Sherman Williams should make a new paint color called Rochester Grey. Oppressive weather sometimes makes us hungry and this was the color of the sky yesterday afternoon when My Beloved and I decided we needed to brighten things up a bit with a random late lunch date. Since we'd been watching the films of Jia Zhanke lately, we were in the mood for Chinese so we headed out toward Manting House, which we'd read good things about somewhere online (starts with a Y...) but had never been. From Greece (NY, where we also live), it's easy to locate with plenty of free parking, already a plus. 3-3:30 on a dreary Saturday afternoon and the place was UN-packed with only 2 other sets of diners in the (Manting) House. Upon entering, the energy was calm and relaxed and the interior was gorgeous, with the warm lights down low but not too low, just enough to highlight the pops of color and gleam we so desperately needed. Two large glowing koi lanterns hovered gracefully over the spacious dining area. This was an environment of whimsical upscale ambience and casual elegance where intimacy could be had for a quiet romantic evening or I suspect, later in the evening, a gently raucous dinner gathering of friends. The hostess asked us whether we wanted a table or a booth? We chose a booth. Clean and comfortable. Then we were handed a well-illustrated folder menu as well as an iPad to peruse and place our order directly to the kitchen. The menu is extensive and slightly overwhelming with all the delicious looking and sounding choices but we managed. Here's what we ordered: 1. Braised Pork Belly with Abalone 2. Black Truffle Beef Fried Rice 3. Smoked Duck with Cinnamon & Tea 4. Ants Climbing a Tree (Glass Noodles with Finely Ground Pork) 5. 2 Fried Chive Dumplings 6. Hot Jasmine Tea I will not go on at length about each dish except to say that we loved every generous portion we were graciously served and had plenty of leftovers, which was part of The Plan. But let me offer a few spot standouts: The Braised Pork Belly with Abalone was absolutely delicious: braised cubes of pork belly served in a deep sienna rich and flavorful sauce. As the name implies, the gently braised pork outnumbers the abalone chunks 5 to 1 but that's not a complaint. There are also little green stalks of bok choy lurking about in the sauce. This dish is best eaten with rice, of course, and the subtle flavor of the Black Truffle Beef Fried Rice seemed to be a good match--a gentle tug-of-war between flavors. Lots of texture and nuance in each bite. The Smoked Duck with Cinnamon & Tea tasted like its name suggests it would taste, meaning excellent. Subtly sweet one second then salty and smoky the next. Succulent, tender, a little crispy 'round the edges--perfection! We were surprised that the Fried Chive Dumplings were served without any dipping sauce so I couldn't resist dunking my steaming, torn portion into the velvety Pork Belly sauce--that did the trick. MY Beloved thought the hot, jasmine tea served with our meal was of exceptional quality, fragrance and taste-wise. Next time you're in the mood for Asian Fusion food that's bright, flavorful and spicy enough to burn away any lingering winter blues, head to Manting House. You will NOT be disappointed. And like us, you WILL return to further sample the exquisite and sumptuous offerings of their great & plentiful menu. Special shout out to our server, Lu, whose lovely tableside presence and patter added another layer of warmth and authenticity to our exquisite Manting House dining experience. read more