Special Delivery
Chinese's shows another side with its Vietnamese dishes.
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CHINESE'S CHEF DOSON HA (WITH HIS DAUGHTER ALISON, RIGHT) HAS GONE BACK TO HIS
VIETNAMESE ROOTS WHILE STILL BOASTING SOME OF THE AREA'S BEST CHINESE FARE.
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WHAT: Chinese's
CUISINE: Chinese and Vietnamese
WHEN: Dinner Tuesday through Sunday, lunch Wednesday through Saturday
WHERE: 8128 Oak St., 861-9724
CARDS: Major
As Oscar Wilde once said, after a good dinner, one can forgive anybody, even
one's relatives. When family or friends show up unexpectedly near the dinner
hour, it is always comforting to know that there is a decent neighborhood
restaurant nearby that delivers. If I haven't had the time to go shopping, the
thought of having something cooked and delivered right to my door helps me
stand up to even the most unexpected guests, such as long-lost relatives
visiting New Orleans who happen to know my address or an entourage of giggling
teenagers want-ing to stay overnight. During summer break, there is no telling
who will ring our doorbell next. Ages can range from 5 to 75. Thank goodness
for delivery!
Of course, most people ring up for pizza delivery when they're in a
pinch. Or they whip out something from the freezer (that is never an option for
me when there are several pre-schoolers playing tag in my kitchen). But when
there are vegetarians and people watching their diets to consider, I tend to
avoid massive layers of fattening cheese and usually order Asian cuisine, which
is lighter and healthier for everyone.
One place we have used for some time for delivery in the Uptown
area is Chinese's, located on Oak Street near South Carrollton Avenue. Chef
Doson Ha does a great job running this modest Chinese restaurant. The food is
always well prepared and arrives at our door piping hot, even though
delivery service isn't always as fast as we'd like it to be. We have eaten
there only three or four times, and it has been my impression that most of
the business is take-out during the summer.
The menu of Chinese offerings is just about as extensive as
anywhere else in town. Best choices among the appetizers include crab ragoon,
vegetarian egg rolls and steamed dumplings served with a ginger sauce. My
favorite entrees include the chef's specials, particularly sizzling seafood go
ba, made with large, fresh shrimp, scallops and bits of lobster in a velvety
sauce, and the pecan shrimp, prepared Peking style, topped with honey-roasted
pecans and served over a bed of steamed broccoli. You also can get several
excellent vegetarian dishes here, including lemon grass tofu, the vegetable
delight (which translates to a medley of stir-fried vegetables laced in a light
brown sauce), eggplant prepared several ways, vegetarian lo mein and chow mein,
and vegetarian fried rice. I prefer the combination fried rice that includes
chicken, pork and shrimp, a favorite among children who are picky eaters; a
small order at $5.95 is enough to feed several people.
What's really interesting about Ha is that he is Vietnamese, and
most of his customers don't know it. Last week, the chef began offering
Vietnamese specials. Quite frankly, although I have enjoyed his Chinese food
delivered hot and fresh to our door, I prefer the Vietnamese dishes,
which are true to the chef's roots. Ha says that he recently hired a female
Vietnamese chef to help him out in the kitchen. The result has been quite
good.
Best bets so far include the Vietnamese spring rolls, Vietnamese
"pizza" and the marvelous, fiery soups. The spring rolls are works of art,
cradling large shrimp with fresh herbs and glass noodles and adorned with
green onions neatly sticking up out of the top. The rolls come with a
thick and crunchy peanut sauce that is a bit spicy and absolutely delicious.
The Vietnamese pizza, banh-xeo, actually is an oversized crepe that
tastes a bit like a sweet omelet filled with bean sprouts, shrimp, green onions
and cilantro. The juicy crepe is accompanied by a sweet, fiery sauce with
shreds of citrus. The flavors are clean, sharp and refreshing.
Bo hue bun, which we enjoyed last week, is a deeply flavored soup
tinged with tomato, anchored by thinly sliced beef and noodles and accompanied
by a basket of fresh herbs and lemon wedges for added flavor. It will clear
your sinuses quickly enough, and the flavor is as good as any other versions I
have had at other Vietnamese restaurants around town.
For our household, we are delighted to be able to order such good
Vietnamese food at reasonable prices from Chinese's -- even though the
offerings so far have been rather limited. I believe that if the restaurant
expands its Vietnamese fare, business will pick up. Chinese's recently cut back
on its hours of operation, and plans to return to its regular lunch and
dinner schedule in the fall.
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