This place has been around for a few years and has always looked intriguing to me with its elegant, black awnings and large, tinted windows. I walk past it constantly (on my way to the local Starbucks!), but have never chosen to stop in. My friend was dying for a noodle dish and it's right in our neighborhood, so this seemed like the perfect time to give it a try.

The first room is cute with a tiny bar, a striking stone wall, and a few tables. The larger, second room is pretty drab with tables on one side and booths on the other. I was hoping for a little more elegance, but we were seated in a large booth that was comfortable and reasonably private.

We started with the potstickers. These came out almost instantly--within 30 seconds of ordering. The sauce was good and the dumplings were very flavorful, but whatever scheme the kitchen used to keep them at temperature did have an effect. The dough was a little tough and lacked the unctuous mouth feel of a cooked-from-scratch product. A little disappointing.

I then had a cup of wonton soup. This was delicious. Full of flavor and full of the little dumplings, more than I've ever seen in a bowl of this soup. It was great.

My friend ordered the Lo Mein combo which came with a mix of proteins, I believe beef, chicken, and shrimp. I had the Happy Family which is, I confess, an Americanized "Chinese" dish featuring chicken, beef, shrimp, and scallops in a brown sauce with a variety of vegetables. Well, I like it, even if it's not at all authentic.

The main dishes arrived barely warm. It was a chilly night and the restaurant was not that warm, either, nor had the plates been heated, so the food was cold pretty quickly. So was my tepid "hot" tea which I sent back. The second cup was much warmer, which I appreciated. You are apparently allotted only one cup of tea per meal at this restaurant as my (generous) cup came out without an accompanying pot and I was never offered a refill.

My friend enjoyed her noodle dish and the proteins were nicely prepared. I was not as happy with my Happy (?) Family. Again, the proteins were generous and well-cooked, but all of the vegetables were extremely al dente. The green beans were totally raw and very hard to eat. The other components were beyond crunchy. I took most of the dish home and re-cooked the vegetables before eating the leftovers.

This place has a lot of promise, but the decor and execution leave much to be desired.