All in One

By Jun Wang

Empire Garden

Location: 2510 Conway Road, Units 108-109 Building #2 Gambrills, MD 21054
Phone: 410-721-5777
Cuisine: Americanized Chinese Cuisine and Japanese Cuisine
Signature Dishes: Black Pepper Steak, General Tso’s Chicken, Lobster with Ginger and Scallion
Capacity: 140 [including wine bar and sushi bar]
Year of Establishment: 2009
Website: www.empire-garden.com

Although it opened just last year, Empire Garden has already catapulted itself into the upper echelon of Gambrills’ dining scene. This is partly due to being located where the borders of three towns meet. Highway No.3 is just off to the side and there is also a big shopping center nearby. “You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to see that Empire Garden has a very favorable location,” wrote one online reviewer.

Sleek and Chic
Chen redecorated the shop after taking it over and named it Empire Garden as a nod to ancient Chinese culture. When you step into the restaurant you will find Chinese and Western culture have been perfectly combined. Rosewood furniture, blue and white porcelain, and Chinese elements combine together without giving the restaurant a retro feel. Instead, many customers remark about how sleek and chic the interior is.

Perfect for throwing a big party, a date, or even for catering your next party, Empire Garden has something for everyone. Patrons can celebrate a birthday in style or have Empire Garden cater their next event. Of course no one parties everyday, so if they are in the mood for something low-key, they can sit at the sushi bar and try some unctuous slices of sashimi. With 120 seats in the main dining area and 16 seats at the wine and sushi counter, you can be sure you’ll never have to wait too long to enjoy Empire Garden’s delectable offerings. Empire’s full bar staffed by two professional bartenders features a wide range of beverage choices including 7 kinds of beer, 10 wine brands, and 16 kinds of cocktails. As you sit back in your seat you may notice the soothing background music being played. The calming sounds of Chinese instrumentals will melt your stress away and calm you down enough to really enjoy your meal.

Tasteful Presentation
Empire Garden provides traditional and Americanized Chinese cuisine, as well as some well known Japanese dishes. But, its main focus is on Cantonese cuisine which is known around the world for its flawless combination of beauty and flavor.

Seafood is another focus of Empire Garden, whose lobster dishes are quite famous in the area. Empire Garden’s signature dishes are, Black Pepper Steak, General Tso's Chicken and Lobster with Ginger and Scallion. The restaurant’s most popular dish is the Black Pepper Steak. If you like steak you won’t want to miss this customer favorite. Who can resist a fresh grilled steak sautéed with black pepper and served on an iron plate with special sauce on the side? Not that many, judging by how often the dish is ordered.

Dish presentation is another important skill for chefs to master. Restaurants that plate their dishes in an artful manner tend to attract more customers. Chen knows that and will periodically ask his staff for their opinions and then work out a better way to present a dish. One customer commented, "The dish presentation here is wonderful enough to ensure an unforgettable dining experience even before you pick up your chopsticks."

Empire Garden’s menu changes on a weekly basis and features different dishes depending on the season as well as market availability. Customers also have a say in what is offered as Chen believes that a restaurant can only truly meet the needs of its customers when customers are encouraged to give feedback.

Exceptional Service
Empire Garden's waiters care about customers and will recommend healthier and lighter dishes for older customers. As senior citizens tend to dislike raw food, the sashimi at the sushi bar is lightly fried and served together with special sauces. Of course, Empire Garden cares about everyone and shows this by offering a lunch buffet for those who work near the restaurant.

Most of the employees here were recommended by Chen’s friends. By hiring a lot of people that he already knows, Chen has been able to create a truly harmonious team environment at Empire Garden. The staff is always neatly dressed, and does their best to satisfy each and every customer.

Chen’s Thoughts
The grand opening of Empire Garden in 2009 was attended by a number of local officials and even received local media coverage. Chen needed only one year to make Empire Garden the most popular Chinese restaurant in the area. How did he accomplish this in such a short period of time? Chen replied, "I have been working in the restaurant field for more than a decade. In that time I’ve learned a lot and that’s why I want to remain in this industry and continue to learn more about its mysteries. One of the things I’ve learned is that word of mouth is a great way to promote a restaurant. To create word of mouth, you need to pay great attention to your service, food, environment and sanitation. When you do this, your customers will notice."

Is there any room for further improvement? Chen told with great modesty, "Actually, as a restaurateur with more than 10 years experience, I now realize that it is a hard industry to be in but I’ve also realized that constant effort and a passion for perfection will go a long way. At the moment, Empire Garden still has areas where it can be improved and you can rest assured that I will continue to find ways to further improve the overall dining experience.”

It’s hard to keep a restaurant going strong even after a good start but it became apparent that Chen has the passion needed to attain long- term success. His passion and perseverance are key factors that will keep the sun shining on Empire Garden for a long time to come.