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The Weekly Eater

By Nadine Kam

Thursday, April 6, 2000

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Two new dim sum
spots to dive into

FOLLOW the bouncing pork hash. China House at Ala Moana is still China House, BUT now has a second location in the Chinatown Cultural Plaza where Empress used to be. Empress has moved to the Wo Fat building and is now the Wo Fat Seafood Restaurant, a homecoming really, because that's where the restaurant was before moving to the plaza more than 10 years ago. Got that?

The result is one more restaurant open to those who like to spend mornings in search of the perfect dim sum. And, as in Hong Kong, where there are five-story buildings with dim sum on every floor, Hawaii has no trouble filling these restaurants by day. It's night where battles will be fought. But that's another column.

WO FAT SEAFOOD RESTAURANT

Food 1/2
Atmosphere
Service1/2
Value

Address: 115 N. Hotel St.
Hours: 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily
Prices: $1.50 per dim sum plate; family-style dinners $45 for four
Call: 521-5055

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IF you liked Empress, it's business as usual here at Wo Fat. That means dim sum at $1.50 per plate. What a deal!

You might call this the Genki of the dim sum world. Not exactly first tier, but when you're hungry and low on cash, who cares that the look fun doesn't quite glide down your throat or the seaweed roll has nori wadded up so thick you have to gnaw.

The second-floor dining room has been polished up. Maybe they'll replace the carpeting and brighten the stairwell as well. Regulars will know that the shabby gray-brown rug on the stairs is no indication the place is a dive, but it might scare the tourists.

Dinner entrees run about $7.95 to $16.95. I was told by a waiter that a $14.95 buffet is expected to open on the third floor soon, but having peeked upstairs, I think that's optimistic.

CHINA HOUSE-CHINATOWN

Food
Atmosphere1/2
Service1/2
Value

Address: Chinatown Cultural Plaza, 100 N. Beretania St.
Hours: 10 a.m to 9 p.m. daily
Prices: Dim sum about $25 for two; dinner buffet $14.95/ person
Call: 550-8815

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CHINA House took a modern approach to renovating the site of its new restaurant. No more red dragons and pillars. The room is Hong Kong sleek, with a slate entry, black carpeting, crystal chandeliers and tables set back from the entrance so you won't feel rushed by those waiting for YOUR table.

The food still doesn't quite match Hong Kong standards. Even so, other aficionados agree the food is a notch better than at the original China House.

Favorites are the Steamed Chives Dumpling ($2.70) with spinach and rice noodles; Deep-Fried Shrimp ($2.70) breaded with panko, a Scallop Dumpling ($2.70) flavored with ginger-onion sauce.

I didn't care for the Seaweed Roll which contained more surimi, or faux crab, than shrimp.

At night, the restaurant delivers two buffets for the price of one -- a regular Chinese spread and a shabu shabu buffet -- at $14.95. Offerings are vast with roast duck and chicken, poke, snow crab legs, black bean spareribs, and much more.

What needs most work is the service. There are dozens of waiters on the floor but none seem to be assigned tables. They stop infrequently and at random. Customers trying to flag someone work harder than the staff as waiters and cart pushers barely break a sweat talking story in the aisles.

See a listing of past restaurants reviewed in the


section online. Click the logo to go!

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Nadine Kam's restaurant reviews run on Thursdays. Reviews are conducted anonymously and paid for by the Star-Bulletin. Star ratings are based on comparisons of similar restaurants:

-- excellent;
-- very good, exceeds expectations;
-- average;
-- below average.

To recommend a restaurant, write: The Weekly Eater, P.O. Box 3080, Honolulu, Hawaii 96802. Or send e-mail to features@starbulletin.com