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Style Magazine

Folsom Palace

Jul 05, 2013 08:52AM ● By Style

Photography by Dante Fontana, © Style Media Group

"Forget those things that aren’t worth remembering,”

said the fortune cookie paper as I left Folsom Palace. My experience at the Asian fusion establishment was anything but forgettable—an incredible feat given my onerous relationship with the continent’s chow. (My unskilled hands are no match for the complexities of its eating utensils and much of the food leaves me feeling groggy and unsettled.)

Not the problem at Folsom Palace. Owner Bill Zheng began with the goal to bring his brand of haute, healthy Asian cuisine with a regional Chinese, Malaysian and Thai flare to our region. Mission accomplished. Dishes are prepared with less sodium, oil, and no MSG. The result is far from bland, as one of my favorite gal pals and I experienced on a recent visit.

We started the night with the Shanghai Spring Rolls, four rolls stuffed with white cabbage, carrot, bamboo and mushrooms. The unexpected touch? Our server took the time to place the pieces onto our plates, one by one. Classy. My Sichuan Salmon and her Hong Kong-Style Sweet and Sour Chicken (along with a small side of brown rice) followed the surprisingly light rolls. In each dish we found a bevy of freshly chopped onions and bell peppers in rich, spicy sauces. My salmon was perfectly flaky and her bright orange chicken succulent. Another surprise came with the absence of chopsticks—forks accompanied all entrees. Finally, I could eat Asian cuisine without looking inept.


Orange Chicken

Rounding out the night, we cooled our taste buds with the refreshing special, Coppa Raspberry and Cream—a sponge cake layered with raspberries, mascarpone cream and finely chopped pistachios. Heaven in a ramekin!

With raving fans, some local and others traveling all the way from Davis and Stockton, wanting a taste of Folsom Palace’s expansive menu, this castle for cravers of Asian cuisine is sure to be a Riley Street mainstay. I know I won’t forget the time I ate Asian food with a fork.


Folsom Palace, 1169 Riley Street, Folsom, 916-983-8880, folsompalace.com.

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