(reviewed on March 25, 2001)

Actually, you can sit down and eat at Jade if you want to, but it's a small place with only 3 tables, and the strangers you'll be sitting next to don't want to look at you either.

Jade is one of those small takeout restaurants that have proliferated in droves in the past few years.  But with Jade there is a significant difference that sets it apart -- they have some of the best Chinese food on Long Island.

Just about dish at Jade is worth trying, according to your taste in Chinese cuisine.  The Lunch Specials (served from 11 am to 3 pm), all priced at $4.50 come with Fried Rice or Vegetable Fried Rice (of course, they'll substitute white rice if you prefer) and a choice of either Soup, an Egg Roll or Soda.   There are 30 Lunch Specials that run the gamut of everyone's favorite Chinese dishes from Chicken or Shrimp Chow Mein for traditionalists, to General Tso's Chicken, Spare Ribs, Lo Mein, Orange Chicken, Hunan Chicken, Shrimp with Snow Peas, and loads more. One particularly noteworthy lunch dish that we don't see elsewhere on the menu is worth trying more than twice if you like seafood -- Sliced Fish with Hot Garlic Sauce, which includes slices of fresh Whiting in a garlicky hot and spicy sauce (of course, they'll make it mild if you ask) with Chinese vegetables featuring small, black tree-ears. 

After Lunch, the Combination Plates are an excellent choice at $6.50 and they include Fried Rice, an Egg Roll and Soup or Soda.   Portions are generous and if you're not big eaters, one combination plate is enough for 2 people.  Everything is good.  Traditionalists will enjoy the Pepper Steak with Onions, the Moo Goo Gai Pan, Shrimp with Lobster Sauce or the Bar BQ or Boneless Spare Ribs.   For fans of hot and spicy there's Curry Chicken or Beef , Shrimp in Hot Chili Sauce, Kung Po Chicken, and Chicken or Pork with Hot Garlic Sauce to name just a few out of 29 combinations in all.  Don't worry about ordering a Shrimp dish -- at Jade you won't get 3 or 4 tiny shrimps with a watery sauce -- combinations come with 6 to 8 large shrimp that always taste fresh, lots of vegetables and superb sauces.

Appetizers at Jade are a welcome accompaniment to any meal, especially the dumplings of which there are several varieties. A serving of Fried or Steamed Dumplings include 6 large pork dumplings. Vegetable Dumplings contain several varieties of finely minced Chinese vegetables nicely seasoned with ginger. Seafood Dumplings, Szechuan Dumplings (spicy), and Beef Dumplings are smaller, but you get 8 or 9 per order.  All Dumplings can be had fried or steamed and they are all accompanied by a fragrant dumpling sauce.  If you like fried food, look on the appetizer menu for Fried Jumbo Shrimp (you get 5 and they are huge), Fried Chicken Wings, French Fries, Fried Wontons (hard and crispy), Shrimp Toast and Scallion Pancakes.

Main dishes are really special and, of course, they give you very large portions.  Among the particularly noteworthy are Singapore Noodles.  The Noodles are of the Mei Fun variety.  If you're not familiar with Mei Fun, these noodles are very, very thin -- thinner than Angel Hair.  Singapore (or the House Special) Mei Fun has a hot and spicy curry flavor and is loaded with vegetables like green peppers, mushrooms and pods.  Also mixed in are small pieces of Shrimp, Chicken and Pork.  It is a delightful meal in itself, enough for 2 unless you're a very big eater, all for $6.50.  Chicken with Eggplants in Garlic Sauce is also available in the Lunch Menu and Combination Plates as well as a la carte.  Small Chinese Eggplants are sautéed until they are tender and mixed in with large slices of white meat chicken, all in a hot and spicy garlic sauce.  

The rest of the review when I finish writing it! -- L.E. Whipsnade