Best Chinese food in the midwest
As a culinary epicurean who traveled and tasted Chinese food in San Francisco, New York, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and China, I can say definitely that this restaurant has the best Chinese food between the coasts. Like most Midwestern Chinese restaurants, the menu is stacked with Americanized favorites (like sweet and sour pork)that do not accurately represent the depth of the food.
Dishes like the spicy eggplant and crispy Peking duck rival any dishes I have sampled elsewhere.
Start with the pan fried vegetarian dumplings. The hand rolled wraps are perfect texture with a steamy filling of Chinese cabbage, mushrooms, and vermicelli noodles. While not an authentic dish, the crab rangoons display an unique crispy shell that I have never tasted elsewhere before. The filling explodes creamy, salty, and crab all at once.
Of the dishes we tried, the more traditional favorites were standard fare. However, the spicy eggplant displayed an unbelievable depth of texture and taste. The noodles are handmade and air dried and it certainly comes through on the palate.
This restaurant is definitely a jewel in the rough. If you can sort through all the casual standard fare and target the truly eclectic dishes, you are in for a gormet culinary delight.    [17 Oct 2005 16:52:02]

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Recommended Dishes: spice eggplant, peking duck, stir fried noodles, vegetarian dumplings, ask the owners for specials not on the menu

     ­AK, San Francisco, California