Dining Review

Kathy Mader

I remember the original Bamboo Terrace restaurant from my childhood.

It was a place my siblings and I would beg to go and tear apart once we

got there.

An eminent domain battle in 1983 moved the Bamboo Terrace from its

very successful location on 17th Street to a more challenging location on

Newport Boulevard and the clientele, the restaurant and its original

owners -- the Youngs -- grew older.

An infusion of life blew into the restaurant when Debbie Young

(daughter of previous owners Dennis and Kathy Young) and her husband,

Christopher Ayayo, left their law practice in San Francisco and moved

down with a resolve to “bring the Bamboo Terrace into the next century”

and to give Debbie’s parents a “much deserved break.”

The new and improved Din Din at the Bamboo Terrace was born. Din Din

refers to “the clamor make by cooking on woks, the noise of people

enjoying great food and drink, and dinner itself.”

You can hear the energy and excitement in the voice of the newest

family member to run the place.

The restaurant decor is styled after, as Debbie Young describes it, an

“Asian Art Deco supper club.” Red lights in ceiling fans, red leather

booths and remnant wood flooring add texture, warmth and attitude to this

little restaurant.

“In the Mood” swinging in the background gave it a postwar feel-good

feeling, reinforcing that supper club impression. The bar, with its host

of tropical drinks, low ceiling fans and teak counter, transports you to

that South Pacific era. Try the infamous Scorpion ($5.95) for a direct

route.

There is also a fourth definition of din at the Din Din. Live

musicians now play Friday and Saturday nights after the dinner hour. Din

Din offers and eclectic selection of musicians: local bands playing

original music, swing bands, jazz bands, ‘60s rock ‘n’ roll, reggae and

blues.

Give them a call to check what’s on the music menu but rest assured

there will be no rap or punk.

The live music adds to that postwar celebration feeling that the decor

does so well.

Now, about the food. When you sit down, fried noodles to munch and

sweet apricot and hot mustard sauces are available for dipping. The

combination of flavors is familiar and puts your mouth in the mood for

what is to come.

As an appetizer, the paper-wrapped chicken ($4.50) has always been a

favorite of mine, with chunks of marinated chicken wrapped in foil to

seal in the flavor and served piping hot. There is no sauce or

accompaniment with this dish and there doesn’t need to be.

I had to try some of my old favorites in the spirit of tradition --

and as a far less expensive way than an eye tuck to recapture my youth.

The egg foo yong with shrimp ($5.75) was, believe it or not, exactly

as I remembered it. The crispy omelet-like cake with shrimp and green

onions was mild in taste and delicious. Because it is subtly spiced, eat

this dish first if you order any spicy entrees, because what is mild and

delicious turns a bit bland after a bite of the fiery kung pao or

sizzling Bombay chicken.

The aromatic shrimp ($10.50) -- shrimp lightly dusted in flour and

sauteed in a slightly sweet sauce with a hint of citrus -- was wonderful.

At other restaurants this dish can be gummy or sickeningly sweet but that

is definitely not the case at Din Din.

Debbie’s No. 1 best seller is the country chicken ($8.50), Din Din’s

lighter version of the very popular orange chicken. Her No. 2

most-ordered and admired dish is the classic kung pao chicken ($7.50), a

stir fry of chicken, cabbage, carrots and onions in a spicy sauce with

red chilies.

Debbie’s personal favorite is the chicken tumble in lettuce cups

($6.95), found on the appetizer menu. Chopped chicken, fresh water

chestnuts (most of the Chinese restaurant world uses canned) bamboo

shoots and carrots are combined to create a tasty and light treat. Unlike

other restaurants that serve varying renditions of this dish, assembly is

not required. The chicken tumble is an excellent selection for a light

lunch.

Din Din at the Bamboo Terrace offers a variety of lunch and dinner

specials. My recommendation to get a real taste for the food is go with

one of the dinner combinations -- in which the appetizers, soups, entrees

and desserts are preselected and include the best sellers.

The next time you are ready for some Chinese din din or some cool

live music with the best tropical drinks in town, check out the new and

improved Din Din at the Bamboo Terrace. It will be a trip down memory

lane -- all the way back to the ‘40s.

WHAT: Din Din at the Bamboo Terrace

WHERE: 1773 Newport Blvd., Costa Mesa

WHEN: Lunch, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday; dinner, 5 to 10

p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 5 to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday with

live music; closed on Mondays

HOW MUCH: Moderate

PHONE: (949) 645-5550