By Brooklynn Wong
There’s hardly a moment when the Porto’s parking lot in Buena Park isn’t packed, with long lines inside. But what about the restaurant next to it, that shares its parking lot? Is it doomed to a lifetime of playing second fiddle?
Not if the owners have anything to say about it.
New Moon, a restaurant that categorizes itself as “Contemporary Chinese Cuisine,” has been open for a couple of years now. The owners have a handful of other successful restaurants across Southern California.
The exterior of the restaurant is very aesthetically pleasing and modern. The inside is similarly suave, though something about the ambience was a little off—it seemed perhaps a little sterile and lacked a degree of warmth and comfort.
The restaurant was somewhat empty on a Thursday evening, but started to fill up a bit as the evening wore on, and when the weekly Trivia Night festivities got underway.
The food was delicious and the staff was kind.
Start with the chicken pot stickers, which had a wonderful and unique crunch.
Their take on orange chicken was very tasty, though the chicken segments were a bit too large and would have been more pleasant if they were in bite-sized pieces.
For a healthier option, try the Velvet Chicken, which was healthier and just as tasty. It’s coated with a light sauce and stir-fried with vegetables.
One of the owners visited with every table, and brought over a sample of Chloe’s Shrimp, one of the items on the menu named for their two daughters.
The restaurant overall had a bit of an air of still trying to get its footing and draw people in—with trivia night, the owner talking everyone up and bringing offerings of other items on the menu, and the sparse crowd—but it’s a fine restaurant that has been successful in other locations. Time will tell if it has staying power in Buena Park.
It’s a fine, versatile location that could play an equally good host to date nights, nights out with friends and family dinners alike.
The prices are good, they cater and they’ve got an excellent happy hour and full bar.
It likely never will get the same hype as its neighbor, Porto’s, but is worth a try.
See newmoonrestaurants.com.
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