Art Scene
Theater
Music Scene
Movies
Cheap Eats
Dining Scene
Restaurant Guide
Street Scene
Weekend Scene
What's going on?
Final Scene

with Jeannot
Painchaud

DINING WITH
Arthur von Wiesenberger

RAFAEL MALDONADO/NEWS-PRESS PHOTOS
Above, numerous lanterns hanging from the ceiling help create a pleasant ambience at the Empress Palace. Below, clockwise from left, is roasted duck, shrimp with walnuts atop a bed of orange slices, and Kung Pao Chicken.

Atmosphere adds some flavor

EMPRESS PALACE
2251 Las Positas Road
Santa Barbara
898-2238

HIGH POINTS:
Just walking in the door gave me hope that the Empress Palace was an above-average Chinese restaurant. Handsomely decorated with two large live fish/shellfish tanks, Empress Palace looks and feels like an upscale restaurant. Even the framed carpet on the wall adds to an atmosphere of Eastern elegance. The unused catchall of a terrace near the restrooms is the only indicator that there is room for atmospheric improvement.

Lunch and dinner prices are remarkably reasonable. Starting at $6.25 (slightly more for shrimp and scallops), the lunch special includes soup, egg roll, wonton, rice, a main course and a fortune cookie. Kung Pao Shrimp ($7.25) was spicy, served with a savory sauce loaded with plenty of dark red peppers lurking between the wok-fried onions and shrimp. Beyond plain hot, the flavors were intense.

Kung Pao Chicken ($6.25) was also delicious at a recent dinner. It was the one dish on the lazy Susan that kept getting spun around and served among the four of us. The shrimp with walnuts (fried to a crunchy, crispy point) was a bit more sophisticated in flavor and the walnuts gave it an interesting wintertime accent. The two pepper and basil beef ($6.59) tasted mostly of basil, which wasn't a bad thing.

The almond cookie that came with the bill was particularly good and I noticed as I left that they sell the cookies by the box for $8.

LOW POINTS:
The first lunch soup was a thick tofu soup, a little heavy on the thickness and thin on the flavor. The second lunch soup had more cabbage in it and had a bit more flavor. The wonton was a little wilted. The fried rice was bland. The chow mein with shrimp was muted in the flavor category. Orange chicken looked more orange than Tang, but missing was any orange flavor. The sesame chicken needed more sesame flavor and more sweetness. The barbecue ribs on rice had a momentary flavor-flashback to the ribs in Cosmo Tidbits at Trader Vic's. Unfortunately, with each bite the Trader Vic's memories got replaced with a less-than-pleasant Porky Pig.

Rating: (out of 5)
Price: $ (Very reasonable)

Editor's Note: Find Arthur Von Wiesenberger's Review Briefs in Dining Scene.

PHILOSOPHY AND PARAMETERS IN REVIEWING RESTAURANTS

Arthur von Wiesenberger is the author of the "Santa Barbara Restaurant Guide" and the proprietor of "nippers.com." The opinions in this column are the author's and not necessarily those of the newspaper.

We believe that good dining is an art and should be recognized. A good dining experience combines multiple elements, including well prepared, high quality food, efficient service, fair prices, appealing ambiance and a comprehensive beverage selection. Once a restaurant opens for business it should be judged against all other restaurants and not given excuses because it is new. After all, does the restaurant, just because it's new, discount your meal?

We believe in fair, objective critiques. Opinions shared are constructive to both the restaurant in correcting and improving the operation and for the public awareness and education.

Good food deserves good wine and Santa Barbara County produces some high quality varietals that should be acknowledged.

The star system is a reflection of the overall dining experience. It takes into account many aspects of the experience. It begins with a telephone reservation and how that reservation is handled. The access and parking are evaluated. The ambiance of the restaurant has multiple factors, including lighting, sound levels, interior decoration and use of space. The greeting and seating is considered. The table size, seat comfort, linens, stemware and silverware are important elements to be factored in. The restaurant's cleanliness (kitchen and bathrooms) are observed.

The menu along with the scope of selections and pricing are important. If there is a wine list, the selection and prices are reviewed. Service includes the grooming and presentation of the serving staff, the condition of their uniform or clothing, the attitude, efficiency and timing. The quality, quantity, presentation and temperature of the food is considered. Any special features such as entertainment are also taken into account.

Excellent
Very Good
Good
Fair
Poor

home | about us | advertise | subscribe