Wisconsin Ave in Bethesda is generally considered an upscale neighborhood. To the south is Friendship Heights with its high-end, luxury shopping. To the north lays the National Institutes of Health and the newly constituted Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.
But even in an area like this, there are still a few Chinese takeouts nestled among the hotels and businesses. I’d passed Golden House many times while on Wisconsin, and was always curious about their building. It’s a small structure—maybe it was once a house—and is out of place adjacent to its neighboring hotel.
Their take out menu is in full color with stock images of vegetables, and on glossy paper, no less. The menu highlights its 2009 award as one of the “Top 100 Take-Outs” by Chinese Restaurant News. And Golden House isn’t just carry-out, it’s “Healthy Chinese Food Carry-Out.” Perhaps that explains why a staple of Chinese takeouts—chicken wings—wasn’t listed as an appetizer; instead, they were a “House Special” found at the end of the menu. You also have your choice of “Vegetables,” “Special Diet Food Menu,” “Health Diet Dish Special” (lunch only) and a “Vegetarian Menu.” All this, and not one container of Mambo Sauce in sight.
Perhaps in a nod toward healthiness, the Beef Chow Foon [炒河粉 chǎo hé fěn] had snowpeas, which I found to be slightly disconcerting (which is probably more due to my aversion to green vegetables). There was an aftertaste of MSG, but the dish was somehow still bland. It was, however, saved by the juiciness of the beef. Golden House appears to take some care with their meats, as I found only one piece of chicken in the General Tso’s that had a tough, crunchy exterior. The rest—though it didn’t quite melt in my mouth—was the tenderist I’ve tasted in this dish. 
The pieces of chicken were crisply golden, and its spiciness hits you with the first bites. But as your taste buds acclimate, the taste moderates and adds to the flavor. I’ve become accustom to General Tso’s being sloshed with the sauce from deep frying, which I eagerly apply to the rice. This was another example of there being no sauce at the bottom of the container. But in this instance, because the chicken was flavorful enough, it wasn’t an issue.
Since it’s been a while since I’ve whipped out my Chinese language skills, I was a bit hesitant to strike up a conversation with anyone. Maybe I need a bulletproof plexglass barrier between me and the staff to feel comfortable enough to start talking? This being Bethesda, there was no such security feature, so I consoled myself to sitting in their single row of chairs and observing. The kitchen is visible, but somewhat blocked by a large metal counter where some of the food preparation goes on. There was a beautiful piece of art on the wall; a stark contrast with the surroundings.
The staff spoke in a Chinese dialect, as well as standard Mandrian [普通话 pǔ tōng huà] with each other. During one visit, there were two tween girls behind the counter gossiping in English. The men who I assumed to be delivery men were well dressed in slacks, nary a grease stain on their clothes. They alternated between sitting down and reading the paper, and pacing in and out of the store.
There are a few more Chinese take-out’s on Wisconsin Ave, and I’m interested to see if the quality of Golden House’s food is standard for the neighborhood, or something unique. And maybe next time, I’ll actually say something to the people behind the counter.
Stats:
Soy Sauce: Kari-Out Company
Duck Sauce: Kari-Out Company
Number of unsolicited packets: Soy – 0 / Duck – 0
Egg roll (1) and Beef Chow Foon: $$10.71
Fried dumplings (6) and General Tso’s Chicken: $15.58
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☺ Be direct,usually one can accomplish more that way. ☺
Daily Numbers 6 2 8
Lotto Six # ‘ s 37 52 12 2 3 78
There is no wisdom greater than kindness.
LEARN CHINESE – Blue 藍 (lán)
Lucky Numbers 50, 7, 56, 32, 16, 33
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Golden House 金 園 – 8100 Wisconsin Ave, Bethesda, MD 20814 301.951.8999
Mamasans Carryout 