![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSu0aL-YVQRlg8Mih6cl5s5XQcbEIaKA29Qz7euzru-5re1BoEUUUsViaMZQYiov8ios4Kw3jMJxXBe90q0kz-vbaUtLiSYMb5MIqLwnp2bsYeNgGW1sVWyqIgjZKdv98ka3MMfnZZ8t8/s400/the_joy_luck_place.jpg)
I've heard a theory that says that the best Chinese restaurants are the dingy, hole-in-the-wall places that are dirty and run-down inside. The Joy Luck Place definitely goes against this theory as it offers great food in a clean, well-lit, spacious and classy setting.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyNRjuFGErWXnC65KR_4bw9RGnL4x6EObKEK4KZ0TALiTvX1G2hfl1M5epYd-MOwvuinY7RT0KoKVk-4Hp_DPMvU5OJmbFojQJu-ghLqZafrYtxVmJ6zfV-Te6bzx7_a_lmsbhhn0fgZQ/s400/interior.jpg)
While waiting for our orders to arrive we enjoyed some appetizer peanuts, which were quite tasty:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikfRW8sz7_wXA3qGjlM7cwpxI0tIWagol1x-J65ICybp5GrEGtvOOgD9IhxaOF-VUhbU88HDLmP_pkwhQu2Z6LnBAKyxwyB2hRZoqPjWMropwEXkLkuP6RN6z6VfxGuUUZg2HKcP2CUWc/s400/peanuts.jpg)
I checked out their fish tanks and found some fine-looking specimens:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGClF25I5JcoqDpMW2CZuYEYKMEidZgaaa2lZo5ClEThHqvVUSugLjGprJ68wdrEpU-yMz5FOqd6P0DCS17IJD8tJ7QJZYu_AYJgc1cJyJ_TdTUIh-BpUQsBFrrXES-QS7sA778ooaQFk/s400/lobster.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2k0wfhOBxweagngaDo6ic6UHKPPshS_LI6WSvdg2v0SRvozjWLYbLeHhoDXaZ2kTTUYsOtvel2apTnEEz0Zt_oxo_PicEG_gf4vZtvpghEtKYjVOJ5pXKtRH1Wsslp8YjXAwM8ZE9VsY/s400/crabs.jpg)
Soon our food arrived. We started off with braised scallop and vermicelli (thin rice noodles) soup. I greatly enjoyed its light, refreshing flavor:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLe6Bp7Gw6zNd5u49quSb1XCRNCcfd2WaU7QSd4gCipXvjpwfELEphoSYA10ed71ZV7bp9ge0-UpZbboDnWlnNogb-vM475FZC4lT1XXjfukyL21ka6dDNSC0NpFViCOF_VWG8fBVA-RY/s400/braised_scallop_soup.jpg)
Next came the sauteed snow pea shoots, which were fresh and crunchy:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnad7mbvmV6OBFiDecF1yv7O-FYfrdFBDNV9jxfLRtW9YoU_DcNIPjkqHPNiQPorozSis0btjlxrDVZgBtkI5z6WPiazWiNZCB25LuViV1BodDf02Kquo1zdcjx7ejwXXX6XaCtegk-_E/s400/snow_pea_shoots.jpg)
We had some crispy and delicious fried shrimp:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF87Lfj_pTGl3wsVS5U5taaCwICWvkcIpHphUxeYSop-eaeCVf2T8AJnhAWyX1yT_IJ_5APEoAspsBhM-msXXfFf3XA2By0iXFIB6xBs3xfsrtD_5ngwUlu8p40Rxhlp2OHDWw-8uVz0o/s400/fried_shrimp.jpg)
Our meal reached a climax with the absolutely gorgeous Peking roast duck, whose perfectly glazed, crispy, thin golden brown skin was a joy to bite into:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiujB8voaoPOZo4Chf9URSTvMBBtqz6ka6-88E1pXyzx-M9SmSVRa41bqf_hLXxIwMZ7JK2LZCiDmaX7g-EX1fIaLgXh2kLM5u_GPbReqf7TUi5QLgH1pPjoCqRZNppLsMaYZO-WBgE8iA/s400/peking_duck.jpg)
The duck came with some very soft and sweet buns, with which we made little Peking duck sandwiches:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwChhIaSKhN3I7gIHF_6fwPj4vV9qgRqpCzGBRpKxiYp8g_muYtn46fkditFswVZjdkQ3AGmGkTcw0RKCfoDn80OTE9o2oNszsDk_K_Puy13iZZkwQnEc_vSrU8NBqk879xyXSR6VlT6I/s400/buns.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga0QNK9OpywYE1KSjTCNFQa7G9iez_qkaP3Jwqwnk4bJka7tdkF_YPub5QdJPCv11A0I9oj9N6zuRszcBqpgxeWu7tJhqihG836k8QOYpjIRZ-MJ10zG4OgsjiAsLj6UwHYeq_yoqdrAg/s400/peking_duck_sandwich.jpg)
I can understand our friend's unreserved enthusiasm for this place. By the end of the meal we were converts too.
Amen ;-)
![Joy Luck Place on Urbanspoon](http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/85690/biglink.gif)