Green Tea

Special-occasion dining with deliciously spicy offerings

by Bill Rodriguez

5600 Post Road
East Greenwich
884-3340
Open Sun - Thurs from 4 to 9:30 p.m.
Fri and Sat from 4 to 10:30 p.m.
Major credit cards
Non-smoking
Sidewalk-level access

We first came across Green Tea a few years ago, when we were looking for Walter's, the Italian restaurant that used to be in the space. We didn't indulge at the time, but it did look inviting. The place had retained Walter's lush decor, with swags draped at the windows, areas sectioned off with railings and columns, and plush seating spaced widely apart. Special-occasion dining, not just food, seemed to be the offering.

Unlike with other cuisines, finding a good Chinese restaurant among the many in this state is like your appetite finally winning the lottery. At one thriving place in South County, little frankfurter rounds have been found in the fried rice. Chop suey pizzas at Pagoda Hut would probably sell well in Rhode Island. (I once heard a guy ask if he could have French fries and coleslaw with his order.) I don't know. Maybe the population doesn't yet contain a critical mass of former New Yorkers.

On our recent overdue visit to Green Tea, a closer look at the decor found it tasteful and restrained. Wall hangings run to embroidered cranes and birds settling on flowers cut from shells. No airline posters or Chinese tea box gaudiness. What's more, there is usually plenty of staff about, looking like a kung-fu class in their black uniforms with green sashes.

The owner of this establishment is Armando Monaco, who says that he staffed Green Tea with advice from several friends -- native Chinese restaurant proprietors who drop in now and then for quality control. Monaco opened the doors to the Green Room four years ago this month, and operates the place with wife Bettina and sister Elaine.

The four chefs in the kitchen are from New York, including one who has a half-century's worth of experience cooking. And since some people absolutely must have their moo goo gai pan, Cantonese items are on the menu. Overall, though, the emphasis is on the spicier Szechuan and Hunan.

For appetizers, we chose a couple of less usual items. The cold noodles with sesame and peanut sauce ($3.50) were tasty and slightly hot. Cutting the delicate sesame taste with peanut wasn't quite in the flavor's best interest, but the portion was plentiful.

On the menu, the champagne wings ($5.25) are described as being in a sweet sauce, so we checked those out as well to see whether they'd be cloying. Not at all. Delicious. Our party of three also sampled most of the single-portion soups, plentiful in the smaller option. The egg-drop soup ($1.50/$2.50) was ordinary, but the wonton soup ($1.50/$2.50) was a treat. Three large dumplings were folded, instead of sealed, around the minced pork. Delicate.

We were satisfied with all three main items we shared. The "Lemon Sesame Shrimp" ($10.95) had a marvelously tangy sauce that the accompanying broccoli soaked up nicely. The portion was modest, with seven shrimp, but they had been very lightly coated before a brief deep-fat frying. Attractively decorating the platter was a simulated flower blossom assembled from paper-thin turnip slices.

The two other items we chose had interesting variety in their brown sauces. The "Hot and Spicy Chicken" ($10.50) -- translate "hot" as "mild" on this menu -- contained green rather than the red bell peppers promised, but the kitchen had added plenty of black mushroom caps, rather than the "shreds" described, for generous compensation.

Also sampled was the "House Fried Rice" ($3.75/$5.50), which contained chicken, melt-in-your-mouth shrimp, and ham, along with the traditional red-edged pork. The next time I go I'd like to check out the signature "Green Tea Supreme" ($12.95), which consists of seafood, meats, and vegetables served in an edible basket of fried potatoes. All but the house specialties are available in half orders, with fried or steamed rice and an egg roll, for the price of a full order.

When you're in the mood to pay for elegant ambiance, Green Tea provides the right atmosphere, which their non-smoking policy nicely enhances. And full bar offerings don't hurt the relaxation opportunities either.