immediately greeted and seated by a waiter, who then proceeded to fill up glasses of water. The food came in approximately 25 minutes, as the restaurant was more packed than usual. We were left to dine in peace and were given the bill in our own time, making us feel more comfortable and relaxed. All in all, their service was consistent and satisfactory.