Great atmosphere, service at China Moon
Our first dining foray into Laguna Niguel took us to the China Moon Restaurant on Town Center Drive.
We were not the first to discover this place. It was mobbed when we went there on a Wednesday night. Even though we had a reservation, we had to wait for a bit. Even the takeout line was long.
While we were hungrily eyeing the dishes passing by, a gentleman on his way out assured us that, “It’s really worth the wait.”
When we were seated in this attractive contemporary space, we commented to each other that the place had a more sophisticated feel than most neighborhood restaurants, although the dress is totally casual.
A glass-enclosed wine case spans the back of the room and a ceiling mural depicting an abstract sky is surrounded by a large round light soffit giving off a soft glow. The space is divided into three areas, making the room cozier and quieter.
Our waiter Kevin was clearly a favorite among the regulars. Laughter followed him from table to table. We, too, were soon charmed by his good-natured teasing. He also helped us with recommendations when we couldn’t make up our minds.
At his suggestion we chose pan-fried dumplings over chicken lettuce wraps. The eight dumplings were extra-plump with nicely seasoned juicy chicken, while the dough was tender with a lovely crusty brown bottom. The sauce, a light soy-ginger-vinegar dip, made a tangy complement.
The house special soup was a rather ordinary version of egg drop with a broth that was bland. Onto an interesting version of Peking duck, which was served in the style of moo shu pork. The duck and skin were off the bone and cut up into small pieces.
The waiter spread the pancakes with hoisin sauce, added a generous amount of duck, a few strips of crispy skin and some shreds of green onion and slivers of cucumber. Then he folded them up in a neat package and presented them for our delectation.
Neither of us had been served it this way before. Usually it’s on the bone and cut into big chunks, with the condiments on the side in do-it-yourself style. We did miss gnawing on those bones, but this was still very tasty and a whole lot neater. The duck was juicy, flavorful and not fatty. You can also order it served with soft buns rather than pancakes.
Kevin really wanted us to try the two–flavored shrimp, their most famous dish, and we complied. It’s a chance to taste aromatic shrimp and sesame shrimp. They are both fried and then glazed with sauce. We much preferred the creamy honey sesame sauce on the crispy juicy shrimp. The aromatic sauce was much sweeter and not as complex in flavor.
We are big fans of rice noodles, but had never tried them Taiwanese-style. They turned out to be simple but quite delicious. The fine light noodles are stir-fried in a small amount of seasoned oil with a bit of sprouts, cabbage and carrots.
You order them with your choice of chicken, pork or beef and even shrimp for a dollar more. We found it hard to stop eating these barely sauced strands punctuated by pieces of moist and tender chicken.
Family-style dinners are available for two or more at $16.95 or $18.50. Each includes soup, an appetizer of a fried shrimp, a barbecued spare rib and a spring roll and an entrée for each person from a selection of six choices.
There are no desserts available, but in Chinese restaurants, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. We enjoyed the pleasant atmosphere, friendly service and tasty food at this popular local spot.
ELLE HARROW and TERRY MARKOWITZ were in the gourmet food and catering business for 20 years. They can be reached for comments or questions at m_markowitz@cox.net.
China Moon
Where: 30001 Town Center Drive, Laguna NiguelWhen:
Lunch: 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Dinner: 4:30 to 9:30 p.m.
(CLOSED TUESDAYS)
Prices:
Appetizers: $3.75-$9.95
Entrées: $6.50-$16.95
Wine:
Bottles: $25-$45
By the glass: $6.75-$10.50
Corkage Fee: $10
Information: (949) 249-6868, chinamoonrestaurant.com