We had supper here, tonight, a Friday night at 7:30 p.m. We got a table immediately, in fact it was sparsely populated which was a surprise. I THINK they stay open late, and are busier as the night goes on.

Our last visit was in 2005, after Hurricane Katrina when it was one of the few places open in the area; we had a table of eight with small children that night, so they left us sitting for almost two hours before seating us. Tonight there was no such trouble. The menu in 2005 was a bit more Pan-Asian and adventurous than what I saw tonight.

There was a Pad Thai on the menu tonight, a grouper menieure, and a couple other interesting things, but the rest was typically popular Chinese dishes. We started with an egg roll, which came out hot and crisp with a bit of a more crunchy and lighter wrap than most places.

Wife got the hot and sour soup which she thoroughly enjoyed. They have a couple soups you don't see at other places including a corn egg drop soup, chicken fire pot soup, among them.

My appetizer was a wok-fried calamari which came out with a lovely batter and served over a wonderful mixed-bitter greens salad with a spicy mustard dressing. It was as much a calamari salad as an appetizer. Very satisfying blend of flavors and textures.

Wife got the General Tso's Chicken, a favorite of hers. This was a flavorful yet restrained version, it was not cloyingly sweet in any way. In fact, there was a tartness to it which was refreshingly different. While it sounds like a cliché dish, now, this was a bit more sophisticated and pleasing.

My entrée was shrimp in garlic sauce. I've had this other places as well, but this iteration was full of water chestnuts, pea pods, WHOLE TOES OF GARLIC and a good number of shrimp, at least a dozen. Again, the sauce and blend of ingredients was more refined than other, cheaper places. I guess, sometimes, you do indeed get what you pay to get.

The restaurant is clean, kind of hip with its trendy furnishings and lighting. There aren't any overdone dragon lanterns or what have you, which can be taken any number of ways. It won't be seven years for our return visit.

I'd love to see the lamb dish back on the menu, though.