A Tale of Two Takeouts

The Grumpy Diner had a cold recently and was convinced that only regular doses of wonton soup could cure him.

We're in the market for a new favorite Chinese takeout place, since Aberdeen is pricey, we're tired of David King, Hito has closed and Hunan Village II is now known as "that place with the awful food." In the interest of good health, we tried two new places.

On day one of the wonton soup-cure mission, we picked up lunch at Haiku in White Plains. The place would get high marks for decor and ambience, lots of sleek wood, exposed brick, hanging paper lamps, warm colors and lighting. After we placed our order, the hostess offered us a seat at the bar and asked if we'd like a cup of tea or some water, a nice touch.

The food came out fast and was still hot by the time we got home. The wonton soup was ok, the hot and sour was a better choice -- slices of chewy, meaty black mushrooms clusters of enoki, julienned tofu and pork in a rich, tangy stock. I wasn't the sick one, but eating it made me feel better anyway.

One entree, black-pepper steak with baby bok choy, was outstanding: tender, flavorful beef in a light sauce, paired with thumb-sized bok choy. The other entree, shrimp pad Thai, was beautifully presented, with noodles, shrimp shredded veg and crushed nuts artfully arranged in the takeout container. It was fresh and quite tasty, very good. One gripe: Both dishes were supposed to be spicy, neither was.

Still in search of a cure, the next day we tried South East in Scarsdale. Appearance-wise, it was a marked contrast to Haiku: a humble storefront with a handful of tables, glaring fluorescent lighting, and a couple of cold cases for drinks.

But the wonton soup more than made up for the lack of ambience. Rich broth seasoned with shredded watercress and thin slices of ginger, garlic and green onions, and light dumplings redolent of the same seasonings, yum. The entrees were tasty, but not as good as Haiku. Thai pepper chicken had a lot of bell pepper chunks, pineapple and a sweet-and-sour sauce, not really what I was expecting. The pad thai was ok, kind of gloppy, I'd probably order something else next time. And guess what, neither dish was spicy, in spite of being marked on the menu with the chili icon.

I'd be willing to order from either place again, but am still in the market for a new favorite.

The Grumpy Diner still has a cough, wonder if I should order some wonton soup tonight ...