CHINA GOURMET

Address: 78 Mohawk Trail (Route 2A)
Greenfield Massachusetts
(413) 774-2299; 774-3399

Hours: Sunday through Thursday:
11 a.m. - 10 p.m.;
Friday and Saturday: 11 a.m. - 11 p.m.
Entree Prices: $5.50 - 14.95
Credit Cards: MC, Visa, AE
Handicapped Access: Accessible,
with wheelchair-equipped restrooms
Non-smoking section: Yes
Reservations: Not normally taken.

There's certainly no shortage of Chinese restaurants in Western Massachusetts, but when it comes to one with food so good you can't wait to go back - well, that's another matter. That's why I'm happy to recommend China Gourmet; it's just that kind of restaurant rarity, a five-star Chinese establishment. One visit and chances are you'll want to make frequent return trips to their MohawkTrail premises'.

China Gourmet is located in a former fast food restaurant that's been given a total face-lift and transformed into a light, airy space with a subtle and appealing Asian flair. Soft colors of dark teal and old rose in the table linens contrast with ivory walls and an attractively faux-beamed ceiling, while the judicious use of Oriental decorative elements is subtly evocative of the "Mysterious East."

China Gourmet doesn't offer a menu as extensive as many other Chinese restaurants. That doesn't mean there isn't a lot to choose from; there are more than 70 different dishes available. Actually, I judged the menu restraint I saw to be a positive indication; it's always been hard for me to believe that any establishment can maintain the freshness of the myriad ingredients required for the number of dishes most Chinese eateries advertise on their bills of fare.

In any case, China Gourmet has most of the classics available such as Moo Shu Pork ($7.25), Kong Poa Shrimp ($8.95), Chicken with Broccoli ($7.50), and Beef Lo Mein ($6.25). However, it's with dishes like Salmon in Black Bean Sauce ($9.50) and vegetarian specialties like Mandarin Tofu with Black Mushrooms ($6.95) that China Gourmet transcends the typical offerings we've all come to expect from a Chinese kitchen.

The center pages of the menu list a number of "Gourmet Specialties," that also include both the familiar (General Tso's Chicken - $9.25) and the unique (Ma La Seafood with Basil $12.95).

Finally, there's a generous choice of appetizers. Of course popular favorites like Barbecued Spare Ribs ($5.95), Crab Rangoon ($3.95) and Pu-Pu Platter for Two ($12.50) can be had, but diners shouldn't dismiss more interesting compositions such as the Cold Noodles with Seasame Sauce ($4.25). There's also a soup selection that includes traditional specialties like Wonton ($1.25) and Hot and Sour ($1.25).

I should also mention that the menu emphasizes no MSG is used, and my Franklin County sources tell me the restaurant's staff is most accommodating of special requests.

Dinner begins with the familiar strips of fried eggroll wrappers to nibble; these Chinese "chips" are particularly light and non-oily at China Gourmet.

Intrigued by the variety of options available to us, my guests and I began by assembling a medley of appetizers that combined the familiar with the unique.

We began with the ubiquitous eggroll ($1.35), China Gourmet's version was particularly good, featuring a filling of ground pork and baby shrimp combined with lots of tender-crisp Chinese cabbage. Equally appealing was the
Polynesian-style Fried Coconut Shrimp ($4.95), whose light, grease free batter coating was generously studded with grated coconut. Each bite blended the sea-sweet juiciness of shrimp with the chewiness and flavor of coconut.

Interested in sampling sometime a bit less Americanized, we also ordered Steamed Vegetable Dumplings ($4.25), a traditional dim sum snack. These, too, passed the test, tender wheat-
flour dumplings with the slightly gummy texture of which the Chinese are so fond. Each dumpling was plumply stuffed with a combination of soy, rice wine vinegar, and chopped scallions, which made the flavor of these toothsome little packets sparkle.

However, the real star of our pre-dinner buffet was Seaweed Royal ($5.95), listed on the menu as a special "gourmet appetizer." This Japanese-influenced treat was made from chicken forcemeat formed around strips of broccoli and carrots. The resultant "log" of minced chicken was then wrapped in sheets of nori (dried seaweed), steamed, and served sliced into circular medallions topped with a garnish of chopped seaweed and seasame seeds.

A blend of briny, sweet, and mild, this "seaweed roll" was a wonderfully complex harmony of tastes and textures. As with sushi, the house served a dish of palate-cleansing pickled ginger alongside.

With a tempting array of choices for our main courses, a decision on what to order was difficult to reach. We finally settled on a familiar Chinese-restaurant standby,
Roast Pork Fried Rice ($5.50) and two "Gourmet Specialties," Sesame Beef ($9.95) and Honeymoon Couple ($11.95).

Though it wasn't quite what we expected, Seasame Beef proved enjoyable nonetheless. Strips of good-quality beef had been lightly breaded and deep-fried, then topped with a mildly sweet sauce spiked with the smoky taste of seasame oil.

Garnished with a plentiful sprinkling of sesame seeds, the dish had a pleasing interplay of textures but was a bit to sweet for our tastes.

Roast Pork Fried Rice was all we could have wanted; the lightly seasoned rice was tender but not mushy and full of fresh clean flavor. Shreds of crooked egg provided richness, and the kitchen had been remarkably generous with chopped roast pork - two or three pieces turned up in every forkful.

It was the dish enigmatically called "Honeymoon Couple" that proved to be the real show stopper. It's a complex preparation that begins with jumbo shrimp that are rolled up in sliced chicken breast, then lightly battered and deep-fried. The golden brown "fingers" that result are topped with a rich brown master sauce and a garnish of fresh vegetables - water chestnuts, mushrooms, snow peas, red pepper, and baby corn. A touch of fresh basil, an herb not usually associated with Chinese cuisine, is the final touch, giving the dish a unique flavor.

Portions at China Gourmet, we noted, are more than adequate but not excessively large, the house seeming to flavor quality over, quantity.

A traditional Chinese meal doesn't end with a sweet course, so most Chinese restaurants, if they serve desserts at all, have only a token offering. At China Gourmet dessert offering are limited to Fruit Cocktail ($3.25) and Apple or Banana Special ($3.25), the later being preparations that feature fresh fruit chunks encased, candied apple style, in a sugar syrup shell.

Though the staff at China Gourmet liberally pours freshly brewed tea throughout your meal, beer and wine are also available for those who wish something a bit more bracing.

The restaurant serves a full luncheon menu of scaled down entrees priced from $4.25 to $5.95, as well as several lunch combination platters - a match-up of Shredded Beef Hunan Style, Crab Rangoon, and Pork Fried Rice ($4.95) is typical. These combination platters also include soup or soft drink and are available every day until three in the afternoon.

Review Copyright ©1995 Springfield Sunday Republican / all rights reserved

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