Born and raised in Taiwan, Yu-Mei Wang, the youngest of three sisters from a family rooted in international trade, was the first to immigrate to Seattle. Once all three Wang sisters were settled in the Emerald City, they joined forces to find the ideal location for a Chinese restaurant. Then on May 28, 1992, they opened the doors to Uptown China, with Lee Wong, husband of one of the siblings, signing on to cook. Trained by a prestigious Taiwanese chef, Wong and the sisters began to develop the restaurant's diverse menu. And he's still helming the pristine kitchen, turning out the eatery's signature dishes - like Crispy Walnut Prawns, Sesame Chicken, Mongolian Beef, General Tso's Chicken, Moo Shu Pork, Hunan Crispy Scallops and an assortment of other seasonal fish dishes.

 

The hot-and-sour soup remains a customer favorite, as do the pot stickers, fried rice and a Szechwan specialty, dry sautéed string beans. Of course, regulars have their favorite appetizers and entrees. But the more adventuresome try the chef's suggestions, including unique Chinese vegetable dishes like sautéed baby pea shoots and swan cabbage. After every meal come the fortune cookies, served with the most succulent oranges you've ever tasted. As always, the bottom line is quality. Owner Yu-Mei's food philosophy? It's straight-forward and simple, "Chinese food must have three things: color, aroma and taste."