Glendale Restaurant Guide

Given that there are three menus in place: an abbreviated one featuring Korean specialties (written in English with explanations), a three-page menu of Chinese dishes (written in Chinese characters with English descriptions beneath) and an inexpensive lunch menu, offered 11 a.m.-2 p.m., Mondays-Fridays, listing familiar Chinese dishes in English. The lunch menu, which features generous portions of Chinese standards including sweet and sour pork, lo mein, fried rice and Mongolian beef (served with rice and soup), may be mainstream, but it's also a terrific bargain. I can't think when I've had better kung pao chicken, stir-fried with moist chunks of poultry, peanuts, fiery red chiles and plenty of fresh vegetables. Happy Family becomes a noon-time steal - chock full of seafood (squid, shrimp, tiny scallops and two enormous mussels) as well as carrot, bok choy and wood-ear mushrooms. Both come with fragrant white rice.

Nearly hidden at the bottom of the regular menu are "roasted pork dumplings" - plump, ginger-scented pot-stickers, browned on all sides, which arrive crunchy, greasy and piping hot. Garlic-flavored, deep-fried shrimp has plenty going for it, namely a crispy veil of batter, a sprinkle of nutty sesame seeds and a sticky coating of sweet sauce that's hot enough to get the old schnoz running.

The food here is really good - ENJOY!