Bite into Chinese food Lonsdale venue offers Szechuan dishes Park Lay Lok Restaurant, 719 East 2nd St., North Vancouver, 988-3238. Visa and MasterCard accepted. Open every day fer lunch and dinner. Take the kids or call a babysitter? You could do either. HERE HAS been little social electricity generated in the air around the old Olympic Hotel site since that notorious piece of North Shore heritage was torn down in 1989 after 83 years of providing warm beds and cold beer to the local citizenry. Of course, some would rightly _- argue that the old Olympic elec- - tricity was generated by too many draft beer guzzlers long on thirst and short on charm. Still, it brought people traffic in- . to the area, and people traffic is _ what makes a city interesting. :- A swank brick and glass highrise now stands on the Olympic Hotel's old 2nd Street parking lot. ‘It, too, is cafled the Olympic. A £90s Version of the funky brick © hotel where many North Shore résidents sampled their first glass of chilled draft beer, probably at an age when they weren't sup- posed to be sampling anything ~. stronger.than Tahiti Treat. - And-while the old Olympic élec- tricity has not been replaced, the - Lonsdale Avenue and 2nd Street area is showing more signs of de- eloping its own dining scene and « night life." . he new 2nd Street Cafe, 130 - East.2nd St., has moved into a - = storefront close to the entrance of : the old Olympic. Something called Lucky Burgers and Fish occupies the site of the legendary Famous Cafe. ©" The area is also enjoying a small Chinese restaurant renaissance. in the Lonsdale storefront that for so long housed the infamous ~ Green Jade, and more recently’ housed Yip’s Wok, is now Coral Court Szechuan Cuisine. — . And back along 2nd Street, the Park Lay Lock Restaurant has :. taken up zesidence in the former hi Gardens locale. © : ~) The: Park specializes in a pot- = pourri of Cantonese and Szechuan : variations of China’s diverse na- tional cuisine. - Neither of the regional variations -is surprising: Cantonese has been the bedrock upon which the en- during popularity of Chinese food has been built, and most Chinese restaurants that have opened in ~ the ‘past few years in the Lower Mainland area have affixed the Szechuan fabel to either their names or their menus because the ‘owing sophistication of local dining tastebuds has demanded “ more from Chinese food than "sweet and sour. A cursory scan of the Park will do little to distinguish it from its predecessor. ~ -- The walls have been painted a hot pink and the name on the - window has changed, but the old * Li Gardens/Orange Door rooitop Enjoy eating well and being active. Feel good about yourself! GS FAAP HE! Sp © ! Timothy Renshaw TABLE HOPPING sign remains. A closer look at the Park's “menu, however, will reveal more subtle distinctions. “The range of the dishes offered -is wider, and the options are far more gastronomically challenging. A quick scan should be enough to bring an anticipatory bead of sweat to the brow of spicy food ean fried Squid in Rock Salt and Chili Pepper ($8.95); Szechuan Hot and Spicy Scallops ($10.50); | Spicy Sliced Szechuan Chicken :($8.95); Spicy Shredded Dried Beef with Hot Chili ($7.95); Sing- ing Chicken with Ginger and Green Onion ($8.95). The Park’s menu has numerous sections, each of which contains a _ goad range of variations on such themes as Hot Pot, Sizzling, Fried ‘Rice, Noadles, Crispy Rice, Prawns and Shrimps, Chicken, Duck, B8eef and more. Table Hopping sampled severai dishes on a recent Friday night, including a Chicken with Dried Tangerine and Hot Chili Pepper ($8.95) that deftly combined slightly bitter orange flavors with the smoky nip of red chili peppers and strong undercurrents of garlic, sesame seed oil and ginger. Prawns with Curry Sauce ($9.95) was not as good, primarily because the dish was overloaded with the traditional Chinese plate - filler of wok-fried white onions ~ and green peppers. The duo is largely inedible in the amounts piled on otherwise entic- ing plates by Chinese kitchen staff. The curry, however, was quite good, with a creamy base and a aight curry bite. Park service is quick and atten- tive. So if you feel an urge for some stightly challenging Chinese food followed by a stroll around one of your old haunts, sample the Park and ogle thie new Olympic. TASTY MORSELS The Beach Side Cafe, 1362 Marine Gr., West Vancouver, 925-1945. Carolyn Wente from California’ $s Wente 8rothers winery is sch uled to be the special guest at a Dinner with the Winemaker event at the Beach Side an Aug. 25. A set five-course meal wilt be served with a selection of Wente’ ; wines. It includes Steamed Shellfish ~ with basil, vermouth and garlic . cream, House Smoked Veai =: - | Tenderloin and Mesciun Greens with marinated asiago and herb vinaigrette. * The Wentes will provide such viticultural accompaniment as 1989 Herman Wente Reserve Chardonnay. Per person charg for the event -will be $55. The dinner is sched- uled to get under way at 7 p.m. Singer wins award | KIM: TOMPKINS of. North Van- couver’s:Capilana College singers captured first prize.in the adult solo category at-the Kathaumixw choral competition at Powell River. The local choir, led by conduc- ter Lars Kaario, was competing against 22 choits from five conti- nents during the five-day festival, which participants have described as the foremost choral event in North America. International Academy of British Columbia © SMALL CLASSES * GRADES 6-12 * INDIVIDUALIZED PROGRAMS @& m UNIQUE FEATURES: fm Traditional approach, well-balanced curriculum and extensive & % recreational programme. Smail class sizes & individual attention foster achievement, build self-coaf!dence. Language programme in- me cludes French Immersion for Grades 6 to 9. Cooperative program- fe mes with Goh Ballet and Moody Music help promote Performing Arts & w students. GEYWRROUS SCHOLARSHIPA AVAILABLE For further tnformation see our recent flyer, or contact the Registrar at: Woburn International Academy of B.C. 342 Water Street, Vancouver, B.C. V6B 1Bé Fax (604) 655-5588 | pally e _ Curry Chicken Wednesday, August 1, 1992 - Norti: Shore News ~ 29... HOT CHICKEN delight:..Selections ot Hot and Sou Chicken with Dried Tangerine and Hot Chiii Peppers and Prawns _ in Szechuan Hot and Spicy Sauce are presented at the new P, Lay Lock Restaurant. ; : FAST Pobo PRICES Teriyaki Shrimps 550: Teriyaki Chicken | 4.505 Teriyaki Chicken Skewer ' 4,75 Teriyaki Pork os 4.50 4.50" 5.00 5.09 - Teriyaki Beef Skewer Teriyaki Combo (1 Chicken & 1 Beef Skewer) * All above items served with fluffy Japanese Rice & Salad -. . HOURS: Monday-Saturday, 11am-9pm - FREE DELIVERY - 5 km radius/TAKE-OUT : 2045 Lonsdale, N. Van. 988-1868.