Lao Ching Hing

From triumphs like the 2008 Olympics to atrocities like Tiananmen Square, Beijing is often the face of China shown to the world. Although Beijing is China’s capital, it is not its largest city. That distinction belongs to Shanghai, a city that many outside of China still view in terms of opium den stereotypes. The real Shanghai of the 21st Century is actually the world’s largest port with a burgeoning skyline containing some of the world’s tallest buildings.

With Shanghai being such an influential city in world commerce, it’s amazing that the region’s culinary traditions are so underrepresented locally. Most Chinese restaurants in the area offer a hybrid of Cantonese dishes, representing Hong Kong and surrounding region, and American Chinese dishes. The former is in many ways a minimalist cuisine emphasizing simple preparations of fresh ingredients; the latter is what we all know in terms of chow mein, chop suey, and sweet-and-sour this-and-that.

Lao Ching Hing stands out among Phoenix Chinese restaurants by specializing in Shanghainese food, a somewhat different approach relying more on smoked, pickled, and cold dishes than more familiar types of Chinese cooking. The restaurant is located within the COFCO Chinese Cultural Center, just under half a mile north of the 44th St. / Washington station, and is easy to overlook since it is dwarfed by high-profile tenants Super L Ranch Market and Golden Buddha. Its regional emphasis, however, makes it worth seeking out.

Lao Ching Hing looks pretty typical at first. There are dark wood furnishings and a large circular table ideal for big groups sharing dishes. A flat-panel television shows the latest news from CCTV. The standard menu offers a lot of familiar specialties found at Chinese restaurants all over America. Look a little closer, though, and some interesting flourishes appear. Even the lunch specials, all of them paired with an egg roll, soup, and rice, include some interesting choices, among them fish fillet in hot sauce and eggplant in garlic sauce (center photo below).

As with so many Chinese restaurants, the real magic is found on the secret Chinese menu, a long list of special dishes thought to be too authentic for customers not of Chinese heritage. The menu is printed only in Chinese and is therefore normally inaccessible to other diners with a sense of adventure. Fortunately, Helen Yung, a local aficionado of authentic Chinese cooking and co-owner of the brilliant Sweet Republic ice cream shop in Scottsdale, has provided a rough translation of the menu. Consider it the secret decoder ring for discovering the hidden bounty of Lao Ching Hing's kitchen. Print it out, bring it along, and eat like a pro.

The hidden menu of Shanghainese food offers all the same categories typical on Chinese menus: soups, appetizers, seafood, meat, and vegetables. What populates these categories, however, is different from the norm. Many of the appetizers are served cold. Sliced cucumber in garlic sauce is flavorful but not too out there for first-timers. Jellyfish, on the other hand, introduces a crunchy and chewy texture most diners don’t expect in their seafood. Tripe does the same in the meat department. Smoked fish (right photo below) is probably the most challenging appetizer, however, because the dark pieces of fish, often fried rather than actually smoked, are served bone-in. Back in less intimidating territory, a seasonal dish of chopped greens and small pieces of tofu resembles a Shanghai version of tabouleh.

The main dishes are equally varied and impressive. Minced fish with pine nuts is an unexpectedly mild dish with small chunks of white fish mixed with vegetables and crunchy pignons. “Ants Climbing a Tree” combines bean thread noodles with ground meat and dark sauce. The Peking spare ribs are coated in an assertive sauce reminiscent of balsamic vinegar.

Even the vegetable dishes are interesting. Shredded potato with chilies is not as spicy as its name would suggest, but has a nice firm texture that comes from quick cooking of fine slivers of potato, not an ingredient often associated with Chinese cuisine. Noodles, soups, and dim sum dishes are also represented, with a green onion pancake providing a filling option that recalls a similar dish common in Korean restaurants. The rice cakes dish is also worth checking out; these are not the drab diet food normally implied by the phrase "rice cake," but instead a sort of chow fun made with noodles that are ellipses rather than ribbons.

With all this intrigue of the menu, it’s fortunate that the staff of Lao Ching Hing are welcoming and happy to answer questions about their food. As with most Chinese restaurants, there isn’t a dessert menu, and beverages are limited to sodas, beer, wine, and tea. This is not a place to ask for exotic cocktails. With high chairs available, Lao Ching Hing is fine for kids with a sense of adventure. In fact, children may get a little thrill knowing that Mom and Dad are ordering from a "secret menu." The restaurant's hours are not a secret, however. Lao Ching Hing is open every day from 11:00 AM until 9:30 PM.

668 N. 44th St., Suite 112, Phoenix, AZ, 85008
(602) 286-6168

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