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Love Me Tender

China Noodle
4433 Kingston Pike (Western Plaza)
766-0188

by Ally Carte

The King is dead. Long live the King!

No, not Elvis—even though we are darn close to what would have been his 66th birthday. I speak of one Mr. Les DuLunch. While not dead in the strictest sense (to be honest, he's alive and well and can often be seen downtown), his two-year tenure as chief food critic at MP has come to a close. Like Ms. Bonnie Appetit before him, he has moved on to greener pastures and shall be dearly missed.

But back to Elvis, to whom Les only bears a passing resemblance. Elvis, I imagine, would be a big fan of the modern-day Knoxville tradition of the Chinese food buffet, where every other item is robed in a breading and deep-fried. Not to knock this staple of casual dining—and I, personally, have eaten my weight in those puffy, powdered-sugar-covered, devilishly-addictive, beignet-like things—but fresher Asian-style food can be found and is, thankfully, just as comforting and less likely to cause a coronary.

Somehow, in Mr. DuLunch's perambulations through the Knoxville's culinary scene, Western Plaza's China Noodle was overlooked. This purveyor of Kung Po has been thriving for over a year now, despite its proximity to one of the most cursed restaurant locations in the city, which last housed the Blackhorse Pub and Brewery. Recently, the Noodle has undergone something of a spruce-up, adding some new offerings and decor to its already solid line-up of good, inexpensive pan-Asian offerings.

The simple-yet-effective interior of China Noodle sets the stage for the meal to come. While nothing is flashy, each element—from a well-crafted lacquered wood gate in the entryway to a Martha Stewart-esque display of rectangular, noodle-filled glass canisters—adds to the cozy and somehow vaguely metropolitan feeling of the restaurant. The trick, however, is to keep yourself from leaping up to rub the Buddha's belly.

It's doubly difficult after experiencing the yumminess that is the steamed dumplings ($4.95). These pork-stuffed morsels, which are served on a bed of refreshingly crisp iceberg lettuce, beg to be dipped in the soy-based and undeniably tangy sauce, then stuffed in one's waiting mouth, where the dumpling's toothsome texture can be thoroughly enjoyed. It's a perfect treat for most any day, but especially welcome on a cold, drizzly post-Christmas evening.

Some of the other appetizers don't fare quite as well. Both the veggie ($1.20) and traditional ($1.20) egg rolls are perfectly adequate offerings as is the crab Rangoon ($3.75), which consists of some kind of cream cheese substance mixed with a vaguely crabby protein that has been wrapped in a wonton skin and deep fried. Again, not bad, just not quite as wonderful as the dumplings.

China Noodle's soups are also impressive and soul-warming on a winter's day. The wonton ($1.50) demonstrates a near-perfect ratio of broth, green onion, and stuffed morsels. The egg drop ($1.50) is also a fine example of the form and a far cry from the gelatinous mass often found passing itself off as soup in some Chinese restaurants. The Noodle Bowls are a fine choice as well, filled to the brim with the delightful wonton broth, which is poured over rice, vermicelli, or egg noodles and your choice of meat ingredient, running the gamut from fish balls ($6.50) to chicken ($5.95).

Likewise a treat are the more traditional Chinese stand-bys, like a wonderful version of the standard moo shu (cabbage, mushrooms and scallions wrapped in hoisin-sauce slathered rice pancakes for $7.95) to the happy family (almost every kind of meat and veggie stir-fried in a brown oyster sauce for $13.95) to old-standbys like sweet and sour chicken ($6.95).

Where the China Noodle falters a bit is with their non-Chinese offerings. The tom yum soup ($2.75) is a Thai staple that lacks depth and is overwhelmed by too much lemon grass, which leaves the soup smelling and tasting like an accident in the Lemon Pledge factory. Also, the pud Thai ($7.50), a mix of noodles, bean sprouts, egg, green onion, and ground peanuts, lacks flavor. A similar complaint can be lofted at the Noodle's "hot" offerings. While this spot does cater to a family crowd—and is quite kid-friendly without being over-bearing—it would be nice to have the spicy dishes pack some real firepower. If you order it, you should be able to enjoy it.

Still, China Noodle is the perfect place to visit when you want to dive into a dish that is good, balanced, and basic. The King would have loved it.
 

January 11, 2001 * Vol. 11, No. 2
© 2001 Metro Pulse