Mountain View: Mei Long

I'd long been curious about Mei Long, a relative newcomer of a restaurant within walking distance of my home.  On El Camino just east of Hwy. 85, in that sliver of Mountain View wedged between the defunct Emporium store and the Sunnyvale city limits, it occupies the former site of Sun-Sun, a moderately priced Chinese eatery which sat next door to the also-defunct Tin-Tin Oriental market.

I wasn't sure whether the place was open as I approached, the "Open" sign not being visible as I rounded the corner of the building next door.  I soon realized why: the place is dark, a welcome contrast to most Chinese restaurants, which in my experience tend to be too harshly lit to be truly relaxing. Must be a cultural thing, I guess.

Once inside, I was impressed by the ambience and decor -- much more upscale than Sun-Sun was.  The tables were covered with white tablecloths _sans_ protective sheets of hard plastic, and each table was equipped with a small decorative candle.  No soy sauce containers were in evidence.  A room divider, absent in the Sun-Sun days, discreetly spared the patrons a view of the traffic on El Camino.  A sparse scattering of expensive-looking pictures decorated the walls, and the soft strains of Dave Brubeck jazz could be heard.  This is one classy joint, I mused.

I was surprised when the hostess suddenly veered off-course as she led me to a table, apparently having second thoughts about where to seat me.  In a moment I understood why: she'd noticed that I was carrying a book, and she wanted to put me in the area where there was (almost) enough light to read by.  Very good!

The menu is a single-page affair, the comprehensive wine list rating a separate _faux_ parchment sheet of its own.  Appetizers are numerous, and all entrees save one were priced at $13.95 or $14.95.  The exception was a lobster dish at $18.95.  A bit more pricey than I'd anticipated, but not painfully so.  A recommended wine, priced by the bottle and by the glass, was listed underneath each entree, which I thought was a nice touch.  I opted for the Medallions Of Beef With Caramelized Onions In Black Pepper Sauce at $14.95, and the requisite bottle of Tsingtao beer.

The waiter, a refined gentleman attired in a black suit, dropped by my table at the 13-minute mark to assure me that my food was on its way. My dinner arrived soon therafter.  It was a sight to behold, a true work of art.  Three good-sized beef medallions -- pieces of steak, really -- were arranged 120 degrees apart, topped with slivers of red and yellow bell pepper.  Each piece of meat was separated from its neighbor with precisely six tiny snow-pea pods, all on a base of pepper sauce.  In the middle sat a trio of small potato pancakes.  I was almost reluctant to  destroy the creation by eating it.

But eat it I did, and it was excellent.  The beef was cooked medium- rare, and the sauce, while not spicy as I'd been led to believe by the star on the menu, was tasty without overwhelming the flavor of the meat.  The heretofore-obligatory bottle of Kikkoman soy sauce wasn't missed.  And there was enough food that a side order of rice was unnecessary.

The verdict?  Well, based on the one dish I tried, I'd go back in a heartbeat.  One thing that really impressed me was the quality of the service; the staff is genteel without being stuffy, attentive and friendly without being intrusive or phony.  In this era of shamefully declining standards of service, my experience here was a breath of fresh air.

Give this place a try, folks.  They deserve to succeed.

   Mei Long
   A Fine Chinese Cuisine
   867 E. El Camino Real
   Mountain View, CA 94040
   Tel.: (650) 961-4030
   Fax:  (650) 961-0563

Geoff