Garden Fresh Palo Alto

We have been disappointed with the speed of service in the past but our most recent experience was snappy and satisfactory. I think the dishes are generally a bit underseasoned but delicious nonetheless. This is the best vegan Chinese food place nearby us!

Must have eaten black pepper chicken hundreds of times but this weekend it was the worst of all. Soya chunks undercooked, soggy literally eating flour. It does not come with brown rice in the weekend but in the weekdays only that they don’t mention. Owner seems little rude and not welcoming. Previous lady was very good.

If you're a vegan craving Chinese food, this is your go-to restaurant. Uncanny, tasty meat-free renditions of traditional dishes.

I took my girlfriend to Garden Fresh for a romantic birthday dinner and I regret it. They really let me down, because of the terrible service we received from our waiter. When we first arrived and were sitting at our table, I was standing, helping my date get seated comfortably. The waiter, who was standing behind me, got impatient, reached around me, dropped our menus on the table and stalked off. The place was nearly empty, so I didn't understand his rush. When we tried to order an appetizer, he refused, arguing with us about how it was inconvenient for the kitchen. He forced us to order all our food at once, and indeed, he brought out all our food at once. Why even have appetizers on the menu? After we ordered, he argued with us again when we asked to keep our menus. The place was almost dead. Do they have a shortage of menus? He never refilled our water. He never asked if we needed anything. He noticably offered better service to the one other table with customers. Why was this man so rude? Did he get ruffled because I was taking a woman on a date? Did we offend him with our presence somehow? Does he wish for a different life? He appeared to be very unhappy and antisocial. As we drove through downtown Palo Alto, we passed several restaurants with crowds of people waiting for tables outside. Whatever his issue, this man is driving away business. The food was good, but it will be a long time before I give Garden Fresh another try

Garden Fresh popped in our radar as it was a vegan spot I hadn't tried yet and it was close to the IKEA in Palo Alto. They feature an entirely veganized Chinese-American menu which I am always excited about. We started with the Spinach Wonton Soup and the Scallion Pancakes for an app. The soup itself felt a bit bland although I appreciated the helping of fresh spinach and veggie wontons. Pancakes were great though and probably our favorite part of the meal. Then, we wanted to order their Veggie Rolls, which were mushrooms wrapped with tofu skin. Unfortunately they were out and so our server recommended another dish that was similar. However, when it actually came out, I don't think it was anything like the original dish. Our mains consisted of their Cashew Chicken and the replacement to the Veggie Rolls, which was essentially stir-fried soy protein with a teriyaki sauce. The cashew chicken dish didn't have a lot of cashew and the chicken felt more like plant-based meatballs. This dish was okay but felt the sauce could have been better. Our other dish was simply not what we were expecting so at the end, both were just okay. Service here was nice although we felt a bit rushed to order. There are a few other vegan friendly Asian restaurants scattered around the South Bay that are up more my alley, so I don't think I'll be returning anytime soon. Nonetheless, Garden Fresh is still a spot to check out if you are in the area for good vegan takes on classic Chinese-American food.