Sunday, June 8, 2003

By Cody Kendall

The nourishing noodle soups at Ling Ling in Basking Ridge reflect the restaurant's many virtues - uncomplicated, bounteous, and pleasant.

Though you probably won't make any amazing culinary discoveries here, the standard dishes are well-produced, while patrons seeking a bit more adventure can find it in the specials. For the most part, the freshness of the ingredients tends to speak for itself, with no gimmicks to muck up the flavor. MSG is not used, and everything is prepared with canola oil, so fried foods are never greasy or heavy.

Ling Ling, which opened last fall, is the sister restaurant of Millburn's Ling Ling, a long- time fixture. The two ownership groups include some different partners, however, and Basking Ridge has its own management style, with an elegance that sets it apart from the majority of Chinese restaurants.

Xuel Du, chef in Millburn, also spends time in the Basking Ridge kitchen, which is manned full-time by Wai Lu. Du is from a region of China near Shanghai, and many of the dishes he makes are characterized by their attractive use of color. Lu was born in Szechuan, and that province's spicy specialties are clearly marked on the menu with a little green pepper as a warning, though we didn't encounter anything too fiery.

The accommodating manager, Walter Cheng, is quick to smooth the way for his guests and answer questions the servers can't handle. He presides over an attractive establishment with an open kitchen, where booths provide comfort and a bit of privacy. Green seat cushions match green napkins on the white tablecloths, with flowers and candles adding to the ambience, along with quiet Chinese music in the background.

The specials, nicely printed, often include dishes that would be considered banquet food in China. West Lake beef broth ($6.95), named after a scenic body of water in Zhejiang Province, was rich with chopped beef, ginger and cilantro. A nice addition came from a key ingredient, chopped winter melon, that differentiated this from other beef soups. Another special soup, seafood for two ($11.95) was swimming with peas, corn, shrimp and scallops, as well as that lovely winter melon, adding a brush stroke of sweetness to this delicate composition.

Chopped Szechuan dried bean sprouts ($10.95) gave asparagus a whole new, and more exotic, personality. Another winning vegetable combination involved celery and dried, shredded bean curd with red peppers,($4.50) dressed with sesame oil, an uncomplicated dish that would make calorie-counting fun.

A tour de force among the specials was "squirrel fish," ($18.95) whole fried boneless sea bass, its edges curled up, presented with a maraschino cherry in its mouth. The green pea-red bell pepper sweet-and-sour sauce added depth without camouflaging the essence of the fish, a delicate knack that is a trademark of Ling Ling.

We did have one disappointment. Maybe I missed some nuance in the sesame beef shreds ($5.45), but the meat reminded me of jerky. It was tough to chew and relatively tasteless, even though it looked alluring heaped on the platter. We preferred the hoison beef ($11.95) in a sweet and spicy Peking sauce with hints of garlic and chili, served over green beans for a mellow touch.

Though the specials are fun, the regular menu also offers plenty of choices, whether you want a snack or a banquet. Unless you really are bent on feasting, don't confuse the noodle soups with the appetizer soups. The former are a meal in themselves; the others are simply starters, though we've found the quantity of the soups for two could easily serve four.

The vegetable noodle soup ($7.95) is the lightest of those offered in a category that also includes beef ($7.95), chicken ($7.95) and shrimp ($7.95). The noodles, curled in their bowl, are punctuated with carrots, cabbage and mushrooms, though vegetarians should note this one is made with chicken broth. There were no culinary tricks or heavy-handed spices. This was just pure natural goodness, plain and simple. Among the appetizer soups, vegetarian wonton ($1.95) will be welcomed by those who don't want a meat broth.

Another good appetizer, the vegetable tofu skin roll ($6.50), consisted of mushrooms and tofu, marinated in brown sauce, wrapped in tofu skin. It's bland, as opposed to plain, but a dollop of soy sauce added the necessary salty contrast.

There's a whole section of "healthy selections," steamed, grilled and sautéed dishes ranging from $14.95 and under, but it's more fun to try house specialties. The duck ($16.95), for instance, is braised, and boneless, succulent and flavorful on a bed of vegetables. Velvet shrimp ($15.95) is sautéed with carrots, broccoli, Chinese mushrooms and cabbage, but a wine sauce is what delivers its spark.

Desserts in most Chinese restaurants aren't worth bothering with, and we didn't find anything on the roster of sorbets ($3.95 and $4.95) served in fruit shells, a concept we see all too often; tiramisu ($4.50), and various ice creams that intrigued us.

We were happy to continue savoring the meal we had just finished, standing on its own in the natural goodness of its ingredients, unmasked by heavy sauces. Nearly everyone has their favorite neighborhood Chinese restaurant for everyday dining or takeout, but on the occasions when you want something extra in the way of atmosphere and service, Ling Ling is just the ticket.