Imperial Garden Chinese Cuisine

Can you name the most popular variety of camellia sinensis, (tea plant), tea served across China? If you guessed green tea, you're right. Green tea is produced from young leaves and minimally processed.

There are a few Chinese dishes that have a passion for spicy food and what better way to create this flavor than by using the chili pepper? The heat is concentrated in its seeds which, when released, infuses an entire meal with spicy goodness.

Tea is a favorite beverage in Taiwan. Dongding oolong tea is one of the most popular types to enjoy with a Taiwanese meal. The name dongding means "frozen summit," and is a reference to the mountain where the tea plants were first grown in Taiwan.

If you love pot stickers, a traditional Chinese dumpling, you're not alone. It's one of the top five Chinese favorites sold in U.S. restaurants. Did you know this tasty dish can be served boiled, fried or boiled and then lightly fried?

Chinese food began its rise in popularity in the latter part of the 19th century when workers came over to work on the transcontinental railroads, bringing the flavors and techniques of Cantonese cuisine with them.

Are you planning on going out with friends? A Chinese buffet makes a great choice since it has so many options. Even if they’re not feeling like Chinese food, they can often find a variety of other foods that they’d enjoy.

When pickled vegetables accompany your order, they serve as more than a picturesque garnish to the meal. Their crunch and saltiness are necessary components to the dish so that all of your senses are engaged when dining.

Although the U.S. doesn't officially recognize Taiwan, it does acknowledge the residents of this island nation. Care to guess the total estimated number of Taiwanese Americans living in the States? If you guessed 230,000 or so, you're right.

Here’s a benefit of going to a Chinese buffet for dinner: you can try more expensive items on the menu that you might not let yourself indulge in otherwise. This way, you can also find out if you like the dish enough to order it in the future.

In Northern China, where rainfall is sparse, you can expect to find noodles with pork or mutton served as one of the main meal. This dish will often be served with sides like unleavened bread, peaches, apples, and melons.

One of the main ingredients that gives Chinese food its unique umami flavor is mushrooms, and Chinese food is loaded with them! Shitake and other types of mushrooms are one of the many delicious food items available in Chinese buffets and can also serve as a meat replacement for vegetarians and vegans.

Chinese cuisine is usually divided into four groups: northern, southern, eastern and western. Ideally, your restaurant will focus on a regional cuisine, emphasizing the style and unique tastes of a particular province or city.

Today, Asian Fusion restaurants are almost everywhere, but Taiwanese cuisine is way ahead of this trend. Taiwanese cuisine includes all 8 of the major Chinese culinary traditions, and has a little Japanese style thrown in to create its own fusion cuisine.

Bok choy is sometimes referred to as white cabbage and is officially a member of the cabbage family. Bok choy has a crisp, mild flavor and is great in stir-fries and soups, and can be braised, steamed or eaten raw.

What flavor is highly representative of the balancing yin and yang philosophy of Chinese cuisine? Sweet and sour. The two contrasting flavors create a perfect harmony when blended together in the right amounts with complementary strengths of taste.

What type of vessel do Chinese cooks typically use to steam vegetables and dishes like dim sum? If you guessed a bamboo basket steamer, you're right. These "pots" can be stacked and used together.

What is the name of the sweet, spicy sauce served with mu shu pork? If you guessed hoisin sauce, you're right. This tasty, tangy sauce is made with soybeans, garlic and chilies.

Did you know that tofu contains all of the essential amino acids? This makes it unique among plant proteins. There are 20 common amino acids and 8 to 10 of these are essential amino acids, meaning our bodies cannot make them, so we have to get them from our diet.