| The exhaustive menu offers
more than 250 Chinese and Japanese dishes (I counted), many of them
exciting culinary adventures fairly sparkling with imaginative
combinations of fresh ingredients.
The presentation is exquisite. The made-to-order dishes are
composed like an old-master painting with an eye to color and texture;
indeed, ingredients seem chosen partly because of their color, and plates
are gorgeously garnished with elaborately carved vegetable flowers. No
other restaurant in the area serves food that matches these for eye
appeal.
There are more than 100 Japanese dishes, the majority of them sushi
and sashimi combinations. But the Chinese dishes were so irresistible that
I ordered from that side of the menu for this review.
Traditional fried noodles on each table were exceptional - wide
curls of crisp, fresh-tasting, nonoily delights served with fruity apricot
dipping sauce.
Spicy Peking noodles ($4.50), an exceptional warmed appetizer worth
a return visit, was a generous portion of firm spinach noodles tossed with
ground pork and finely chopped scallions, water chestnuts and celery in a
compelling, spicy-sweet blend of oyster, hoisin and soy sauces just fiery
enough to leave my palate tingling with delight. The dish was garnished
with celery leaves, thinly sliced zucchini, and elaborate carved tomato
and radish flowers.
Familiar fried dumplings ($4.95), the ultimate in comfort food,
were six big dumplings - pillow-soft on one side, lightly crisp on the
other - stuffed with ground pork, scallions and ginger and served on
shredded lettuce with soy dipping sauce. The platter was garnished with
pineapple chunks, a long-stemmed maraschino cherry, and carved cucumber
flower.
Peaches with chicken ($11.95), a remarkable chef's special with
memorable flavors and colors, was a mountain of melt-in-your-mouth sliced
chicken, canned peaches, baby corn, snow peas, cucumber, cabbage, red bell
peppers, thin-sliced tomatoes, and maraschino cherries, served with
steamed white rice in fruity-sweet citrus sauce.
Boneless duck with pine nuts ($13.95) was an inspired pairing of
flavors and textures, but suffered from a thick layer of fat beneath the
soft skin. Cutting it off left little bites of tender breast meat with a
generous sprinkling of crunchy pine nuts and a medley of vegetables - snow
peas, serrated carrots, baby corn, chopped cabbage and scallions, straw
mushrooms, water chestnuts, fresh mushrooms and sliced zucchini in gentle
brown sauce.
Decorated with sliced fresh oranges, the dish was garnished with a
cucumber flower crowned with a tiny rabbit carved from a radish.
Creamy-rich green-tea ice cream ($1.95) was a tasty and refreshing
end to a memorable meal.
The bill came with a small, juicy peeled orange and fortune
cookies. Happily, I had already experienced good fortune by coming here
for dinner.
Attentive service is watched over by an exuberantly friendly
hostess. The restaurant has no liquor license, but patrons are encouraged
to bring their own spirits.
The dining room is charming. Soft golden-tan walls framed with oak
wainscoting, chair-rail and crown molding are bedecked with Japanese and
Chinese calligraphy and a contemporary construction of carved wheat
sheaves sprouting from Asian mailboxes. Half-walls made of bamboo create
cozy dining areas.
Tensor lights suspended from the ceiling on serpentine cords are
intriguing as well as useful. Potted green plants, silk orchids and
lighted candles are everywhere.
A coral-filled fish tank is at the entrance. An oak sushi bar along
the rear wall is backed with a display case of Asian objets d'art and
topped with bell-shaped hanging lights.
Tables are set with white cloths, white paper placemats, white
cotton napkins, beautiful blue-and-white dishes, and light wood chairs
with brocade seats.
John Bull's e-mail address is johnvrbull@aol.com.
East Cuisine
Broad Axe Shopping Center, 851 W. Butler Pike, Broad Axe,
215-283-9797.
Open: Full menu served 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday-Thursday, until 11
p.m. Friday and Saturday, noon-9:30 p.m. Sunday.
Price range: Dinner for two averages $40, plus tip.
Credit cards: Major cards.
Nonsmoking section: Yes.
Facilities for handicapped: Yes.
Atmosphere: Artistic decor and friendly service.
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