When Marco Polo wrote about his 13th century adventures in Asia, it must have been his description of the cuisine that tempted Christopher Columbus to go off in search of an effective trade route.
Certainly nothing less than the promise of fine silk and exotic spices could tempt an Italian man to risk life and limb sailing uncharted seas.
That magical lure of the Orient is exactly what James O'Yang had in mind when he named his restaurant Silk and Spice.
What's so special about Silk and Spice, located just beyond the intersection of Routes 70 and 73? Everything.
New Age instrumentals provide a soothing background for the modern decor where earth tones rule the palette.
The restaurant is almost quiet, despite the fact that it is busy and it's Friday night. Everyone here is relaxed.
But even though the staff is unhurried, the service is efficient and friendly.
Though Silk and Spice offers an assortment of 14 different soups, we stuck with our favorites - hot and sour ($1.50) and wonton ($1.20) - which were served so quickly, we were sure that the kitchen was full of mind readers. Although ordinary selections, both soups were extraordinarily good, delivering rich, flavorful and not the least bit fatty broths.
When our waiter noticed that we particularly enjoyed the steamed buns Shanghai style ($4.50) he suggested that we try the vegetable dumplings ($3.95) on our next visit. So, we took him up on his suggestion and ordered them on the spot.
Steamed buns are similar to steamed dumplings, only the wrapper is shaped like a turban with the seams on top. But what made the appetizer stand out was the delicacy of the filling and the suppleness of the wrapper. These little morsels were melt-in-your-mouth tender and served in a nifty bamboo steamer.
The vegetable dumplings were shaped as you'd expect, but filled with a fresh mixture of broccoli and other vegetables that made for a nice surprise.
Silk and Spice's menu offers 117 moderately priced entrees, including the usual assortment of lo meins, chow meins, kung paos and mu shus, as well as a host of creative specials, including the two we chose.
