Red Ginger China Bistro — Restaurant in Temecula

I wanted to like Red Ginger in Temecula, CA, specially after reading the glowing reviews people had given them. We are in Temecula for now so we wanted, or needed more like it, our dose of fine Chinese food. Once you have had really good Chinese food it becomes part of your system. I have eaten it in many parts, and must say that even though there are many to be found, only a few reach the higher levels of culinary excellence that we crave and long for on a daily basis. Red Ginger is nicely decorated, it has a definite charm, and the service staff were all dressed very properly. The female clothing a very nice ethnic vestment, modern and yet ageless. The male clothing all black like many modern restaurants favor these days. We arrived at 7:45 PM on a Saturday. The place was only 20 percent full. Now, for the food... Wor Won Ton Soup $9: this soup had a murky tone, not a clean see through broth, but the flavor was there. Accompanied by Shrimp, Chicken, Beef, and of course, Won Tons which in this case had about 30 percent meat inside (we do not favor the won tons that are mostly pasta with no feeling, we like the Hong Kong style, fat and plump), vegetable were done to perfection meaning crispy and yet cooked. Was served hot in temperature, not lukewarm like in some places, we thought it was a very auspicious beginning. 4 Stars. Lettuce Chicken Wrap $9?: we expected the chicken minced and instead we received large pieces of chicken accompanied by finely shredded carrots, bean sprouts, and thicker cucumber slices, all fresh plus 6 leaves of romaine lettuce also very fresh. A couple of sauces came with this plate, and frankly, that is what made it acceptable. The chicken was a chicken breast sliced a little thick, and you wold put all the ingredients in the lettuce, plus the two sauces. That what was the wrap, and it was explained to us that it was Thailand style. Surprise, surprise! 3 Stars. Sizzling Seafood Plate $14.55 (this one and the rest of the dishes to follow where from the Chef's Specials, a little more steep on price, but we figured let's see what the chef can do! Shrimp, Scallops and Fish Fillet sautéed with assorted vegetables in chef's special sauce, served in a hot plate. A little overcooked, if you ask me, and the sauce a little overpowering meaning it was swimming on it, still very easy to eat but nothing spectacular. 3.5 Stars. Black Pepper Beef Tenderloin $13.55: Chunks of tender beef tenderloin stir fried to perfection and glazed with black pepper sauce. This one was tasty, perhaps a lot of pepper sauce but the amount of beef made it more than fair. Very easy to enjoy. 4 Stars. Spicy Lemon Shrimp and Scallops $14.55: Shrimp, Scallops with bell peppers and onion, in a spicy soy lemon sauce. We were definitely intrigued with this one, but when it arrived it had very little seafood content, way too many bells peppers for the money, and it was a little too sweet, making it taste like a sweet and sour sauce. Scallops had been sliced thin so probably of one scallop they were able to slice four pieces, a bad proposition, way on the sweet side, and overcooked to boot. 3 Stars. House Special Lo Mein $8.95 (this one, I forgot, not from the Chef Special selection) very mushy, with very little meats, way overcooked where it would clump together, a total disaster but comparable to many mediocre renderings of the same dish. Recommended to be skipped all together. 2 Stars. All in all, it is not the exceptional 5 Star rating that many well intentioned reviewers had allocated to this eatery, but in the same token, is definitely worth visiting and we imagine we will return, since there is no other game in town. I saw Peking Duck for $12+, and Salt and Pepper Shrimp, with or without the shell. Also heard that their Egg Drop Soup is worth the investment. Service was okey, not to die for. Very classy wardrobe and that is always nice to see. Tea was okay, water from the faucet not the best not the worst. Final Bill $75+, with Tip, $84. For what we ate not a heck of a...

I just recently moved here from Orange County, and I'm having troubles adjusting to the food out here, to be honest. The best mexican food seems to be just decent food from a chain, the best burger from a chain, and the list goes on. As far as Red Ginger?: First and foremost, my American palate loves "Americanized-Chinese food". There are, however, varying degrees of what I consider good Chinese food, the Americanized-Chinese food umbrella notwithstanding. Panda Express is NOT good Chinese food. It's edible, surely, but good it is not. Pick Up Stix is better, but it is not what I want when I eat Chinese, either. I generally prefer the mom-n-pop Chinese places; the types where their lunch specials are $6.95 and serve you a 4 course meal—the kind of places that make their own sauces, know that Kung Pao chicken is not a vegetable-laden dish, and don't buy their entrees in the frozen food section of Restaurant Depot. Red Ginger is about the same as Panda Express, albeit with less flavor-profile familiarity. Their take on "General Tso's chicken", "General Chow's Chicken" is sweet and sour chicken. It's not savory, it's not spicy, and it's not good. Their house lo-mein contains flavorless greasy noodles, with 2 pieces of shrimp, 3 small morsels of chicken, and 3 even-smaller pieces of beef. For $8. If this is the best Murrieta/Temecula has to offer, then consider this review a message to the restaurateurs in OC and LA: You're missing a market opportunity out here to corner the market in the Chinese Restaurant space. For the people who live out here? I'd actually recommend you go to PF...

It's expected for service to be hectic during a holiday like Mother's day so I could give slow service a pass. However, I won't give a pass to asking three times for just water no ice and getting a glass with one sip of water in it because it's filled to the brim with ice, asking for no lemon but to be given a glass with TWO lemon wedges in it, and asking for sauces but seeing them give it to the table next to us even though they already had some. I dont know who wronged the waiter that I remind him of but this was literally my first time here and I didn't do anything to deserve this level of passive aggression. I also got my food last at the table. The waiter brought everything for everyone else then left and came back to ask how everything was and if we needed anything else ... like yeah my order dude. Apparently THAT was super offensive or the food here is terrible because that straight up tasted like freezer to microwave slop. It was lukewarm, the meat didn't look like it even saw a pan and was limp, it was bland, so I just left it and the guy came over to take the full barely touched plate as if I finished it.

Either don't go here on a holiday or don't go here at all because this was...