Reviews:

4.5 of 5 on Google with 1,100 reviews
4.3 of 5 on Facebook with 460 reviews
3.8 of 5 on Yelp with 152 reviews

Jing Chuan is perhaps one of the most revered and established Chinese restaurants in the Toledo metro area, with a loyal customer base built on consistently good food and friendly service. The family-owned eatery has served classic Szechuan, Hunan and Mandarin-style dishes on Secor Rd. in West Toledo since 1985. The owners pride themselves on the quality of their food and adhere to the same recipes that founders Shanteh and Peiying Sun brought to the United States 38 years ago. 

Originally from the Shandong province of China, the Suns fled to nearby South Korea in the 1960’s, during the revolution, and operated restaurants in Korea and Taiwan before moving to the United States to seek better opportunities for their children. According to their granddaughter, Wesley Sun, the restaurant’s name is a nod to the roots of their cuisine: Jing refers to Beijing and Chuan comes from Szechuan. 

Wesley and her sister, Joni Sun, are the third generation to run the family business, taking over for their father at the beginning of this year. The sisters oversee the front of the house while Joni’s husband, Daniel Souimamiphanh, manages the kitchen. 

Photos by Laurie Bertke

Made from scratch

Wesley explains that practically everything at Jing Chuan is made fresh from scratch, including the dumplings, noodles, soups, sauces and seasonings. 

In the northeastern part of China, where Wesley’s grandparents were born, the cuisine more often features noodles and bread than rice. Wesley says many of the more “authentic” dishes served at Jing Chuan are noodle-based, such as jam pong noodle (shrimp, beef, squid, manila clam and mussel stir-fried with assorted vegetables in a spicy seafood broth) and ja jung noodle (chopped pork and shrimp stir-fried with onion and zucchini in black bean sauce, topped with julienne cucumber). 

Guests can also choose from an array of familiar stir-fry combinations of chicken, beef, pork, seafood, tofu and vegetables, served over rice. Customer favorites, cited by Wesley, include the Mongolian beef, hot and sour soup, spring rolls and sweet and sour dishes. 

Food is cooked to order with any special dietary needs taken into consideration and the kitchen is willing to make dishes gluten-free, vegetarian or vegan when possible.

Family-style meals

While Jing Chuan does a brisk take-out business, the restaurant offers a pleasant and elegant dine-in experience. “From the moment you walk into our door, we treat everyone like they’re family,” says Wesley. “We wouldn’t be where we are if it wasn’t for everyone who visits us.” 

Meals are served “family-style,” meaning that sharing dishes is encouraged. Instead of everyone ordering their own entree, guests are encouraged to sample a bit of everything and enjoy a variety of flavor palettes. “We definitely encourage it,” says Wesley. “With Chinese food, it’s not fun eating for just one. It’s something that’s meant to be shared at a table with the family or friends.”

At our table, we started with a pot of oolong tea and the wonton soup. The soup has a light and flavorful broth and is filled with house-made wontons, pork, napa cabbage and mushroom. All soups are shareable, and the medium size ($13.95) was the right amount for our family of five. My husband and children also sampled and enjoyed the hand-made spring rolls ($1.90 each), which come stuffed with chicken, beef and shrimp with mixed vegetables.

Our table’s main course selections included the shrimp fried rice ($13), chicken lo mein ($12), sweet and sour chicken ($15.25) and chicken with vegetables ($15.25). The variety was intriguing and we shared our meals, allowing each of us to sample several items.

While there is not a separate children’s menu, the shareable nature of the meals makes it easy for children to partake in one or more of the adult-sized entrees at the table. Jing Chuan’s menu also includes a variety of family-style, multi-course dinners that serve between two and six people and include soup, spring rolls and an assortment of entrees for a flat rate. 

Bottom line

If you have never experienced this Toledo classic, know that Jing Chuan’s reputation for excellence in Chinese cuisine is well deserved and its longevity in Toledo is a testimony to its delicious food. Along with convenient takeout, the restaurant offers a welcoming and relaxing dine-in experience. It also has an event room to accommodate larger groups, making it a great place to gather for a meal out with family or friends.

Jing Chuan, 4424 Secor Rd., 419-472-9612.