Happy Garden makes a Happy Masa

Happy Garden Restaurant
9010 Grant Line Rd
Elk Grove, CA 95624

Today's review is of one of my favorite Chinese restaurants in the Elk Grove area. Happy Garden is located off of Grant Line Rd inbetween Sheldon Rd and Bond Rd and is pretty easy to spot while driving by. Note, this is not the same Happy Garden on Elk Grove Blvd. It's nothing tremendously fancy from the outside but the inside is nice and quaint, offering a nice and cozy atmosphere. The restaurant is clean and the service has always been tremendously friendly; even when we have last minute large gatherings. If you do plan to go with a large group, however, the size of the restaurant may cause some awkward seating arrangements as it isn't the largest of locations. That being said, as long as you're not stuck in the corner and have to go to the bathroom, you should be fine once you're settled in.

Perusing the menu offers a nice variety of choices from the typical Sweet and Sour pork to the more imperial Eight Immortals. I have frequented this restaurant for a year or so and every dish has dazzled three of my five senses (and if you're not sure which ones I mean, those are taste, smell, and sight). Even the simplest of dishes like Egg Drop Soup offers an amazing flavor on the palette. Alas, I could go on and on, but I do have a few dishes that truly must be had should you chance upon this restaurant:

1) Pot stickers: The pot stickers can only be described as huge and filled with awesome (yes, awesome). Filled with pork, vegetables, and other drops of hidden goodness, one bite of these delicious appetizers might be enough to satisfy your cravings of food for a week. One warning though, they can be quite hot and the juices may burn your mouth. Eat with a bit of caution and don't try to put a whole one in your mouth.

2) Eight Immortals: Chicken with vegetables in brown sauce, stir fried beef, eight deep fried shrimp, and scallops. Really, can you go wrong with that combo? This dish can only be described as elegant beyond elegant. Large enough to share, it gives a good variety of flavors that can cause an overwhelming mix of delightful flavors. To quote the menu, "What an elegant dish!"

3) Seven Stars and Full Moon: Seven fried prawns (stars), sliced chicken, all cooked with bamboo shoots, onions, bell peppers, and snow peas, served in a delicious hot sauce. This is one of my absolute favorite dishes in this restaurant and my internal struggle of choosing this dish as opposed to others drives me to near insanity. Trust me, you will not regret getting this dish!

While these are some of my staples, there are so many good dishes that I could simply put the whole menu online. In fact, I just might have to snag a picture of it and do just that...some day. Seriously, the food here is amazing. The only problem with the food here is my stomach isn't large enough to eat it all at once.

Price Ranking:

For dinner time, expect to spend about $7-$11 a plate. For lunch, go for a lunch special ranging from $6-$9.

Scores:

Food: 10/10
A large variety of delicious food, large portions, and moderate prices make this one of the best Chinese restaurants in the greater Sacramento area. Seriously, I have never gone wrong here.

Presentation: 3.5/5

The food always looks so tasty when presented to you, especially the imperial dishes like the Eight Immortals. The restaurant itself is nothing tremendously fancy, but it gets the job done. The biggest problem here is space for large crowds. Also, restrooms are for individuals so on the off chance there's a line (albeit I've never had a line), you might have to wait.

Service: 4/5

I have always been treated courteously and with respect at this restaurant. The staff are all friendly and accommodating in any ways possible. That being said, when things get busy you might have to wait a bit before you are able to be helped. While that's fully understandable, it's just something to take into consideration.

Final Score: 17.5/20

This place is great for so many reasons and, if you want Chinese food, I can't stress how much I love coming to this restaurant. And, there's nothing quite like an evening with good friends, good stories, and good food. Happy Garden has, so many times, provided this experience for me.