Chinese Cuisine Thrives in the Capital City

Capital city Chinese food fanatics are fortunate-so little time, so many restaurants featuring Far Eastern cuisine. Among them, the House of Ing, the Golden Wok and Gourmet Village all fill unique market niches.

For traditional Cantonese; some spicy Szechuan; and a new line of Hong Kong-influenced,

gourmet dishes, consider the House of Ing at 4113 S. Cedar St. Established in 1968, this Far Eastern eatery is tastefully decorated with muted green walls, black booths, and small bursts of red and gold Oriental decorations. Ing's current co-owner Napoleon Ching acquired Ing with his sister Tina Ching in 1987 after working there as everything from a bus boy to a bartender. His wife, Tammy, "my wonderful help," is general manager.

Napoleon's journey to Lansing began in mainland China, where he was raised. He then escaped to Hong Kong to be trained in the restaurant trade. After three years of intensive instruction, he acquired an American sponsor and headed for the United States. About his success with Ing; the Yat Wah, which he also owns; and his expanding string of INGcreclible express outlets, Napoleon said, "This is the American dream, but it takes hard work."

The American dream also lives in a strip mall at 6443 S. Cedar St., at the Golden wak, where co-owners Ginny and Denny Cheung serve Chinese food from two different menusone for the average customer and one for the connoisseur of authentic Asian cuisine. The clean, cozy location, with its muted mauve and blue decor and open kitchen, has a unique feature that differentiates it from other strip-mall restaurants: The entranceway wall is covered with Chinese-language dinner specials. "This is how they do it in Chinatown," Ginny explained.

The Cheungs, who met and married in Detroit, have been in business together for 15 years, having operated a popular Adrian restaurant before settling here in 1990. The son of a cook, Denny has rocked a wok since he was 16. Two new Golden Woks will open next year, one in Haslett and another in East Lansing, to bring the Cheungs' food closer to their MSU fans.

In East Lansing, in the Hannah Plaza, is the Chinese restaurant Gourmet Village. To walk into Gourmet Village is to be transported into a world of Oriental elegance. The pole yellow, enamel-inlaid tables depicting Chinese scenes set in dark, polished wooden furniture frames were special-ordered in New York. The medium green carpeting with a white and pink For Eastern floral pattern coordinates with the tabletop art. The piece cle resistance, however, is a blown-glass wall behind the bar that is a colorful rendering of koi fish in a flowering lily pond. This wall, also custom-made in New York, harmonizes with the decor for a stunning effect.

Gourmet Village is owned by the Taiwanese Mai Chiang family, with Larry Chiang as the manager. Chiang family nieces Lisa Yang and Meng Taur work at the restaurant.

Gourmet Village specializes in Szechuan cuisine. There are four other Gourmet Village locations in Michigan and Ohio. The Chiang family initially started to build a restaurant business in Massachusetts, Lisa said, but moved here because, "Michigan is a nice state, and MSU is here with lots of different people from different places."

Back at the House of Ing, Napoleon Ching displays digital snapshots of his new, upscale gourmet menu offerings. "This is more like what you would get in Hong Kong," he said, gesturing toward a picture of steamed sea bass, something healthier, more Western-influenced. More people are traveling, coming back and wanting more sophisticated dishes like this."

When asked what makes his restaurant different than others, Napoleon does not hesitate: "Our food! We do not cut corners. Everything is from scratch, and we buy only the best, freshest ingredients."

At the Golden Wok, Ginny Cheung highlights the authentic Chinese menu, which keeps her largely Asian clientele coming back. On the table are samples of exotic vegetables used in the dishes: garlic stem, Chinese eggplant, bitter melon, yu choy, and Chinese broccoli. A sampling of these delicacies provides edible proof of Cheung's culinary prowess, backing their claim that their authentic Chinese dishes set them apart from other area restaurants.

As for Gourmet Village, which has been open for eight years, Lisa says its sauces are its special feature. While most Chinese restaurants only use five basic sauces and mix them to achieve their full palate of menu flavors, patriarch Mai Chiang is a sous chef extraordinaire, having invented 10 sauces that can be mixed to make 15 to 20 different tastes. This gives the Gourmet Village menu infinite variety.

Chinese buffet aficionados will be interested in the Golden Wok and House of Ing's weekday luncheon buffets, as well as Ing's Friday and Saturday night buffets. Gourmet Village offers weekday lunch specials, as well. So, capital city Chinese food lovers, take advantage of the city's Far Eastern fare - and don't forget the fortune cookie!