When visiting Eiko’s Beach House in Treasure Island, Florida some of our guests from the Northeast and West Coasts have asked where they could get good Chinese food near Treasure Island. Over the years we have identified some good, if not great Chinese restaurants and wanted to share these with you. This list in in way the definitive list, but only where we have visited and what we thought of the restaurant.
Asia House Chinese and Vietnamese Restaurant
We talked about Gulfport in blogs in the past and again raise the possibility that this community is one of the best kept secrets in the Tampa Bay Area and is worthy of a visit. Other than fine Key West type bars, great Italian and Cuban food, the area also has Asia House Chinese and Vietnamese Restaurant. It’s located at 6800 Gulfport Boulevard or abut a 15 minute drive from Eiko’s Beach House in Treasure Island.
While visiting this establishment we have been very happy with the spring rolls and egg rolls. We love good hot and sour soup and they always hit the mark when we dine here. Singapore Noodles are on the spicy side, as we like it, and the shrinp with vegetables never miss the mark. Service tends to be quick and the food served hot. It’s Very much worth the visit. Especially for such a short drive to Gulfport for dinner, lunch and generally absorbing the “vibes” of this atmospheric town.
Big Apple Buffet
If you are looking to feed a small army of children and you want Chinese food quickly and not for from Treasure Island we would suggest the Big Apple Buffet located at 1030 58th St. N. Tyrone Gardens Shopping Center a 10-15 minute drive from Eiko’s Beach House.
What you have is variety of meat, fish, vegetables, Chinese, Japanese, Western food. The Sushi is popular here although the buffet is Chinese rather than Japanese. Another curious point is the Hibachi Grill (Japanese) is also very popular amongst customers and my hungry family. It is important to point out that this eatery is a buffet not a restaurant so some dishes are fresher than others. One way to tackle this is to watch what is being replaced and visit that station first. Adults are charged roughly $13 and children $9 and most people agree they leave satisfied.
Ha Long Bay
If you are interested in large , tasty and freshly prepared Chinese dishes we suggest you travel to Ha Long Bay at 5944 34th St. N in St. Petersburg. This spot is easily missed as you drive north or south on US 19. However if you are in the mood for Chinese , make an effort to stop here. We very much like the afternoon dim sum which is best eaten before noon.
The steam buns, pork and shrimp dumplings remind us of the restaurants in China Town New York. We enjoy having the cart pushed to our table and having the presentation of each dish to us. Then we make our choices and eat the dim sum as it should be eaten, hot! By the way one of our favorite non dim sum dishes is the salt and pepper pork chops. Try this and the Korean BBQ ribs if you like meat. We feel this restaurant is worth the 20-25 minute drive.
ABC Chinese Seafood
Another tasty Chinese treat is ABC Chinese Seafood located at 2705 54 Ave N St. Petersburg. This is another restaurant worth the effort if your mind is set on Chinese food. As advertised the seafood here is fresh and excellent but do not be put off if you do not like seafood.
They serve yummy Peking Duck and great crab rolls! One of our favourite dishes for the whole family is seafood on crispy noodles. The fish, squid, shrimp and scallops mingle with the delectable sauce on top of hot crispy noodles which make the whole family happy they drove this far for their Chinese treat. Service tends to be fast and portions are large so if you are in this part of St. Petersburg, give them a chance, you will be pleasantly surprised.
Zom Hee Chinese
Finally, on our trek to find the best Chinese in the area, Zom Hee Chinese located at 9015 Park Blvd, Seminole is another favourite. As mentioned earlier we love hot and sour soup and this dish comes in small, medium and large sizes. Unless you plan to share your soup with others we recommend you stick with small or medium.
The won ton and egg drop soups all taste as if the soup was just made in the kitchen, fresh, hot delicious. We also like the roast duck and the family fights over the General Tso Chicken. Beware portions are large so despite the temptation try not to over order.
However, another option is to choose all your families favorite dishes, pack them away in a insulated container/carrying bag and head on back to Eiko’s Beach House. From the large dining room overlooking the Gulf of Mexico it is possible to track the progress of the sunset knowing that as you enjoy your Chinese dishes for dinner, the sun is rising in Asia. After dinner, relax by the hot tub and ina stress free moment make plans for your next culinary excursion using Eiko’s Beach House as your home base in paradise.
