The Courier-Journal from Louisville, Kentucky • Page 35

r-r' r- r- -t't- rv-v -r THE COURIER-JOURNAL, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 1983 FARE COMMENT A trip to the House of Hunan always brings a hungry traveler first-rate food and service V-9 ey. What an Innovative use of protein these Chinese dream of! The House of Hunan offers soups from $1 for won-ton to a $3.75 special serving two. A large entree list of pork, beef, seafood and poultry is offered, ranging from $5.95 to $10.25. Each includes a bowl of rice. Many of the entrees are variations on a theme, such as sweet-and-sour pork, sweet-and-sour chicken, etc.

Having tried many of the entrees, I can safely say the lobster problem was an exception, and I'm willing to forgive. Dinner for two should run about $15 a person for a delightful trip through the provinces of China. House of Hunan, 916 Dupont Road. (502) 897-3600. Open 11:30 o.m.-lO p.m.

Monday-Thursday, 11:30 o.m.-ll p.m. Friday and Saturday, and noon-10 p.m. Sunday. Reservations accepted. Major credit cards accepted.

Restrooms are inaccessible to the handicapped. Our entree selections were a smoked duck ($8.50) and lobster in brown sauce Both were served with white rice. The duck was smoked in tea leaves and wood, then deep fried. It's a very rich dish with crisp skin, little fat and no sauce. But beware, there are little bones you must contend with while eating it.

Unfortunately, the lobster was as dry and disappointing as the duck was moist and exciting. The chopped lobster pieces still in the shell were heaped upon a sea of black beans and mushrooms In a brown egg sauce. I expect the lobster tail had been frozen too long. One slap on the chefs wrist with a chopstick for serving it, and two on mine for not sending it back, for this is the first disappointment I've experienced at Hunan, and that includes at least 30 meals. From appetizers to dessert, all the food is attractively and imaginatively garnished.

For a finale we had store-bought almond cookies (two for 25 cents), which were good, and a fried banana for $2.50. The banana was a puzzle until the very attentive waiter told us a red-bean paste flavored with sugar and a dash of cinnamon was part of this delight, which was dipped into a batter, deep-fried and served with hon- of line in price was a $3 glass of sake, which seemed the choice most indigenous to the food at hand. Beer is available for $1.25 to $1.75. House of Hunan lists a dozen appetizers ranging from spring rolls (elsewhere known as egg rolls) at $1 each to several items at $3.75. There is good variety on the list, with pork, beef, duck, chicken, seafood and vegetarian appetizers represented.

We chose the spring rolls, barbecued ribs ($3.75) and hacked chicken The spring rolls were crisp, filled with more vegetables than seafood, and served with two sauces a hot and tangy mustard sauce and a sweet sauce. Four barbecued ribs were nicely smoked, a bit greasy, but tasty. The hacked chicken is shredded, served cold, with loads of green onions, plenty of garlic and a sauce that is not seasoned as hot as others that are marked hot It was a real hit with my guest. Admission $3.00 WITH DISCOUNT COUPON $2.00 VEGAS IN LOUISVILLE! LINGERIE FASHION SHOW and LUNCH MONDAY thru FRIDAY 11-3 "JVoir 'on Can Look Forward To Eating Also for your Evening Entertainment We Are Now Featuring an Exciting MALE fc FEMALE REVIEW, LIVE ON STAGE designed to please both singles couples. The LITTLE BIT OF TEXAS Restaurant Lounge 927 S.

2nd St. (Downtown) San Antonio Inn khf DOOR PRIZE'S COUPONS CELEBRITIES NUTRION INFO ENTERTAINMENT FOOD SAMPLES fax it TAPE SALE RENTAL UNITS $59.00 EA. 5 MISS By JACK ROBY Csurltr-Journal Rtttaurant Critic Would you ever insist on routine scheduling of dentist's and physician's appointments at 1 p.m. because the offices are located close to a favorite restaurant? I do, and with good reason. After being poked on, drilled on, and weighed on scales where the numbers differ significantly from mine (and my scales are not calibrated in metric, thank you), I believe a little self-indulgence is a Just reward.

My self-awarded bonus luncheon is at the House of Hunan in the Du-pont Square area. Changing daily, a luncheon special for $2.95 includes a soup, an entree, fried rice and hot tea. Who could be anything other than happy when the food is served at one of the best local Chinese restaurants? You will leave with a smile almost as wide as the Yangtze River. Among my noon favorites are cashew chicken and Szechwan beef. Usually I ask for the hot-and-sour soup, which is a chicken broth thickened with cornstarch and laden with vegetables and bean curd.

It is hot both in heat and seasoning, but not offensively so. Always at Hunan, food is served promptly and hot with heat. For another type of heat a red star by an item means this is "hot" with pepper or sesame oil, and they will gladly lower the "hot" content of the dish, if requested. Twenty-five years ago there were only a few Chinese restaurants locally. Recently they seem to have sprung up like mushrooms.

House of Hunan has been open under a few different owners, and fortunately the food has been consistently good since it opened a few years ago. Uniformly polite and prompt service by the staff has always been a part of my many Hunan trips. I expect the House of Hunan holds the record for continuous occupancy of the building, for the previous restaurants had such short, and justifiably so, life spans. The present restaurant reaffirms my feeling that good food at fair prices will attract people. At a recent dinner a friend and I took a Louisville version of the Orient Express, replacing several European countries with some of the better known Chinese provinces.

Typical alcoholic beverages are served, but the emphasis is on more exotic drinks, mostly sweet, and priced about $2.95. A short and moderately priced wine list ($8 to $20) has about 15 wines, nothing too exciting, but then the Chinese don't drink too much grape wine with their meals. The only item that appeared out mmtmmmmammmmm PLUS 1001 EXOTIC NIGHTS XXX COLOR OLD mWE CRESCEPIT 1 1 2862 Frankfort Ave. 895-1689 Reg. Light Senor Reyes You've Tried The Rest, NOW TRY THE BESTI Our Weekend Special Senor Chimichanga Dinner Deep fried flour Tortilla stuffed with Special Seasoned Shredded Beef, Topped with our Special Gravy and Sour ZD Topping, Rice Beans.

Tr FIESTA DAYS SUNDAY-WEDNESDAY Jumbo Margarita's $10 ASK US ABOUT OUR EARLY WEEK Happy Hours Av a SPEGAL Monday-Wednesday 4-6 P.M. I Apptliur Senor Reyes 1961 Brownsboro Road 895-0528 4pm-1 1pm; Fri. 4pm-12pm Sat. 4pm-12pm; Sun. 4pm-10pm i I tl if I 241 2 02.

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