Review: House of Chu Chinese Cuisine

At least once a month my wife tells me that if I could eat Asian food every day, I would. I daresay she’s right. I have feasted on all-you-can-eat Korean BBQ in Vienna, Thai curries in London, and most recently Chow Mein in Santo Domingo; I seem drawn to the flavors of the Orient wherever I go. Fortunately, San Jose’s House of Chu is not far from my home turf when I get a hankering for some terrific American Chinese food.

Just shy of a mile south of Highway 85 on the right-hand side of Camden Avenue, the wordy House of Chu Chinese Cuisine and Cocktail Lounge occupies the northern, street-side end of an unattractive office building in an older strip mall, and is easy to miss. Approach from the north if you can, as there is a convenient turn-in right at the front doors of the restaurant, an ideal drop-off point for your passengers. Unfortunately, there is no parking directly in front, so you’ll have to drive the remaining couple dozen yards to the mall’s vast (but sometimes quite full) parking lot.

If my credit card records are accurate, it appears that on average my family and I have made the journey about every two months for the last six years. All that custom has allowed us to narrow down four dishes from their extensive menu that are must-haves across all age groups. To start, do not miss the valley-famous Chinese Chicken Salad, the best there is. It is a perfect blend of fresh lettuce, finely chopped chicken, crispy rice noodles, peanuts, and hot spices. Until recently my mother has been a devout vegetarian, but she has knowingly and eagerly eaten Chu’s chicken salad for many years. It’s that good! You may regret taking home the salad as leftovers or ordering it to go; it’s just not the same as when it is served cold, crisp, and ultra fresh at your table in the restaurant.

The three other necessities include Chu’s Special Beef (very tender slices of beef marinated in a thick, slightly sweet, secret sauce, and served over rice noodles), Walnut Prawns (lightly battered and sautéed, then smothered in a creamy white sauce, and surrounded by candied walnuts), and String Beans with Garlic Sauce (which, in contrast to the Chinese chicken salad, are somehow even better as leftovers). Depending on the size of your party, you may need to double up on one or more of these popular dishes.

The attached lounge is spacious and pleasantly dark, serving a reasonable variety of beers, liquors, spirits, and strong mixed drinks. There are a couple of televisions mounted in the corners, but you wouldn’t visit the lounge solely for the sports viewing, more for a quiet, relaxing place to unwind after work, or a good opportunity to down a couple Tsingtaos while you’re waiting for a take-out order.

Seating is fast, thanks partly to the larger-than-expected capacity, and also because the restaurant does a lot of take-out business and is rarely more than half full. Couples enjoy the intimate, plush booths along the back wall, and groups of up to four sit in the middle of the restaurant at adequately sized square tables. Even larger groups are seated along the side of the restaurant at wide, round tables with lazy Susans. The water-stained, cafeteria-style ceiling tiles are the only detractors in what is otherwise a pleasant, well-decorated setting. Service is always excellent — amiable, attentive, and responsive.

Rub the belly of Buddha on the way in for a healthy serving of joy, luck, and prosperity to go with the healthy portions of excellent American-style Chinese. Rubbing the belly of Kevin, the restaurant owner, will get you nothing…