King Wok was just another stop on the General Tso's expressway until a few years ago. Now, they're a must-visit for wonderful service and fresh, delicious seafood.

I'm as adventurous as the next person (as long as the next person is basically a weenie), but I'm just not going to try Stir-Fried Frog or Fish Head Hot Pot -- two specials listed on the wall.

Instead, I asked about the ever-elusive "seasonal price" listed on the smaller menu (primarily seafood) for lobster. I was delighted when our server explained that a reasonable sized lobster, one-and-a-quarter pounds, generally runs about $12.95. Hey, in the interest of investigative journalism, we can afford that! Sold! I decided to go with the server's advice and have my lobster with scallion and ginger.

We started the meal with two appetizers. The filling in the Crab Rangoon (four for $2.95) was actually pink, evidence that there might be crab in it. A taste verified my suspicion. Wow, crab in Crab Rangoon is unheard of! The wrappers were a little chewy, but the filling was excellent. I also liked the Scallion Pancake ($4), although it was surprisingly substantial, almost like a foccacia in texture. It was served with a soy/oyster/scallion sauce for dipping and would have been plenty for four people.

We ordered Diced Chicken with Eggplant ($7.50) from the large menu. The dish was very flavorful and the portion was enormous. It was my first time for eggplant -- one of my favorite vegetables -- in a Chinese restaurant, and it didn't disappoint. If I ordered it again, I'd request some Red Rooster sauce on the side to spice it up a bit. This dish was garnished with a neon pink, carved flower; a server explained that it was a squash. Points for presentation!

We also ordered Young Chow Fried Rice (Yeung Chau Chow Faan) ($6.95) -- fried rice with many "jewels" or special ingredients. This is one of those Holy Grail dishes that never seems to live up to the memory of the first time I ate it, but King Wok came close.

Then the star of the show arrived! The lobster was incredible. Much of the meat had been removed from the shell, and the remaining shell was cut so that it was easy to eat. Each piece had been very lightly coated with seasoned flour and stir fried with slices of ginger and scallions in a buttery sauce. Oh, was it delicious! I took my time, pried every last bite from the shell, and soaked up every drop of sauce with rice.

I stopped by again on my own to be sure King Wok was consistent. I'm happy to say the service was just as charming for a lone female diner as it was for a couple, and that's not true in every restaurant. The server used two spoons to remove the spine and all the other pointy bits from my Fish with Black Bean Sauce ($14.95) tableside, and it was fascinating to watch. The remaining sweet fish, tilapia, melted in my mouth. A minor gripe: I'd have liked a few veggies with this.

King Wok offers special prices for students, and the rest of us will appreciate the free and easy off-street parking lot behind the restaurant (enter from Clifton Avenue). Outside, the place is garish, but the big neon lobster is actually an omen of goodness. Inside the atmosphere is casual, perked up by the pink linen napkins, nice china and very friendly service.

King Wok
Go: 203 W. McMillan, Clifton Heights

Call: 513-723-1999

Hours: 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Monday-Saturday; Noon-10 p.m. Sunday

Prices: Reasonable

Payment: Visa, MasterCard and Discover

Red Meat Alternatives: Bean Curd Delight, Eggplant with Garlic Sauce, Buddha Delight Hot Pot

Grade: A-