Chan's

A Rhode Island institution that still has spice

by Jim Johnson

Chan's Fine Oriental Dining
267 Main Street, Woonsocket, Rhode Island
(401) 765-1900
Sun. 11:30 a.m.-10:30 p.m.
Mon.-Wed. 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m.
Thurs. 11:30 a.m.-10:30 p.m.
Fri.-Sat. 11:30 -12:30 a.m.
Full bar
Major credit cards
Handicap accessible

If you like Chinese food and jazz, make the short excursion south to Woonsocket to Chan's Fine Oriental Dining. "Egg Roll and Jazz Live at Chan's" has become an institution for Rhode Islanders and the many who venture down from Worcester; and the headliners, albeit not all pure jazz, are as much an attraction as the char shue ding is. Coming up soon, for example: Livingston Taylor on April 18, Ken Lyon and the Outriggers (great folk/blues) on April 24, and Scott Hamilton and Dave McKenna on May 22 and 23. Although I'm a native Rhode Islander, a recent visit to Chan's was my first. I'm sorry I waited so long. The menu was extensive and imaginative (choices like chop suey and chow mein for the meek, but plenty of Szechuan and kung pao options for the bold), the service was friendly and fast, and the setting -- despite a bland, factory-like exterior -- was lush with its Asian overtones.

Sunday nights always meant Chinese food -- and plenty of it -- when I was growing up. It was a Sunday night, and three family members were with me, so this seemed the perfect opportunity to regress and overindulge.

Within minutes of arriving, we started on our attack. First up: beef teriyaki ($6.25) seemingly marinated forever with just the right balance of salty soy, sweet honey, and perhaps even some cayenne tossed in for zest. They were the length and thickness of large pork ribs, crisp on the ridges, tender and moist inside.

The barbecued spare ribs ($6) were the length and thickness of large beef teriyaki -- actually about as meaty as I've had in recent years. The edges were slightly charred, adding some depth to the flavor.

In a token gesture toward health, we ordered the Peking ravioli ($5) steamed. They were huge and doughy with a pork-and-herb filling. The ginger soy sauce added just the right fragrance.

These appetizers were -- in name -- no different from similar offerings at other restaurants. The difference was the size and the quality. But we also delved into a selection not seen on most Asian menus: clams with black bean sauce ($6.50). These littlenecks were swimming in a rich, fragrant broth strewn with scallions. Each clam was tender and sweet. Each of these appetizers arrived straight from the kitchen -- with our server pacing them just right. She also paced the arrival of our main dishes, quickly clearing away plates, platters, debris, and detritus.

First on the scene was five-spice fish ($7.75), absolutely tender pieces of flaky scrod that had been dipped in egg batter and then sautéed with red and green peppers, scallions, and the traditional and always unusual five Chinese spices. One family member called it Chinese fish and chips without the chips. These were also without the grease and with more flavor than the British could ever imagine.

In another random gesture toward low-fat dining, we ordered oriental chicken ($7.75): chicken breast cooked in sherry wine with ginger, hot mustard, and what appeared to be apricots. For a low-fat dish, it packed plenty of flavor.

The cholesterol pendulum swung the other way with mandarin duck ($7.75) that was unfortunately both greasy and dried out. Billed as "sweet and pungent," it appeared to have been either (or both) steamed and marinated to death, the meat almost desiccated. The beef lo mein ($7) was fairly ordinary.

We spent a fortune. You can spend as little as $4.75 for a combination dinner -- for example, barbecued chicken wings, fried rice, and chow mein.

I've run out of things to say, so here's some filler, in the form of hot tips:

Hot tip from Providence: ask any Brown or RISD student where you can get the best Vietnamese food, and Apsara (1716 Public Street; 401-785-1490) will always be on the short list. And now they've cut down the lines by adding more seating. I've eaten at some of the finest Asian restaurants in the Northeast, and Apsara is the best -- not just for the authenticity and incredible variety but also for the value. I recently took seven friends to dinner there, where we gorged ourselves on favorites like goi cuon (shrimp, vermicelli, mint, and basil wrapped in moist rice paper) to rib tips in black bean sauce. I spent less than $80.

Hot tip from Boston: if you like Southern cooking, you must go to Bob the Chef's Restaurant (604 Columbus Avenue; 617-536-6204) in the South End. The Sunday brunch buffet is outrageous: thick slab bacon, collard greens, sweet potato, dirty rice, blackeye peas, fried chicken, and the best barbecue ribs I've ever eaten, and that's saying a lot. Add to this some pecan pie and live jazz, and you've got a primo dining experience. Tables fill quickly, but takeout is big, too.

Hot tip from Pomfret, Connecticut: in addition to its gourmet food and colonial setting, The Harvest (37 Putnam Road/Route 44; 860-928-0008) offers a range of special events, including wine dinner getaways, cooking schools, wine-tastings, wine dances, and "Japanese Nights with Chef Osaki."