DINING OUT -- MARY FURR

We have the Taste of France, the Taste of Napa and now all the way

from Spokane, Wash., comes the first in California -- Top of China, at

Bolsa Avenue and Edward Street in Huntington Beach.

It’s fresh, bright and very busy with five steam buffet tables, a

small sushi bar and chef-directed barbecue grill. A huge picture in

lights of a riverboat hangs near the entrance, and down a hall, is a

small dining room with lovely crystal chandeliers. An enclosed garden

forms one wall. Another booth-filled dining room is to the right where we

began our meal at the buffets. (lunch $5.99, dinner $9.99 to $10.99).

First, we selected egg flower soup, thick with lightly beaten egg

whites in chicken broth from among those offered -- a clear chicken broth

with a bowl of dumplings to add beside it or a spicy hot and sour.

Thank goodness there are labels over the trays with some excellent

fried rice -- small grains with peas and carrots, a dish called shao mai,

a soft open pocket filled with a mix of pork and egg. Egg rolls are crisp

and tightly filled with shredded cabbage. Pieces of chicken are mixed

with mushrooms, another kung pao has specks of red adding a hot spiciness

to the sauce. General Tso chicken is a spicy Hunan style dish of deep

fried chicken cubes tossed with a garlicky hot and sour sauce.

With steam tables it is always difficult to keep the food hot and

moist, which is a problem at Top of China that needs attention. Yeh

Kuanfah, the chef at the barbecue grill does an excellent job in

seasoning, though the boneless pork chop was rather tough. It’s here that

you’ll also find skewers of beef and chicken.

Sushi creations fill one section, fruit and Jell-O another with

chocolate and vanilla pudding and something I enjoy, a round steamed

slightly sweet bun covered with sugar know as “lotus” buns, which can

sooth the fiery flavor of Szechwan cooking.

Almond cookies based here are different -- crisp and light with

strands of coconut. They are a nice complement to the ice cream from the

self-serve dispenser, which is intensely sweet and more icy than creamy.

For another dessert you might slice strawberries from the salad section

over the ice cream.

If you’d prefer to bypass the buffet, the menu has lots of Chinese

variations from moo shu pancakes to any of the chef’s specialties. The

Four Season ($10.95) we tried is a tasty and healthy combination of

chicken, beef, roast pork and small shrimp in a brown slightly spicy soy

sauce with broccoli flowers, snow peas, crunchy celery and more. It’s a

very generous portion -- a good lunch to share.

According to Andy Zhang, more than 120 items are prepared daily with

the beef broccoli and General Tso chicken very popular with diners. The

three owners Jzan Zhang, Ji Yang and Zhang Zheng have found Huntington

Beach a hospitable place for new restaurants.

Top of China offers much to explore, a feast for the eyes as well as

the stomach.

FYI

Top Of China

ADDRESS: 15070 Edwards St., Huntington Beach

PHONE: (714) 901-3088

FAX: (714) 901-3098

HOURS: Open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Saturday; noon to 9 p.m.

Sunday.

MISC.: Senior discount, kids under 2 free.