Looking through a horse stencil, from left, Denny Cleary sits down to a meal with grandchildren Ryan Hodge, 13, Kellen Hodge, 11, Hannah Hodge, 7, and daughter Maureen Hodge at the Golden Horse Restaurant in Seaside.

SEASIDE – When you step off Broadway into the Seaside Carousel Mall, you are instantly enveloped by a whirling dervish of spinning horses, lions and more going round on the mall’s signature carousel. The quick-paced staccato of carousel music fills the energetic mall, which is lined with a dizzying array of shops featuring everything from seashells, music boxes, artwork and jewelry to leather, hats, toys and more. The energy under this glass-domed arena is intoxicating. Something is going on everywhere you look.

For a break from the mall’s spinning array of noise and energy, simply walk past the colorful horses on the carousel and step into the serene oasis of the Golden Horse Chinese Restaurant, where your senses will be calmed and your body nourished. Established in 2001, this family-run restaurant offers tranquility, friendly service and freshly-prepared Cantonese food.

Magical legends surround the Golden Horse of Central Asia (for which the Golden Horse Restaurant is named). According to folklore, a Turanian horse that was originally raised on the edge of the Tien Shan Mountains rode to the stars with a young boy on his back and returned. This “golden stallion” became the ancestor of all the Central Asian thoroughbreds – the Golden Heavenly Horses of the Turan Flats. The Golden Horse is now recognized as a strain of the Arabian horse and they are raised throughout the world. In contrast, the Carousel Mall horses are replicas cast from a vintage carousel found in San Francisco. In Seaside, both horses hold some kind of magic.

Partially lit by the domed skylight of the Carousel Mall, Golden Horse is a wide-open space with open duct work, high ceilings and an open kitchen, where you can watch your dishes being prepared. High-backed wooden booths, birds-eye maple veneer tables, rows of white, black, yellow and red tiles behind the counter and colorful hanging streamers combine to create a combination of retro and new-age atmosphere. In the cooler months, a beach-stone fireplace warms the restaurant. The lively carousel music playing in the background, in juxtaposition to the calming, Zen-like atmosphere inside Golden Horse, conjures up images of dining on a noisy street in Tokyo.

On to the food. For starters, barbecued pork (subtly flavored with star anise) arrived steaming hot and delicious. The ample portion of tender pork, served with small bowls filled with hot mustard, red sauce and sesame seeds, was enough to make a meal. Pot stickers (one of my favorites) were some of the best I’ve had. Handmade and filled with a spicy mix of fresh greens, garlic and pork, they were perfectly cooked in the traditional method (half-steamed/half golden sauté.) A sweet, soy-based dipping sauce was “chopstick-lickin’-good.” Chicken with black bean sauce (Soo Goo Gai Kew) was brimming with fresh vegetables – green pepper, sweet onion and ruffle-cut carrots. All were perfectly cooked (just cooked through, but still crisp) – releasing all of their natural flavors. The complex sauce was toasty, smoky and edged to perfection with the complexity of fermented black beans. Filled with tender chunks of shredded chicken, this dish is a winner.

Broccoli beef is one of the many Chinese dishes at the Golden Horse located in the Seaside Carousel Mall.Under pork dishes, I found a combination on the menu that I’ve never seen – sesame pork with General Tso’s sauce. What a find! Crisp tender bits of pork are sesame-tempura battered and deep- fried with whole hot red chilis and garlic. The pork is tossed with a ladle of sweet and spicy General Tso’s red chili sauce. Spicy, sweet, crispy and tender (all at once), this is delicious.

Since childhood, I have loved chicken almond sub gum chow mein. There is something so comforting about the mild flavors of sweet celery, peas and carrots, toasted almonds, crispy noodles, tender chicken and the crunch of water chestnuts. Golden Horse’s sub gum is classic, with clean fresh flavors of crisp vegetables tossed with flavorful pieces of tender chicken.

Each entrée at Golden Horse is filled with a different assortment of fresh vegetables. Scallops with garlic featured meaty chunks of sautéed sea-scallops in a garlicky sauce tossed with a colorful mix of perfectly cooked bok choy, snow peas, sliced carrot, broccoli florets and sliced water chestnuts.

There is something for everyone at Golden Horse. The classic menu features a large array of traditional and not-so-traditional Chinese items. Entrees are all served with steamed rice or pork fried rice. The small segment of American food features cheeseburgers, hamburgers and grilled cheese sandwiches. While dining at Golden Horse, take some time to enjoy your Zen-like dining experience; then step back into the whimsical frenzy of Seaside’s Carousel Mall, or simply walk a few blocks to the Seaside Turnaround and enjoy the rhythmic sounds of the Pacific Ocean.