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Jennie Low’s Chinese Cuisine
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Every once in a while (OK, maybe more than that, but I try to control myself), I get the craving for really great Chinese food. And I don’t know about you, but I certainly have my favorite haunts for finding it.
I first discovered Jennie Low at her first restaurant, which opened in Mill Valley in the late 1980s (and, unfortunately, has since closed). I actually interviewed her for a college reporting class. When I found out I’d be reviewing her newest venture in Petaluma (she also has a place in Novato at the Vintage Oaks mall), I was certainly excited. Low’s Petaluma digs are in Petaluma’s up-and-coming theater district. Light and bright with a plum and green interior, the feeling is slick, casual and friendly.
Upon ordering, a pot of jasmine tea was brought to the table (delicious). Brennen and I also had a glass each of St. Francis Winery Chardonnay. The meal began with three types of pot stickers: vegetarian, pork and chicken. They were served with a soy dipping sauce that had a slight heat. Each dumpling was fried golden crisp on top (perfect), with moist, delicious and fresh-tasting ginger, cabbage and green onion interiors. Neither of us had ever tried chicken pot stickers before—they turned out to be our favorite.
The rainbow chowder with shrimp and crab was in an egg-drop style base with carrots, mushrooms, cabbage, noodles and green onions. It was hot in temperature and in spice level too—but not over-the-top (we liked that a lot).
Next came something Low calls “XO sauce prawns” (yes, made with liquor). The prawns were cut into small chunks, with same-sized green beans and onions, mixed together in a sauce with building heat and bright flavor.
The princess chicken was a lightly fried breast, cut into strips and sautéed with ginger and garlic. It had a mild spice to it, and thin-sliced, raw green onions added a nice, fresh touch to the dish.
The mango chicken was sliced thin, with bite-sized chunks of fresh mango, red bell peppers, mushrooms and snow peas. The sweet mango flavor and sauce infused into everything wonderfully. It was delightful to eat.
One thing I almost always order when I eat Chinese food is walnut prawns—and these were a most excellent rendition. The large prawns are lightly fried to create a crisp exterior (but not enough to even turn them gold), then mixed with honey-glazed walnuts and a creamy, savory sauce. This could have been dessert we liked them so much, but there was more to come.
The beef chow mein came in a very hearty sauce with bok choy, broccoli, carrots and pea shoots. The thin-sliced beef was served atop Hong Kong-style, crispy pan fried noodles (my favorite preparation for chow mein, by far; and it’s not always easy to find!).
At the end of the meal, we were served traditional almond and fortune cookies, as well as a sliced orange, and we left full and smiling. Even better than I’d remembered.
