Dining Out

Mary Furr

You won’t need a rhyming dictionary to remember Gong Wong’s great

cafe. The restaurant on the northwest corner of Goldenwest Street and

Warner Avenue in Huntington Beach, has for over 20 years become the

choice destination for everything from a quick lunch, handy takeout or

family gathering.

We chose the second dining room with its lovely gold fans and detailed

black and gold plaques for a quiet dinner. It’s relaxing to order a #4

($8.75 per person) and let Won Ton take over. He first brings a pot of

hot tea and a bowl of crinkly crisp string-like noodles. Next comes fresh

won ton soup of clear broth filled with crunchy celery, greens and two

slices of pork. It’s like looking through glass at magnified vegetables.

We nibble away while listening to the kitchen sounds and waiting for

appetizers: thickly battered fried shrimp, a triangle of foil--wrapped

chicken pieces in a rich dark sauce and two bite--sized nuggets of rumaki

-- bacon wrapped around pungent pieces of chicken liver broiled until

crisp. The meaty barbecue rib is brushed with a rosy pink sauce, a real

Henry VIII special to be picked up and enjoyed.

Appetizers are followed by slices of tender steak in a creamy oyster

sauce and rosy red sweet and sour pork with pineapple and bell pepper

pieces. The mounded bowl of pork fried rice is some of the best with

short grains, tiny spring onion slices, carrot and bits of pork -- good

to mix with everything.

The order for two comes with the chef’s lo mein -- mixed vegetables,

lots of crisp bean sprouts and chicken slices all tangled with soft

noodles. The contrast in texture and color is what good lo mein should be

with lots of vegetables, not over loaded with noodles.

For three people add moo goo gai pan -- chicken with vegetables and

mushrooms. This is the Chinese way to enjoy a meal, lots of dishes in the

center of the table with everyone sharing. Such a traditional dinner,

however, would not end as Gong’s does with almond and fortune cookies.

They were invented in 1916 by a California noodle maker. Just recently a

United States cookie firm was hired to build a noodle factory in Canton!

After 23 years Gong’s has the routine right. You can pick up a

phoned-in order at the entrance or go on into the dining rooms.

During dinner the carpet’s quiet footsteps, the candles in colored

glass flicker and reflect the lovely gold fans. The strife of the day

disappears and you can unwind in Gong’s any night of the week. It’s like

yoga for the soul.

FYI

Gong’s Chinese Food

Where: 6815 Warner Ave., Huntington Beach.

Phone: (714) 842-6797 or 842-4697.

Fax: (714) 848-7355.

Hours: 11 to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, open until 10 p.m. Friday

and Saturday

Misc.: Credit cards accepted