MARY FURR -- Dining Out

When a restaurant owner like Kenny Sue is all over -- picking up dishes,

offering menus, greeting diners by name -- you know that restaurant is a

good place to go. Fu Wing Low in Fountain Valley is a place Sue loves to

be. No question about it.

Splurge with the No. 3 Family Dinner. At $11.50 per person, it’s a

gastronomic adventure in south China cuisine.

First comes a big bowl of wor wonton soup. “Wor” means “with meat,” and

there are four types -- slices of barbecued pork, beef, chicken and a

fat, pink, curled-up shrimp. Technicolor green snow peas, golden carrots

and mushrooms also float in the clear chicken broth. It’s as fresh as

spring, and you can ladle all you want.

Next comes a round, divided appetizer plate with a tiny, lighted hibachi

in its center and two each of fried shrimp, foil-wrapped chicken, wontons

and thin-skinned, vegetable-stuffed egg rolls with a strip of beef on a

skewer. They are all cooked, but its fun to warm them on the flaming

hibachi.

For the 16 years Fu Wing Low has been in Meadowlark Park Plaza, the high

quality of the appetizers has been the same. Parts of this mini-mall may

be in need of repair, but not this restaurant. In this rapidly changing

world, that’s good to know.

Now the entrees. There is moo shu pork wrapped like a burrito in a

transparent wonton skin with a healthy mix of bean sprouts, shredded

cabbage and peas. It has an open top to add the thick, dark, pungent plum

sauce. Our server advised just picking it up to eat -- the “best taste,”

she said. It’s a fragile bundle of mixed flavors with that sauce seeping

down through the vegetables.

Less impressive in appearance, but with an invasive, complex and spicy

sauce, is the kung pao chicken with celery, water chestnuts, little green

onions, mushrooms, tender chicken and peanuts. It’s the best I’ve had in

a long time.

In contrast is the very simple dish of eight plump shrimps with broccoli

flowers and carrots. This is what Kenny Sue means when he suggests

ordering contrasting dishes -- one spicy and one with a milder, natural

flavor such as this one prepared in a light soybean oil, as are all of

his fried dishes.

Fu Wing Low is a family restaurant run by a family team -- brother Pak

Sue in the kitchen is assisted by brother-in-law Gai Zhu. Food is

prepared in traditional fashion. However, the Sue family can accommodate

any changes you’d request, especially where allergies are concerned.

Kenny calls it “customer-made” food.

Fu Wing Low seems familiar -- the kind of Chinese restaurant you went to

with your parents. It’s a place that’s comfortable and reassuring as if

you’d been there but with food that’s too good to forget.

* MARY FURR is the Independent restaurant critic. If you have comments or

suggestions for her, call (562) 493-5062.

FYI

FU WING LOW

WHERE: 16545 Brookhurst St., Fountain Valley

HOURS: 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, till 10 p.m.

Friday and Saturday, 12:30 to 9:30 p.m. Sunday, closed Monday.

CALL: 839-4481

MISC.: Credit cards accepted.