The Right Stuff

The Right Stuff

Amy Jiang and her husband have been running No. 1 China Restaurant for only five short years, but they have learned enough along the way to create a great success. With all the right ingredients and the right attitude, they are sure to keep the locals in Clinton happy for many years to come.

The Scene

Offering take-out or dine-in options, the 1,400 square-foot restaurant offers seating for 16, with plenty of space to feel comfortable. Although decorated with simple, elegant touches, No. 1 China Restaurant is a favorite to many Clinton, MD locals. Because the Jiang’s wanted to provide a nicer environment for their customers, they planned a redecoration project for the restaurant at the beginning of this year. Designed by Mr. Jiang, the new interior has made the restaurant even more appealing than before. And along with its new design, the restaurant is kept neat, clean and orderly, which is an important part of any restaurant’s success.

The Food

No. 1 China Restaurant offers both Szechuan and Hunan cuisines, but obviously, the restaurant is something out of the ordinary because they have been featured in Business Review, and were also named as one of the Top 100 Chinese/Asian Fusion restaurants in 2007. In addition to this media acclaim, they are also very popular amongst the locals in Clinton.

House favorites include General Tso’s Chicken, Singapore Rice Noodles, Siu Mai Dumplings and Hunan-style entrees. The General Tso’s Chicken features chunks of chicken mixed with onions, garlic sauce, spring onions, pepper, cooking wine, salt and egg whites for over 30 minutes in a blender. It is then deep-fried until golden brown, and then topped with a delectable sauce. They use only chicken breasts, not chicken wings, to make sure the chicken is tender. The sauce is boiled in chicken broth for an entire night, giving it a delicious flavor. The Singapore Rice Noodles feature rice noodles with shrimp, chicken or pork, and are mixed together with some vegetables. Customers have the option to choose their favorite sauce and other ingredients when they order.

“Many customers say our food is the best at the town,” says Amy. “Mongolian Beef and Steak Cheese are very popular in the past few months. My customers like them very much.”

Amy says that if she could pick only one item from their menu, it would be Singapore Rice Noodles. For customers who crave tasty rice noodles, the Singapore Rice Noodle dish features rice noodles with shrimp, chicken or pork, is mixed together with vegetables, and then is topped with a curry powder sauce, giving it an excellent spicy flavor. As well as having delicious dishes, No. 1 China Restaurant has followed the recent trend and also offers some healthy dishes.

“We have many steamed dishes for customers seeking a healthy balance to their meals,” said Amy.

Steamed Mixed Vegetables with Chicken/Shrimp and Steamed Broccoli are favorites for the health-conscious customers. She also adds that No. 1 China Restaurant never uses MSG unless a customer specifically requests it. 

The Service

When asked what makes No. 1 China Restaurant distinct from all the others, Amy answers: “Exceptional service, great taste and creative presentation. We make friends with our customers, treat every dish deliberately.”

They also take great care in making sure that their takeout meals are top-notch.

“[We] put our takeout food in beautiful plastic containers, which look more handsome and are more convenient for customers to carry out. These containers can be heated and still maintain the flavor of the food. The soup in it does not leak. Many customers order food for two or three days and put the dishes in their fridge. When the food is needed, they heat them in the microwave oven directly, without putting them on other plates. Customers are so satisfied that the dishes, after two or three days, are still maintaining the overwhelming flavor.

When it comes to takeout, No. 1 China Restaurant knows that quality must be balanced with speed in order to keep the customers coming back. Amy says that the actual time needed to cook and pack a takeout order is order-specific, as it depends on the size of an order and when the order was placed. Also, she takes into consideration that it will take a little longer time to handle an order of the same size at rush hour. Generally speaking, she says that it will take them about 25 to 30 minutes to handle an average order during normal business hours.

Along with the importance of quality and speed, No. 1 China Restaurant also excels at the other end of the service spectrum: personal customer service.

“An important thing for running a restaurant is that you have to provide excellent customer service to keep loyal customers,” said Amy. “Be honest, courteous and respectful.”

The Owner

Most of the friends and relatives of No. 1 China owner Amy Jiang run restaurants in the U.S. So, when she came to the U.S in 2000, she naturally started working as a receptionist in a Chinese restaurant in order to gain experience. Amazingly, she opened No. 1 China Restaurant only three years later, and has already managed to achieve many triumphs in the restaurant industry. She and her husband use their own respective skills to balance the work to achieve success.

“My customers said I was congenial and pleasant; they liked talking with me,” said Amy. “And I also loved talking to them because they take care of me. My husband came to America when he was a teenager. He worked in many restaurants and worked hard to improve his cooking skills. He is an excellent chef, so he takes care of the kitchen. I am good with talking to people, so I handle everything in the front.”

Not only is No. 1 China Restaurant accomplished in the business sense, the Jiangs have also had much gain in their personal lives. Amy says that she has developed many close friendships with local customers over the past few years. In fact, when she gave birth to a baby, some even gave her baby presents to celebrate.

FROM THE OWNER:

“At No. 1 China, the customer comes first! Every customer’s requirements are respected,” said Amy. “No matter what you want the dish to be: light, oil-free, or sugar-free, we can surely satisfy your requirements. The sauces we use are extremely delicious and they are attentively prepared. Most importantly, we make painstaking efforts to ensure that the food is delivered on time, in good condition, and with reasonable portions. We welcome you to enjoy all that No. 1 China has to offer.”

No. 1 China Restaurant

6376 Coventry Way

Clinton, MD 20735-2256

Phone: (301) 877-2618

Fax: (301) 877-3015