Restaurant Review: The Rose Garden, Puyallup WA

On the way back toward Seattle, from our excursion on the Mt. Rainier Scenic Train Ride, we stopped for a late lunch/early dinner at The Rose Garden in Puyallup. We had never been there before but two of us really craved Chinese fare so the three of us took a chance on a restaurant we were totally unfamiliar with. We were not disappointed.

It was around 4:00, early for a dinner rush and late for a lunch so we pretty much had the entire restaurant to ourselves. Sometimes during a slow period you can receive less than stellar service because the staff is resting after the lunch rush, you're hitting the change of shift or they are all busy getting ready for dinner. We didn't have to worry at The Rose Garden. Our server was delightful. She was friendly, efficient and very pleasant. We were asked immediately what we wished to drink and our drinks arrived correctly and quickly. My hot tea was delicious. When I asked what kind of tea I was drinking, she informed me that is was a special blend of Jasmine and Oolong. Jasmine! That was the delicious twist I tasted in that tea. It was wonderful!

The menu at The Rose Garden is quite varied, with reasonable prices for the Pacific Northwest area. In addition to the standard Beef, Pork and Chicken, there was also a Prawns section and a Vegetarian section. The Lunch Specials ran from 11:00 to 3:00 but when we ordered something from the dinner menu, our server asked if we would like to have that as a lunch special. This was a very nice gesture, not only reducing the price from $10.95 to $6.95, but provided us with soup, and our choice of rice. They had a kid's menu with the normal French Fries, Chicken Nuggets and Grilled Cheese, but they also included Sweet and Sour Chicken and Chicken Chow Mein: two Chinese dishes kids usually enjoy.

My eleven year old companion ordered the Sesame Chicken, with Wonton Soup off the Chef's Recommendations; normally $10.50 but the server offered it at the lunch price of $6.95. The chicken was cooked well but was not dry and the sesame sauce was delicious. The wonton soup was very light and he enjoyed every drop. Yet, this order also provided the only glitch of the meal. My companion had ordered the steamed white rice while I had ordered the pork fried rice. These were switched on the plates but easily corrected.

My other companion ordered the Prawns with Garlic Sauce, while I ordered the Kung Pao Shrimp. Both of these dishes were marked Hot and Spicy and we both ordered the Hot and Sour Soup.

The spicy items are clearly marked on the menu, but unless you have a complete aversion to spice, I would not worry about this. The Hot and Spicy items we had, including the Hot and Sour Soup, had a slight tang but nothing like some of the hot dishes I've had elsewhere. I would question them on that if you really wish something with more bite.

None of that detracted from the food. The Rose Garden uses 100% Olive Oil in their sauté and the vegetables in all of our dishes were perfect. Al dente and hot. There were no mushy vegetables served there. They were all fresh and slightly resistant to the bite, while adding lovely color to the dishes. The large prawns were cooked but were not overdone or tough in the slightest. You could taste the seasonings but they were not overwhelming. The portions on all our plates were substantial, especially since we were having the lunch menu size. We even brought some of the Sesame Chicken and Pork Fried Rice home for later.

This brings me back to our server. I highly commend the service in this restaurant. Our server was attentive, quick to follow up on requests and always pleasant and smiling. She watched for when we finished our soup and the meal was brought immediately after she cleared our plates. Our drinks were refilled, our To-Go box and our check was brought and taken care of promptly.

The Rose Garden is located at the corner of 128th St E and Meridian Ave E in Puyallup, WA. There is plenty of parking and they do deliver (South Hill) for a minimum $20 order prior to tax. The Rose Garden is also open seven days a week. The hours listed at the time our visit were Monday through Thursday, 11am to 9:30pm; Friday, 11am to 10pm; Saturday, 12noon to 10pm and Sunday 12 noon to 9:30pm.

My rating for this restaurant would be a 4 out of 5, because of the rice mix-up and my own preference for a little more bite in my Hot and Spicy dishes. However, please do keep in mind the excellent service we had. It more than balanced out those two minor issues.

For more information:

Visit their web site or call them at 253-770-9988.

The Rose Garden
12615 Meridian E. #1
Puyallup, WA 98373