DRAGON GARDEN 12/12/13 Brooklyn, New York

Almost a Year to Date and I am back, I may have been back (maybe once) since but its a Year to Date since my last posting.

There's always room for a Chili Taco ($1.69), At first below the large Dollop of Chili I detected only Lettuce and Melted Cheddar but there were the Tomatoes by the second bite. Always Eat this first so it retains it's Crunch.

A Long Time Favorite, The Steak Burrito ($6.59), seen here right before being Marinated in the Salsa Ranchero Sauce. Comes with Yellow Rice, Lettuce, Tomatoes, Guacamole, Black Beans and Shredded Cheddar Cheese.

Pringles on the wing, shown for effect.

The small Solo Cups of Salsa and Sour Cream never seem to be enough but this time I was prepared.

Sometimes its the little things, at the bottom of the bag along with the solo Cups, Knife and Fork was a mini Candy Cane. What a nice seasonal touch.

12/14/13 - Chicken Tostada Salad ($5.79) - Just a few days later and I was back, I wanted to use some more of my Sour Cream and wanted something Crunchy, I had always admired these Tostada Bowl's and have only ordered this maybe once and years ago.

Aerial view of the Chicken Tostada Salad, There were Surprises underneath as the Tostada Salad comes with Jalapeño Slices, Shredded Cheddar Cheese, Diced Carrots, Cucumber Slices and Iceberg Lettuce all served in an Edible Bowl.

One of the coolest aspects of the Tostada Salad is that it is served in a small Cake box, upon opening I was surprised to find a decent sized portion of Russian Dressing maybe 7-8 ounces worth (so much for using my Sour Cream) and a Solo Cup of Sour Cream.

Shifting the Chicken over to one side I spied some Jalapeno's and Cheese. Had a few Bites then reached a quandary, How do I eat the Vessel holding the Salad itself, I did so want a Salad/Crunch ratio.

Transferred the Contents of the Tostada Bowl into a separate Bowl and was able to have my Crunch and Eat it too. This is certainly mostly Lettuce from the looks of it but it works just fine and after all it is called a "Salad"

I have been generous in my Crunch ratio and there will still be some "Bowl" left when all is done.

DRAGON GARDEN 12/9/12 Brooklyn, New York

Chinese Tex-Mex has become a staple of New York's cheap eats now for about twenty years (early 90s) and the first place I came across this was in Times Square offering a 99 cent Taco (Crunchy or Soft) so I had to have one (I mean two), first thing I realize is its chinese people making mexican food,.. OK I guess, certainly did not make me walk out. These days lots of chinese take out restaurants offer a full chinese menu and   tex-mex menu to maximize sales and variety, They also make the Tortillas from scratch with a Tortilla pressing machine transforming a ball of Flour and Water into a Bready Pancake made to order as you wait, you can usually watch too.

Pictured above is a Steak Burrito that I ordered late one night (10:30 p.m.) before closing time, when I arrived they kindly informed me that they were out of mexican Rice and would I mind them substituting yellow Rice. I did not mind and it was even more Delicious. 

The counter at Dragon Garden on 18th avenue. All of the chinese take out places in Brooklyn are pretty much modeled this way.

I added some Cracker Barrel Cheddar Cheese to my Steak Burrito and I am aware that partially eaten food does not a good photo make but it was So Good. A chinese tex-mex Burrito is mexican Rice, Beans (black or pinto), Cheddar Cheese, Lettuce, Tomato and Guacamole with Salsa and Sour Cream on the side.

The Facade of Dragon Garden at night. I am forever grateful to them for feeding my mother Inchu in her last few years, my mom stopped making white Rice daily but would always order Fried Pork Dumplings (Mandu), a half a Chicken (of which the cat got some) and white Rice from them. It was the saddest thing when I stopped in there after my mother's passing and was asked "how's your mother ?"
I will always be loyal to Dragon Garden and their Delicious Food. These days I tend to order tex-mex because I have had chinese Food a million times but have recently taken a shining to the Lunch Special Sweet & Sour Chicken with Pork Fried Rice and a Wonton Soup.

Maneki-Niko the good luck cat.