Whether you’re in the mood for something new or want to escape the hustle and bustle of the Gilroy Premium Outlets, step inside the calming Ginger Cafe for unique Asia Pacific Rim cuisine.
My husband and I wanted to take our 4-year-old daughter out for a treat. The idea of a grown-up lunch without her two younger siblings had her beaming!
Stepping inside the Ginger Cafe, I expected stark white walls and a glass buffet counter displaying fare typical of what you’d expect at a restaurant housed in a strip mall. To my surprise, the atmosphere was clean, soothing, dimly lit and tastefully decorated.
Although the bright window seating in the front of the restaurant was inviting, we were happy to let the polite staff seat us in the more tranquil section near the rear, away from the view of the parking lot.
The menu features Asian-blend food that’s both familiar and inventive. The Thai Chicken Salad ($9.95) and Kung Pao Chicken ($6.75) would put particular palates at ease. Also offered is a wide array of appetizers that would suffice for a light lunch. The restaurant boasts a full cocktail bar with some tempting tropical drinks ($5.95 to $7.95), but being lunchtime, I opted for my standard iced tea with lemon, and my husband had the same.
I was pleased to see a children’s menu offering noodles with garlic and cheese or a selection of dim sum. To encourage our little one to try new things, we skipped the children’s menu and decided on two of the dim sum items from the regular menu to start: Fun Gor (three for $3.95) and Mu Shu Chicken Rolls (four for $6.95). My husband and I also decided to share two lunch specials, which are served from 11am-3pm and range from $6.75 to $8.95. Each special includes soup and your choice of white or egg-fried rice. We chose the East Meets West Potato Beef ($6.99) and the Satay Three Delight ($8.95).
While waiting for our order, I glanced around and saw a large party of “ladies who lunch” enjoying themselves. I also noticed a secluded booth toward the back that would be a perfect spot if you have toddlers or infants.
The Fun Gor arrived to the table first, and I must admit – it was not pretty. It contained shrimp, imitation crab meat, pork, bamboo shoot and cilantro all wrapped in wheat starch skin – much like a pot sticker, but steamed instead of fried.
The “skin” was so thin that it revealed its contents and reminded me of something out of a sci-fi movie. Bravely, I shook off my unappetizing thoughts, cut the skin pocket in half and tasted it. The shrimp had a simple taste, and the cilantro added a delicate, fresh flavor. If you can get over the sight of it, the Fun Gor isn’t bad. My daughter, a shrimp lover, gobbled up the shrimp but didn’t care for the wrapper.
Next, the Mu Shu Chicken Rolls arrived, containing chicken, cabbage, black fungus and bamboo shoots that were stir-fried in a hoisin sauce and wrapped in a thin pancake. It looked like an Asian burrito, and the sauce was deliciously sweet. I could have eaten all four but politely shared with my family.
The soup of the day was Beef with Vegetable. I’m a hot-and-sour soup fan, but this was nothing spectacular.
Onto the main course. The East Meets West Potato Beef was just that: potatoes and beef. The menu described it as “fried sliced potatoes, beef, onion and butter sauteed in brown sauce seasoned with black pepper.” It was a standard sirloin in a stir-fry, so I let my meat-and-potatoes man dig into most of that plate.
The colorful Satay Three Delight, however, arrived with a sweet and steaming aroma. It was a beautiful medley of shrimp and pounded chicken, and the squid was gorgeously arranged like a spiny sea blossom. Snap peas, broccoli, asparagus and mushrooms added color and texture. There were also beautiful flower-shaped cut carrots, much to the delight of my preschooler. The dish was flavorful with a mild garlicky satay sauce. It would be a hit with any seafood lover.
The one downside about the Ginger Cafe is that you have to maneuver through traffic from Leavesley Road and the outlets to get to it. Once inside, though, you’ll hardly notice you’re eating in a strip mall. Tack on the complimentary fortune cookies for a sweet ending, and dining at the Ginger Cafe is a satisfying and pleasant experience.
