Gourmet is the key at Full Kee Chinese Restaurant
Hidden in High Point on Samet Drive is a gourmet Chinese restaurant that needs your immediate attention.
Full Kee has been located at 3793 Samet Dr. since 2005. It was owned and operated by George Yu, who had a very popular restaurant in Washington D.C. before he and his family moved to the Triad. What started as a takeout restaurant, Full Kee expanded into a cozy restaurant with beautiful Chinese art, dim lighting, and a full bar. In May of last year, George retired and moved to Florida. Sue Chen was a partner with George in the early days but had since moved on. There was a very brief period between George selling and Sue buying the space that the restaurant was not itself. For one, someone else operated the restaurant. Full Kee’s Chef Carlos Lopez, who worked under George’s tutelage for nearly a decade, left to pursue another opportunity while that owner was in charge. The restaurant experienced some not so great reviews for a few weeks. Sue ultimately purchased the restaurant in November and the space its in and brought Carlos back. Now, Full Kee has risen to its former glory. Some say it’s better than ever.
Back before my food writing days, Full Kee became a favorite. I found it so interesting that there was a Chinese restaurant that claimed to be “gourmet.” It just wasn’t the norm. Chinese was and is almost entirely takeout and often quite low-key (no pun intended). Full Kee invites your casually dressed self into an ambiance that feels like fine dining, but is very comfortable and inviting. The dim lighting is soft and elegant.
We were fortunate enough to step back into Full Kee after the ownership change to see what’s new and enjoyed our visit with Sue while we sampled some plates.
Egg Drop Soup: If you’re an egg drop soup fan, you’ll love this light broth with the ribbon of yolks. It doesn’t have that off-putting corn starch-like consistency. My sister, who was dining with me the evening we visited, said it’s the best egg drop soup she’s ever had, and that if she ever feels a cold coming on, she knows where she’s headed.
Lettuce Wraps: A perennial favorite with romaine lettuce and finely minced chicken with vegetables. They are always a crowd pleaser for the table. The chicken was mild and seasoned wonderfully, and the cool, crisp lettuce acts in contrast to the tiny hint of heat.
Dumplings: Carlos makes all the dumpling wrappers from scratch. The result is a delicate dumpling exterior, tender on top, crispy on the bottom, while it lets the filling shine through. It comes with the typical sweet and savory dipping sauce. It is the perfect appetizer.
General Tao Chicken: Sue said it is one of the restaurant’s most popular dishes (as it is in just about any Chinese restaurant). Full Kee’s General Tao chicken, with its secret ingredient in the sauce, is light and crispy and not full of breading as you might find with ordinary takeout.
“We wanted it to be a bigger piece of chicken, but not heavy with flour and not cooked too long. It’s crispy outside and tender inside,” Sue told me.
It’s wonderful, and what often comes off as an afterthought, the broccoli is al dente and actually flavorful.
“It used to be just very plain, but I asked Carlos to add more seasoning,” Sue said.
The result is broccoli with a hint of garlic, and it’s perfectly cooked.
Walnut Shrimp: These firm, juicy jumbo shrimp are lightly crisped like the General Tao’s, but the sauce is a bit more robust and amber in color with crunchy walnuts in the mixture. I highly recommend this dish as well as the Philomela Shrimp, which has a creamier sauce. Or you can get the Full Kee Shrimp, which is a combo of the two. Both come with the same tasty garlic.
Mongolian Beef: Customers will notice a change to this dish as the protein portion has been increased and the onions have decreased. It’s very savory and peppery and hearty.
In addition to improving on some of their popular dishes, Sue said she’d lowered the prices while increasing portion sizes. The menu includes a wide variety of traditional Chinese noodle and rice dishes, including Stir-Fry Rice, Stir Fry Sea Bass, Boneless Duck and Curry. Sue has also recruited a wine connoisseur to help patrons with the perfect wine selection. We agree with Sue that everyone in your dining party should order something different from one another. “We want everyone to be able to try a little bit of everything. It’s the best way to enjoy Chinese.”
Full Kee has retained its loyal following of customers, some of whom have a place at the table every Friday night. Andrew Priddy, who lives outside Winston-Salem, said they’ve been loyal since 2010.
“We travel a lot, and this by far is our favorite restaurant. Great food, great service. They’re like family. We just love it.”
Sue said that after the slow-go of it, she loves getting feedback from her customers.
“My customers make me feel like we have potential. Every time I see a great review or hear one, it’s just so encouraging and gives me a lot of hope.”
Full Kee will be the featured restaurant with A Chef’s Table on Wednesday, June 19. Tickets can be reserved at www.chefstablefullkee.eventbrite.com
Kristi Maier is a food writer, blogger and cheerleader for all things local who even enjoys cooking in her kitchen, though her kidlets seldom appreciate her efforts.
Wanna go?
Full Kee Gourmet Chinese Restaurant is located at 3793 Samet Drive, #140, High Point.
