My brother and I have been on a Chinese 'Dive' Tour for the past year. We pre-selected several local restaurants we felt qualified as 'dives', however we use the term in an endearing fashion. I have a strong admiration for the classic, never-been-updated Chinese restaurants that maintain their vintage charm with brightly colored vinyl booths, wildly-patterned carpets spilling paisley across the floor, and floral accented wallpaper. Wu Loon Ming made our list and certainly lived up to its 'dive' status.
I felt some disappointment after much anticipation had stirred while approaching the double glass doors of the front entry. I wanted vinyl and paisley. I hoped for a large aquarium full of gigantic fish or dragons on the walls. Instead we walked into a low key dining area, that did however, show its age circa 1982 with brown and green tones, medium wood trim, faux bamboo accents, and dark floral carpeting. Ferns hung from a huge skylight perched directly over our table. I prefer a dimly lit dining room, especially when out for Chinese, and was not thrilled that our table was completely flooded by natural light. It seems a couple of tables in the rather small and otherwise window-less dining room share this unfortunate positioning so plan accordingly when dining during the day. Unless you are not a fellow vampire.
The paper placemats boast the token bald, shirtless, and chubby cartoon representation of Buddha. A subtle reminder of what too many Pu Pu platters will do to you. The background music was interesting as there was some sort of cheesy pop song I struggled to remember the name of, but suddenly realized the classic works of Mozart had taken its place.
Our waiter was very friendly and attentive. He left us with a basket of awkwardly stacked rolls straight out of a plastic bag with butter packets hiding beneath. We tend to order the classic appetizers while 'dive touring' and decided on a Pu Pu Platter for two, which covered four, fried rice, egg foo young, and an order of chicken fingers. We noticed chicken fingers did not come on the platter, which seemed a bit unusual. The food arrived quickly and of course we were happy to see the platter had the flaming middle. Everything was a bit bland, except for the chicken fingers, which were surprisingly very good. The menu is large with your typical Chinese fare, including special Szechuan and Thai sections, so perhaps there is something for everyone. We ate well, however, as Chinese food always seems to please no matter it's quality.
As we ate, the sounds of laughter and loud voices drifted out from the bar across the hall. We saw people sporadically spill from the bar to purchase Keno tickets at the front counter. I'm sure this place is kept alive and well by a dedicated group of regulars. I've granted only two stars today. The 'dive tour' thus far has proven it's possible for a restaurant's dated atmosphere to still retain its classic charm when done correctly. Wu Loon Ming delivers the dated feel minus the charm and gives the impression the restaurant is 'tired'. The food was not decent enough to lure us back again, so this is a one and done. Although I may be back for those chicken fingers! read more