To chronicle—not to review—how a restaurant can maintain its favorable standing in Portland’s restaurant community, one has only to look at Empire Chinese as a paradigm of consistency.  Since opening in the fall of 2013, they have maintained a standard rarely achieved by restaurants in Greater Portland over so long a period.  Most places have their ups and downs; even our best Eurocentric restaurants can  have a bad night.  But in my countless visits to Empire since Day One, I’ve yet to have a meal that wasn’t superb.

Scene stealers at Empire 

Then again there’s such a fascination here with Asian cuisine–not as a millennial thing–especially in the fusion kitchens of Japanese, Thai and Chinese restaurants.  We’re lucky that the handful operating in Maine are generally first rate.  Consider Long Grain in Camden, Suzuki in Rockland or the fleet of Asian eateries like Empire, Miyake, Izakya Minato, Bao Bao and the spate of fine sushi /sashimi houses that excel.  That the shopping center and strip mall egg foo young bastions beg for rebooting, they remain anomalous to culinary-focused Portand. ( Though if a branch of PF Chang’s opened here I think it would do well even amongst dining purists.)

Chinatown roast pork buns

But for now, I want to expound on Empire Chinese.  I hadn’t been in at least a month and often it’s not easy to get in since the place plays to a packed house nightly.  I tend to choose a restaurant at the last minute, a practice that doesn’t work well in our city of trophy dining haunts.  But four of us managed to get a table at 7 PM with owner Theresa Chan waving her magical seating wand (and keeping a masterful eye on everything else)  to accommodate us.

Favorite dishes always delight such as the eggplant stir fry, any of the  bao’s filled with all manner of pork or lamb and the great display of dim-sum dumplings.  And as for comfy entrees, they’re always beautifully prepared.

Pan-seared lamb buns, cucumber salad and stir fry of green beans

At this dinner, we started with the stir fry of green beans with garlic. Whoever  helms Empire’s stir-fry station knows their art.  These were prepared just right: still crunchy, bright green and judiciously nuanced with garlic.

Another favorite dish is the Szechuan style cucumbers–a standout in this predominantly Cantonese kitchen.   The cukes are fresh, crisp and chilled just so–and not overly hot with Sichuan peppercorns.

For dumplings we ordered the evening’s special, pan-seared bao baos filed with barbecued lamb with overtones of curry and garlic.  ‘

Kung pao chicken

Our entrees included two classic Chinese-American dishes: Kung pao chicken—nicely sweet—served over thin noodles. The dish is also  a staple of Sichuan cooking and if you had it at the new Sichuan Kitchen you’d find a  less sweet, spicier version.  The dish differs from region to region in China; Empire’s is more in the Cantonese mode.

The Mongolian beef–stir fried flank steak with its heady perfume of mint (an unusual ingredient in the preparation) is wrapped in a heady brown sauce fortified with hoisin.  The dish would be different if you had it at a restaurant in Bejing, spiced up with cumin and chilis.  Still it’s a satisfying dish that’s so easy to like in its Americanized Chinese guise.

Mongolian beef

Dinner for four with drinks was under $150. A group can enjoy a lot of food while divvying up the cost of multiple dishes.  In the end it’s the quality of the meal that counts and Empire delivers on all counts.

Empire Chinese, 575 Congress St., Portland, ME 207-747-5063 www.portlandempire.com

Rating: Perfection

Ambiance, Millennial buzz mingling with all age groups

Service: Fast, friend and efficient

Table: Comfortable booths and tables; bar seating

Parking: On street, though paid parking is available on Forest Ave in an open lot

$$$: Moderate