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The enhancement of a dish often depends on a sauce. There are five "mother" sauces from which some 80 other sauces are spawned. It might be said that the true test of a chef is his ability to create his own version of a sauce that effectively enhances a special dish. Richard Kuo has met and surpassed many tests. The customers who repeatedly return to his Jong Lo Garden in Saratoga attest to it.
Jong Lo Garden opened in the Quito Shopping Center on Cox Avenue almost two years ago. Three sons—
David, 24, Frank, 21, and Harry, 20—
with their mother, Lisa, 51, complement the cooking of Richard through food preparation, efficient service and the warm welcome they give to their customers. But there is one thing they will not give away—
that is the secret of Richard's sauces.
"The house-special sauce Dad makes is often asked for separately," notes Harry, whose special talent is keeping guests happy, "but Dad won't serve it except on his meat dishes."
The house-special shrimp, which is deep-fried in a thin batter and then sauteed with garlic and green onions, is a popular showcase for the special sauce. The dish is not on the menu, but customers seem to know about it through word of mouth. "We've never seen another restaurant serve this sauce," Harry says. It also is used on chicken, beef, pork and scallop dishes.
Another popular special dish not on the menu is the honey walnut shrimp. The shrimp is deep-fried, the walnuts are glazed with honey and the sauce binding the two ingredients is a citrus-flavored, creamy white sauce ($13.95).
"We recommend a spicy dish to go with it, like our hot braised scallops ($11.95)," Harry suggests, pointing out that everything on the menu is a la carte. Each dish is ample for one person, so a family of four might order four dishes and have four choices to share, family style.
He points out that their prices are a little higher, because all dishes are made to order and from scratch, unlike restaurants that he says fry chicken a day ahead, then serve it with a red sweet and sour sauce. "Our sauce is a golden color made with Chinese cabbage, sliced carrots, green onions and black mushrooms." Even pot stickers and dumplings are made to order. As soon as an order for them comes in, the chef stuffs and forms the dough made fresh each morning, then cooks them. Each order takes about 12 minutes from the time it is received to the time it is served.
"If we run out of dough, Mom makes up another small quantity," Harry says. Pot stickers come six to an order, stuffed with chicken ($6.50), pork ($6.25) and shrimp mixed with pork for flavor ($7.95).
Weekday lunch specials served until 2:30 p.m. include noodle dishes, such as the one made with a black soybean sauce, onions, cabbage, pork and chopped green onions—
"like a Chinese spaghetti"—
or the hot and spicy noodle soup made zesty with the chef's special chili paste (both $7.50).
The best-selling dessert is slices of Fuji apple that have been glazed. Harry won't reveal what is used in the glaze. "It's a family secret," he says, after checking with his dad.
Lisa and Richard Kuo emigrated from Soeul, Korea, to Hawaii where their three sons were born, but their family roots and some of their recipes originate in the San Dong area of northern China.
A desire to have their sons attend mainland colleges brought the Kuos to the Bay Area. On their one day off during the week, Harry says, "If there's nothing going on at home, we'll come to the restaurant and open up." Customers are "almost like relatives, so that's nice," Harry smiles.
Jong Lo Garden, located at 18782 Cox Ave. in Saratoga, is open Tuesday through Sunday, 11:30 a.m.9:30 p.m.; closed (usually) Monday. For more information, call 408.866.1678.
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Photograph by George Sakkestad