Restaurant Review: The Rose Garden, Puyallup WA

On the way back toward Seattle, from our excursion on the Mt. Rainier Scenic Train Ride, we stopped for a late lunch/early dinner at The Rose Garden in Puyallup. We had never been there before but two of us really craved Chinese fare so the three of us took a chance on a restaurant we were totally unfamiliar with. We were not disappointed.

It was around 4:00, early for a dinner rush and late for a lunch so we pretty much had the entire restaurant to ourselves. Sometimes during a slow period you can receive less than stellar service because the staff is resting after the lunch rush, you're hitting the change of shift or they are all busy getting ready for dinner. We didn't have to worry at The Rose Garden. Our server was delightful. She was friendly, efficient and very pleasant. We were asked immediately what we wished to drink and our drinks arrived correctly and quickly. My hot tea was delicious. When I asked what kind of tea I was drinking, she informed me that is was a special blend of Jasmine and Oolong. Jasmine! That was the delicious twist I tasted in that tea. It was wonderful!

The menu at The Rose Garden is quite varied, with reasonable prices for the Pacific Northwest area. In addition to the standard Beef, Pork and Chicken, there was also a Prawns section and a Vegetarian section. The Lunch Specials ran from 11:00 to 3:00 but when we ordered something from the dinner menu, our server asked if we would like to have that as a lunch special. This was a very nice gesture, not only reducing the price from $10.95 to $6.95, but provided us with soup, and our choice of rice. They had a kid's menu with the normal French Fries, Chicken Nuggets and Grilled Cheese, but they also included Sweet and Sour Chicken and Chicken Chow Mein: two Chinese dishes kids usually enjoy.