Vallejo Shifts into Gear with Peking Express

With the unrelenting drive to offer the best of what Chinese cuisine could offer, Qiang set foot in Vallejo, a diverse and lively suburb in the San Francisco Bay Area. Two decades ago. His efforts culminated in the opening of Peking Express in 2005. Qiang internalized all aspects of the restaurant business, first washing dishes to prove his abilities. Drawing from his experiences in China, Qiang soon became lead chef and the rest is history. Driven by the dream to eventually operate his own restaurant, Qiang knew that he had to improve his English to effectively communicate with his customers. Hence, in 1995, Qiang retire from a high paying job as a lead chef to pursue a career as a waiter. After many years in the business, his knowledge of customer service as well as the operations of the kitchen gave him the confidence to become the owner of a Chinese dine-in establishment.

In 2005, Vallejo’s demographic was shifting to include more young professionals and busy families who required faster service and affordability without sacrificing quality. Qiang saw that the best solution to satisfy their needs was to make his second venture, Peking Express, a take-out restaurant. The management mentality of Peking Express distinguishes it from other restaurants. Qiang sees each competitor not as opponents, but as potential teachers. He often openly compliments his competitors and incorporates what they do well into his own restaurant.  Qiang also believes that no restaurant is beyond his competitive range, often analyzing the taste and presentation of dishes in gourmet restaurants and matching or exceeding their quality. As a result of these efforts, Peking Express is not merely a take-out restaurant, but gourmet restaurant that is also fast.

Special Dishes

ARN was curious as to what some of those “special dining-in type dishes” were, so we went on a tasting expedition. What we came up with was a long list of goodies. Honey Walnut Prawn, Sunton Chicken Special and Mongolian Beef were just some of the rare, out of the ordinary take-away items whipped up here at Peking Express. The Honey Walnut Shrimp is a best seller, we learned. Using jumbo quality shrimp, the chef glazes them with honey and then cooks it without much additives, emphasizing the taste of fresh seafood. The final dish is paired with garnished slices of orange, cucumber and eggplant. This exciting combination, seldom seen elsewhere is tangy, crunchy and buttery smooth all in one bite.

Sunton Chicken is presented in a wonderful gaggle of golds, greens and reds. This citrus based chicken is cooked with scallions, ginger and garlic. It packs a four way punch delivering a sweet, sour, salty and spicy combination that is difficult to achieve without one flavor overshadowing another. Many first time customers looking for General Tsao's chicken immediately declare the superiority of the Sunton chicken after their first bite. Salt & Pepper Calamari, a deeply satisfying appetizer is deep fried and made in a similar manner to potato chips. It is an ideal snack when watching sports. Qiang's customers really like this dish.

According to the owner, each dish can be made specifically for the customer depending on the customer’s taste. For example, if someone asks for a crispier coating or a spicier hand, the chef has his own way of making it a winning combination.

Throughout the year, Peking Express provides seasonal specialty dishes. In summer diced fresh fruits are used to enhance the flavor of popular dishes. Sometimes, they are made into juices to give the dish a fruity kick, such as Mango Chicken or Pineapple Fried Rice.  In the spring, asparagus and string beans are used as they are fresh in season.  Little oil and salt no MSG is used. Nor is peanut oil, as some diners are allergic to peanuts.

New inventions on the culinary front this year feature Crispy Garlic Chicken. Made with a whole chicken thigh, the chicken is deboned and marinated in a special garlic sauce, seasoned with the house special garlic salt, and served with a garlic dipping sauce.

Special Features

Qiang's dedication to quality assurance has differentiated his presentation from the competition. “High quality low price” is what the owner delivers. During lunch time, orders are delivered within 10 minutes when preparation is necessary. Says Qiang, “To increase speed, the sauces and utensils are prepared in advance, the chicken is cut, sliced or diced ahead of time.”

To ensure rich taste and quality in each order, the owner and staff team ensure that each dish is appetizing and beautifully presented. While achieve perfection, Qiang looks to precisely controlling the time, moisture and temperature. The right timing is critical. The owner says, “A chef needs to know what and when to prepare, how many minutes to cook, when to fry, and when to add sauce…'”any slip-ups can destroy a dish.”

Attention to details is another factor of success at Peking Express. The owner precisely measures the sauce in a jug or on scales before cooking the dish. The timing is strictly controlled by a timer. The tables and chairs were deliberately made 2 inches wider offering comfortable seating.  Despite it being a small eatery, the menu is not that simple.

The steam table runs on electricity, unlike others who use gas, promoting environmentally friendly practices. 

An open kitchen. Customers have a transparent view of the kitchen and are convinced of the cleanliness of the entire operation. The restaurant was awarded the coveted score of 100 from the Mystery Dining Report conducted by AboutFace. To make the house spotlessly clean the owner bought a high pressure water propagating cleaner which assisted greatly in maintaining the tidiness of the restaurant. It is proved to be very efficient. The local health bureau officer even said “Peking Express is the cleanest restaurant in this area”.

The Party Tray is highly acclaimed. At a reasonable price diners can walk away with a large quantity of items that taste delicious.  

Décor and More

Peking Express boasts 1,300 square feet of bright spotless space. The decorations of Chinese images framed with knots and other assorted traditional wrappings are delightful. It's certainly different than what is normally seen in a take-away environment. Usually it's a straightforward step to the counter where colorful images of dishes are displayed in panels above cash registers, giving customers an easy visual choice of what to order. Here at Peking Express customers are greeted with a green Money Tree, a symbol of good fortune in Chinese folklore.

Peking Express