Lucky Garden

A cornucopia of good choices

by Johnette Rodriguez

(401) 231-5626, 1852 Smith St., North Providence
Open Mon-Thurs, 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m.; Fri-Sat, 11:30 a.m.-11 p.m.; Sun, 12-10 p.m.
Major credit cards
Handicapped access

Believe it or not, food reviewing isn't as easy as it may sound, especially when you're passing judgment based on just one visit. At Lucky Garden, this is made even more difficult by the opportunity to eat from three different menus: the 25 dim sum items offered on weekends, from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.; the Chinese-American menu, as the staff call it; and, also in their words, the Hong-Kong-style menu.

Based on the brisk take-out on a recent Thursday evening, as well as the locals sitting near us, the chow mein and fried rice are as good as the kung po, Hunan, and Szechuan dishes from the "American" menu. But we'd been told by friends at Brown to ask for the Chinese menu, most of it translated into English. I questioned our waitress about the non-translated items, and she smiled and explained that they're dishes such as fish heads and pig's feet, which the management assumed -- probably rightly -- that no non-Asian diner would be adventurous enough to try.

I was intrigued by the jellyfish and octopus entree, along with such other authentic-sounding items as sea cucumber with baby abalone, pepper salt shrimp, cold boneless duck feet, quick boiled conch, dried lily flower with beef, and dried auricularia and "longevity noodles." There are no fewer than 173 items on the Hong Kong menu, and if they weren't conveniently grouped into categories, you'd have to have longevity noodles with every meal to work your way through the possibilities.

Nonetheless, this was our first visit to this venerable institution (10 years in this location, another decade on Mineral Spring Avenue), and we chose as carefully as possible, picking only one old favorite, moo shi chicken ($7.95), to go along with unexplored territory, in the form of stuffed tofu ($9.50) and "so may" fish with vegetables ($14.95).

I began with vegetarian spring rolls ($2.80), and Bill had the chicken shark's fin soup ($11). The cost of the soup relates to the scarcity of the fins and the lengthy preparation time. We saw no evidence of fins themselves, but their broth formed a very gluttonous broth, not Bill's cup o' soup. The spring roll was very crispy, with crunchy cabbage and carrots inside.

I think that one of the reasons Americans, especially in cities, originally fell in love with Chinese food was the fresh taste of all the vegetables, just barely tender in stir-fries, contrasted to the Anglo style of cooking them to death. In these simple but delightful Cantonese dishes, I was reminded of how the fancier sauces, especially the very spicy ones, had once again desensitized my taste buds to the elemental flavors of pea pods, broccoli, and bok choy.

Thus it was that I thoroughly enjoyed the so may fish and vegetables, the bok choy underneath the tofu, and the mixture of veggies in the moo shi. The pieces of fish had been steamed to perfection, so that they seemed like cod clouds floating on a sea of green (the pea pods and broccoli). Delicious.

The tofu was similarly light, big puffs of fritter-like tofu, "stuffed" with pieces of shrimp that you had to hunt for -- like many clam cakes we have met, where the title ingredient seems almost non-existent. It was melt-in-your-mouth delectable for this tofu-lover, though my mate was willing to trade his portion for my allotment of moo shi, a melange of chicken strips and julienned vegetables wrapped inside a pancake liberally slathered with -- if you're Bill -- hoisin sauce. I loved the moo shi as well.

All around us, burbling dishes were carried to tables: sizzling beef, eggplant with garlic sauce, sate squid, Peking ravioli, and crab Rangoons were popular. Our waitress's favorite was shrimp with sweet walnuts. Based on our meal, I would definitely recommend the fish and tofu selections.

We even loved our desserts: coconut tapioca ($2.50) and almond Jell-O ($1.75). The latter is something a friend of ours has made for the Chinese New Year, and it was great to taste it again. The tapioca was made with large-pearl tapioca and a gentle hint of coconut, and we once again began table-trade negotiations.

Decor at Lucky Garden is minimal: mirrored paneling runs along one wall, chandeliers hang from ceilings and walls in the two dining rooms, with a few Chinese prints on the walls. Chefs Kam-Tung Chiu and Kam-Chai Chiu brought impressive credentials from their native Canton to Lucky Garden's kitchen, and their skill shines through in all the food. Their sister, Sherri Ho, runs the front of the restaurant with aplomb: the staff, some of whom are also family members, are friendly and well-trained.

Three tips for your visit to Lucky Garden: study the Hong Kong menu; ask as many questions as you need to; and do ask for the warm, scented hand towels at the end of the meal.