NNTP-Posting-Date: Tue, 05 Jan 1999 12:59:21 CDT Organization: FlashNet Communications, http://www.flash.net Xref: alexander.INS.CWRU.Edu austin.food:3765 Took the whole out-of-town family into Din Ho's for their set meal for eight. I'd heard good things about the restaurant from Asian friends, and had eaten the duck there one night, so I figured we were in for a treat. We arrived at 7:00 to a table that had been prearranged for 11 people (3 kids). So far, so good. 20 minutes later someone came to take our drink order, and I let them know we wanted the set meal. The waiter scrambled around for the set menu, and brought it over. It looked great, and so I ordered it. Was told that they were out of fish, and all the bar-b-q except for duck and chicken. I asked what they could substitute for the missing dishes, and ended up with the manager at the table, apparently the only one authorized to substitute. OK, so everything I wanted was authorized. Duck was very good Chicken was even better We tried to stay out of these until the soup came, but after waiting 1/2 hour and kids were getting antsy, we couldn't wait. Fish maw soup came, a little too mild. Better with the red vinegar, and soy. Then the rest of the dinner kept appearing. Plate after plate of stuff. None of the kids liked the meal, so we ordered them the sesame chicken (which they devoured, and it turned out to be the best plate of the dinner). Lobster in cream sauce. Lots, tasty lobster, clammy cream sauce with no flavor. Lamb hot pot. Good, too mild, better with rice as leftovers a few days later. Lamb was not too strong. Shrimp in garlic sauce (substituted for the missing fish). Not very flavorful, but not bad. The shrimp were plentiful and big. Mixed seafood happy plate (whatever) (substituted for the other missing fish), very good, as I love squid, octopus, scallops and green onions. Was spicy without overkill. However, salt haters would hate it. Dinner, extra dish, two beers each, gratuity (enforced 15%), just less than $200. I'd recommend getting not the set meal, but your own choice of a variety of meals, call ahead to get a table with the lazy susan, and share...would probably be less expensive. Next time I go, (and I'll be back), I'll look in the bar-b-q corner, and if there is no roast pork hanging there, I'll walk out and try another time. Michele
Austin, TX