A New Shanghai Cafe Puts Factoria In The Pink

------------------------------- Restaurant review /Bellevue

XX Shanghai Cafe, 12708 S.E. 38th St., Bellevue. Lunch (specials $4.95-$5.95) and dinner ($4.50-$12.95), 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-10:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday. No smoking. Major credit cards. Beer and wine. Wheelchair access. 425-603-1689. -------------------------------

There we were, eastbound on Interstate 90 at rush hour, and I was in such a good mood I was singing a bastardized rendition of that old camp ditty, "Marching to Pretoria."

"We are driving to FacTORia, FacTORia, FacTORia. We are driving to FacTORia, to eat great Chinese food."

Why so jolly, midcommute? Because in my profession I rarely get the luxury of returning to the places that make me sing. Because I'd just gotten hip to the fact that Shanghai Garden - my (dare I admit it?) favorite Chinese restaurant - had a new offshoot just a slingshot from that mall with the ugly name. And because Shanghai Cafe, which held such promise for me, was exactly where I was headed.

Pulling up in front of this small strip-mall cafe in an area overrun by small strip-mall cafes, my hungry heart took flight as I peered through the windows and noted the pinkified decor that has become Shanghai's unwitting trademark at both its International District location and its equally superb Issaquah sib.

Stepping inside what was clearly a mini-version of the other two, I was cheered by the familiar sight of a cold-case full of vegetarian appetizers, waitresses in pink pinstripes, alluring photos of Shanghai's house specialties, and a menu that - ta da! - was only a slight variation on the one I dream about when I'm eating mediocre Chinese food elsewhere.

There were barley-green pot stickers and sauteed sugar-pea vines, hand-shaven noodles and crispy shrimp with chili sauce, sliced fish with yellow leeks and those strange-sounding but marvelous-tasting bean-curd sheet rolls.

The only thing missing was Shanghai Garden's chef/owner, Hua-Te Su. Ruling the roost (and the woks) in this kitchen is chef Ping Fu Su, brother of Hua-Te, who proved - just as I had hoped - that culinary talent runs in the blood of the family Su.

PICKLED CUCUMBERS: An unusual (to the American eye and palate) array of Northern Chinese-style vegetarian appetizers fill the refrigerated case near the front door. I love to peruse these small plates of cold noshes - and can never resist the crunchy matchstick slices of cucumber spiced-up with chilis and tangy/sweet with vinegar. Who said Chinese food has to be fattening?

BARLEY-GREEN POT STICKERS: Grassy young barley-shoot juice adds vivid green color (though not much discernible flavor) to a half-dozen perfectly doughy, lightly pan-fried pork- and herb-filled crescents as good as they're gorgeous. Spicy soy, vinegar and jalepeno sauce for dipping.

STRING BEANS WITH PORK: An interesting textural juxtaposition of slender, tender, dry-sauteed fresh green beans tossed with slightly salty, finely minced bits of pork (think Bac-Os, only a zillion times better), the whole fragrant with ginger, garlic and scallions.

HOUSE SPECIAL HAND-SHAVEN CHOW MEIN: Shaved from a block of dough, Shanghai's toothy and justly "special" thumb-sized noodles are briefly boiled then stir-fried with bits of chicken and scrambled egg, bites of squid and whole prawns.

ITEMIZED BILL/MEAL FOR TWO:

PICKLED CUCUMBERS: $3.95 BARLEY-GREEN POT STICKERS: $5.50 STRING BEANS WITH PORK: $6.95 HOUSE SPECIAL HAND-SHAVEN CHOW MEIN: $7.50 TEA: N/C

TAX: $2.17 TOTAL: $26.07