小花园 Yuan Jersey City — Restaurant in Jersey City

If you follow Chinese food in the NY/NJ area, you know there's a growing plethora of super authentic, modern Beijing / Shanghai / Szechuan restaurants all offering beautiful settings and legit dishes.

They're not here for you, Westerners. They're here for the affluent Chinese residents, many of whom are in the college-age bracket. So when you see a clientele of largely Mandarin-speaking 21yos, you can generally assume you've found one of these places.

Sadly, while Yuan has the looks, it doesn't deliver on the cooks.

We started with the lackluster Crispy Bell Fish, which made up for in bones what it should have had in seasoning. The Wonton in Chili Sauce was better, though the sauce was bizarrely soupy instead of oily.

Their signature dish is the Stir-Fried Squid with Yellow Chives, and that was delicious--though the flavor profile is almost identical to Szechuan white fish and pickled vegetable soup (Suan Cai Yu)--just saucier and with squid instead of fish.

The Bo-Bo Bok Choy was a decent veggie side, though it was made up entirely of yu choy, not bok choy. I don't know why they made the switch--it's not like the mostly Chinese clientele wouldn't be able to tell?

Our biggest disappointment was the Szechuan Dry Fried Chicken. They used a strange overarching seasoning on the chicken--something akin to black bean--instead of just letting the breaded chicken cubes absorb the accompanying Szechuan peppers and garlic during the stir fry process. The result was a weird black bean-esque chicken dish that was neither spicy nor garlicky--which is exactly why people order La Zi Ji! So strange and so disappointing.

Random addendum: Despite the name of the restaurant meaning "little garden", there isn't much in the way of greenery in the restaurant decor, save for a large raised planter at the front of the restaurant full of household plants. As nice as the planter is, it's sort of in the way, so I think their decorator would've been better off making use of the high ceilings to hang plants from instead. Just my $0.02 as...

Slightly embarrassed to reveal how excited I was to have another Chinese restaurant in Newport. I was looking forward to it all week and attempted to get a seat on the Friday night of the soft launch, but was turned away as they were packed. I managed to finally try it a couple of days later when it seems some of the buzz died down and there was no wait for a table.

We tried (in order of how much we liked it) the dong po pork hock, double-cooked pork, wok-fried cauliflower, and steamed beef with sweet potato. The pork hock was tender and came falling off the bone. However, the sauce was quite salty and overly acidic and gelatinous. Impossible to eat without a good helping of rice. The double-cooked pork and cauliflower met expectations. The steamed beef I felt was a little odd - it was a dome-shaped meat patty with very little texture and again very salty. Did not make sense to me with the sweet potatoes. I hope they workshop that dish.

Hard not to compare this with Chef Tan right across the street, but I will refrain for now. It's nice to have another option in the area and I think this was a decent soft opening. The interior of the restaurant is beautiful, although a little tightly-packed. It's a little pricey, similar to Jiang Nan and...

Yuan Jersey City delivers an extraordinary culinary experience blending bold flavors, authentic Chinese dishes, and impeccable presentation. From the moment the first dish arrived, it was clear that this restaurant is dedicated to offering vibrant, flavorful food. The whole steamed fish was a standout dish—beautifully presented and packed with layers of flavor, from the fresh herbs to the savory sauce that soaked perfectly into the tender fish. Another highlight was the crispy fried bites, which were golden, light, and complemented by a bold seasoning that added an extra kick. The tofu dish came in a delicate sauce that balanced spiciness with umami, and the eggplant with string beans was cooked to perfection, retaining a nice crunch with a sweet-salty sauce. The flavors were rich without being overwhelming, making each bite memorable. The meal ended on a sweet note with elegant desserts. The presentation was just as impressive, featuring a smooth, silky panna cotta paired with refreshing fruit and citrus accents that provided a refreshing balance after a flavorful meal. The atmosphere is inviting, the service attentive, and the food is a must-try for anyone seeking both traditional and creative...