My friend Joe invited me out to Lunch so we met up ready to go to Silver Star but right across the street is Jin Jin Restaurant which I have heard good things about so we decided to try it out.
Jin Jin is quite an acceptable Dining experience but we did have a little reservation here and there. The wait staff made sure to get our orders right but we were asked twice and the main Dishes arrived a few minutes too early as we were finishing the appetizer section, no big deal so lets get onto the Food.
Pictured above is the Condiments corner and of this I was most impressed, most places have Soy Sauce and maybe Salt & Pepper (I have never used Salt or Pepper on Chinese Food, I suppose someone does) but Jin Jin offered the currently Hugely popular Sriracha Sauce (I first saw this in Chinatown back in the 80s so it is nothing new) along with the mandatory Soy Sauce but also enough Chili Oil to paralyze a moose and to my wonderment a large squeeze bottle of Oyster Sauce which turned out to be Hoisin Sauce, no complaints there.
There was no Lunch Special on offer so we made sure to order two "small" Soups, a Wonton for Joe and a Hot & Sour for me ($ 1.75). It was the proper Wonton wrapped in thin Noodle with Bok Choy and the Hot & Sour to me defeated Silver Star in some ways yet was improper, it did have the correct Peppery taste but lacked in Egg Drop or Tofu which are the two ingredients I just deal with yet they do belong insofar as I know, also at Silver Star you will get a piece or two of Shredded Pork and a Black Mushroom amongst the ingredients, still this was Really Tasty.
The Crispy Soup Noodles were of the pedestrian kind and you will find no "unusually long and contorted"* shaped ones here, the House Mustard and Duck Sauce were Excellent.
Exhibit A - The Egg Roll.
I cannot pass judgement on these as I was pacing myself and did not have a taste until sixteen hours later but my bandmate was neither impressed nor disappointed so I guess they were just OK, Silver Star wins this round.
Joe did have Roast Duck and Roast Pork over Rice (no existing photo) ($ 5.50) which consisted of Roast Duck and Roast Pork Over Rice except nothing was Over Rice. Served in a largish bowl this was served round robin fashion or everything next to each other, my experience is and oval dish with the Meats, etc. served OVER THE RICE, hence the name of the dish, OK no biggie. The Duck was heated to Joe's minor dismay as it should be served pretty much room temperature but the bowl did also have a nice portion of Bok Choy included.
When In Doubt,.... Pan Fried Noodles !!! One of my Favorite Dishes ($ 8.25)
The Menu choices were Chicken, Vegetables, Ribs or Beef over Pan Fried Noodles so I special ordered Roast Pork and after some slight confusion from the waitress she got my order right, the Roast Pork was not fatty at all which is how authentic Chinese Roast Pork is often prepared and of this I was grateful. Maybe a little more Gravy/Sauce could have been administered as we never got all of the Noodles to completely de-crisp but all in all Very Good.
However 86 Noodles and Mee Noodle Shop do a Superior version, on a positive note this did not come with Baby Corn of which I am not a fan of. Topped with American Broccoli, a Snow Pea Pod, Squash, Carrots, Water Chestnuts and Straw Mushrooms (the penis Mushroom of world cuisine) as well as the Roast Pork of course.
Chinese Food remains to be quite inexpensive to this day and what with all the competition on 18th shall probably remain so.
Jin Jin Exterior.
* - Thanks Frank, Only Silver Star has those.
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