Diner advisory: Do not attempt to tackle a meal at China Garden Restaurant in Provo on anything other than a mostly empty stomach.

Yes, the portions are that big!

When you order a meal at China Garden, the plates come piled with extra large portions. Our party of four took enough food home to provide leftovers for a few days afterward. And the prices are pretty low as well — making it a perfect place to get full for less.

China Garden Restaurant is fairly new to its Center Street location (225 W. Center to be precise). Construction in the area might have dented its views for a time, but that appears to be over for now. The restaurant features a full-windowed front offering views of a bustling Center Street and the new Utah Valley Convention Center.

The setup inside the restaurant is pretty understated and straightforward. There are some four-seat booths along one wall, with smaller tables and chairs set up through the middle and other side of the interior. The decor is fairly standard as well. A few hanging lanterns here, a few paintings there. Throw in some Christmas lights, a wall mural featuring some trees and one flat-screen TV showing “Dancing With the Stars” and you’ve pretty much got it covered.

The menu is also typical to what you will find at many local Chinese restaurants. There are dozens of choices ranging across the spectrum of what can be done with pork, chicken, beef and seafood when combined with noodles (crispy or soft), rice and a full array of vegetables. There are so many options that no matter what you order, you probably will not be able to shake the feeling that you are missing out on trying something else — if you could just have another few minutes to peruse the menu.

We sampled a couple appetizers first, and really liked the Barbecued Pork, which was juicy and delicious and served over a bed of cabbage. The Pot Stickers — which featured six of them — were also tasty.

The second we saw the aforementioned large main platters, we knew we might have overreached by trying a pair of appetizers. But too much food is a better problem to have than not enough — so we eagerly dug right in.

Our favorite dish of those we tried was clearly the Sesame Chicken. The sauce was rich and tasty and the chicken was delicious. We loved combining it with portions of rice, which come with most meals, along with an egg roll. The Sweet and Sour Chicken was also a highlight.

We also tried the Mongolian Beef, which featured a variety of onion shoots, and the Chicken Soft Noodles, which came with broccoli, carrots and sprouts. Both dishes were fine, but nothing out of the ordinary.

If you’re looking for large portions, fairly low prices, friendly service and standard Chinese fare on a local scale, then China Garden Restaurant might be for you.

China Garden Restaurant

Where: 225 W. Center St., Provo

Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday

Prices: Appetizers $1.95-$7.95, soup $1.25-$6.95, entrees $5.75-$9.95

Info: (801) 373-7203, (801) 375-3687