Chinese
Cuisine

I have a pretty strong liking for Chinese cuisine. I have a couple favorites I visit back in the Myrtle Beach area.

We were shopping in the area and needed a nice place to dine. Baoding was our eatery of choice. It was impressive from its curb appeal through the front door and to our table.

We ordered the Hibachi Trio and the Seafood Clay Pot. Our appetizer was the Pork Dumpling. Our meals were expertly prepared. Everything was hot and fresh and flavorful. The atmosphere of the restaurant as a whole has a modern, upscale flare. If you've never been here before, don't expect a buffet vibe. It is fine Chinese cuisine dining. We left with a great experience and appreciation of our food, service, and atmosphere.

I like prefacing my reviews with anything I believe might color my opinion one way or the other. So in the spirit of honesty I want to note that I have eaten at Baoding or had Baoding takeout countless times since it opened. Our rehearsal dinner was there. It's a family favorite. It's a SouthPark staple.

Still, I decided to review it at last with eyes wide open and as unbiased as possible.

We met two friends there and collectively had four appetizers (chilled cucumbers, vegetable dumplings, seaweed salad, and fried string beans) and four main courses (pineapple fried rice, shrimp chow foon, Singaporean rice noodles and mapo tofu). Yes, lots of veggies and lots of leftovers.

I have had every one of those dishes in the past and while the seasonings change somewhat depending on the chef, the basic tastes remain the same and the quality is still high...with one notable exception, and I admit I was so disappointed about it I almost knocked off a star! The chilled cucumbers used to be this tantalizing mix of heat from Chinese red peppers, chill from the cucumber slices and a vague sweetness from the brine. But not a single pepper was in sight.

I miss the old chilled cucumbers almost as much as the long-gone and much-lamented scallion pancakes. But that's me, and they were still good, so no points off for good food that had changed since last I ate it.

Happily, the mapo tofu (my choice of entree) was fabulous, as were other appetizers and entrees (especially the fried rice, best in town) and our waiter, who must have a side job as a stand-up comic, was incredible. What a terrific evening.

Is Baoding a perfect Chinese restaurant? No. Like virtually every Asian restaurant in the south, Baoding has modified its offerings to accommodate American tastes in order to survive.

So what?

Baoding remains a solid place to go for a nice lunch, a family supper, a date night with drinks, takeout on the weekends...because the food, across the years, the service across the years, the experience across the years, is excellent.

Long may it reign.

But seriously...a few peppers in the chilled cucumbers? For me.