Zhu Garden

While most of my asian dining experience is relative to buffets, I was recently invited to join my dear friends, the Horne Family, after church at their favorite local chinese restaurant, Zhu Garden. They "warned" me ahead of time that this was not a buffet, but well worth the trip. It certainly was.

A short drive out to west Knoxville took me to 120 south Peters road in Knoxville (just behind the Walgreens on Kingston Pike). This small little restaurant had an extensive lunch menu (featuring both chinese and thai food). After some persuasion, I opted for the sesame chicken lunch special, which included my choice of egg roll or wonton soup (I opted for the wonton soup), sesame chicken and fried rice. I also splurged for an unsweet tea (no lemon, of course) and a glass of water (no lemon). The wonton soup was fantastic. The portion was such that I could not finish it all initially. I was also pleased with the portion size of the entree. My plate was filled with 1/2 sesame chicken and 1/2 fried rice. The chicken was at the perfect temperature and had a terrific flavor. The same can be said for the rice.

The best part of the meal was the price - FREE! Well, normally the meal would only be $4.99 plus drink (which is already a bargain), but my buddy Cliff Horne picked up the tab (I owe you one, Cliff). The restaurant owner, Ty, is a friend of the Horne family. He came out and visited with us and really made us feel welcome at his restaurant.

Good food, good price and great friends - I definetely give Zhu Garden two thumbs up. This restaurant can be reached at 865-769-5448.