Thirty years into serving a traditional Chinese menu in Boulder County, Joy Fan, owner of China Gourmet, and her team are still celebrating the joy of Chinese cooking. “I like to see the families coming here to eat their dinner and their smiles,” Fan said. A lover of natural food, Fan steers clear of MSG and is happy to accommodate the dietary needs and choices of her customers. “We can prepare things gluten-free and made to order, and we can vary the spice level,” Fan said. Nothing is served from a can, and natural meats and fresh vegetables shine in China Gourmet’s most popular dishes. Fan’s Egg Foo Young features fried seasoned vegetables and egg patties topped with a garlic sauce, and the Mu Shu Chicken blends eggs, cabbage, carrots, onions and wood-ear mushrooms with a hoisin sauce and is served with authentic flour pancakes. 3970 N. Broadway, Boulder, 303.440.3500, chinagourmetmenu.com.
Runner Up: Tsing Tao, 607 S. Broadway, Suite A, Boulder, 303.494.6228, tsingtaochineseboulder.com.