China Palace in Shadyside provides setting for a special evening

China Palace restaurant in Shadyside is a charming eatery.

The dim lighting and softly carpeted dining areas make the Walnut Street restaurant a lovely place to take a date or a loved one you want to treat to a special evening.

Have a drink at the small bar at the front of the restaurant before you partake of dinner, then slip into one of the many cozy, dark green, leatherette semi-circular booths - or take a table, if you like - and be assured your service will be swift, sure and impeccable.

The ambiance in the restaurant is quiet and restful. The walls are done in a creamy hue. The backdrops for the booths are separated and decorated by large and lovely vases - all different.

We were surprised and delighted by the vast menu at China Palace. We never expected so many selections and had a difficult time making our decisions.

We finally made a choice of soups and appetizers.

We didn't digress far from the norm when it came to soups. Each diner picked a favorite and stuck with it. The bowl of Won Ton Soup ($1.50) proved flavorful. A steamy beef broth floated two sizable stuffed won tons. Just enough to satisfy.

The Egg Drop Soup ($1.50) featured a rich, thick chicken broth with lots of shirred egg and was really good.

And the Hot and Sour Soup ($1.50) was a thick, creamy, excellent blend of tofu and vegetables swimming in a thick, rich broth laced with hot chili peppers.

The Sesame Cold Noodles ($3.95) proved to be most satisfying. Egg noodles were tossed with sesame oil and served with thin, matchstick slices of cucumber for a refreshing starter from which we could have made a meal. There isn't enough of this dish in the world to keep us satisfied. Bring it on.

Steamed Pork Dumplings ($4.50) were another good choice. Six plump, juicy dumplings were served with a soy-based dipping sauce and proved to be excellent, as well. We loved the slightly spicy filling that was chewy and savory. Some of us even passed on the dipping sauce, because these tidbits stood up well on their own.

The highlight of the appetizers, however, were the four Chicken Lettuce Wraps ($6.50). Cubed chicken was mixed with a variety of vegetables and spices and mounded on a crisp lettuce leaf which could be rolled around the filling, held with the fingers and eaten. Absolutely top notch.

The entrees were equally fine.

One diner couldn't resist the Crispy Walnut Shrimp ($12.95). This dish featured fresh shrimp battered and deep-fried until crispy, then combined with snow peas, red peppers and water chestnuts in a spicy red, chili-flavored sauce. Crisp, fried walnuts were sprinkled on top. What a delight.

The Lemon Chicken ($10.95) was the best we ever have eaten. This dish was composed of egg- white marinated chicken quickly fried with fresh vegetables which included red and green bell peppers and water chestnuts. The dish was served with a piquant lemon sauce. Splendid.

But the diner who ordered the Ocean Breeze ($14.95) entree really got the piece de resistance.

Fresh fillet of fish was marinated and fried until crisp, then sauteed with mushrooms, red bell pepper and broccoli in the chef's special spicy sauce. It was fantastic. Everyone wished they had ordered this dish so they could have all of it, not just a taste.

To finish the meal, the de rigueur fortune cookies were served with refreshing wedges of navel orange.

Compiled by Barbara Daugherty and guests. Meals are paid for by the Valley News Dispatch and are unrelated to advertising.