Not too many restaurants put out their external signage months before they open, but Szechuan Carry Out did, which made it confusing when it actually was finally open for business (which was at the end of last year). There’s really nothing on the menu that distinguishes itself from any other Chinese carry-out place, so I decided to order some staples of these restaurants.

The lunch-sized General Tso’s Chicken ($5.35) was surprisingly good, in that there was the right amount of breading, a slight crunch as you bite in and a nice, thick sauce to accompany it. (The worst is when you get a barely breaded, chewy chicken in a watery sauce.)

The lunch-sized Kung Bo Pork ($5.35) was a disappointment. For one, it wasn’t the least bit spicy. I also didn’t like that it had an endless amount of vegetables and peanuts and so little pork.

I should also add that the fried rice that comes with the lunch specials was tasty–it’s sprinkled with pieces of egg instead of pork and didn’t have any scallions.

The eight-piece crab rangoon ($4.95) differed from every other Chinese restaurant’s version in that it was onion-y, and I’m not sure I have an opinion either way on that break from the norm. At least it was a good portion for its price. Other appetizers include egg rolls ($3.50) and steamed dumplings ($4.95).

The rest of the menu consists of standards items such as House Special Low Mein ($6.25 pint, $9.35 quart), Mongolian Beef ($9.95) and Sweet & Sour Chicken ($8.25).

Szechaun Carry Out is open every day for lunch and dinner. It has a few tables inside, so you can eat in if you don’t want to take your meal to go. Delivery also is available with a $50 order.

I hate how so many Chinese restaurants are buffets. First, I feel bad for the owners, because the margins are small. But really, I feel bad for uninformed diners, because they are only eating Americanized Chinese food. That’s why the recently opened Dumpling Haus in Hilldale Mall is refreshing.

One of the first things you’ll notice is that the food isn’t salty or full of MSG. You may even feel the urge to add more soy sauce than already comes on the plates of dumplings and shumai. But trust me, this is way it should be: steaming hot and naturally delicious.

The aforementioned Haus Jiao Zi and Pork Shaomai are served in sets of 10 and eight, respectively, so come with a friend or two so you can order several different dishes and actually finish them. The four main categories of dumplings, noodles, bao zi and sides each had 5-10 subitems from which to choose along with a decent vegetarian selection. Each dish is brought to your table the moment it’s cooked to maximize freshness.

The Haus Noodles also were delightful. The beef that came with mine were perfectly tender (you can also order pork), and the bok choy was quite fresh. I like spicy foods, so I added some Sriracha, which, surprisingly, is not at the station where you get the chopsticks, napkins, soy sauce, etc.–you actually have to ask for it.

Really, the only disappointment of the meal were the Barbecue Bao (buns with slow-roasted pork), as these were just the store-bought, frozen variety that were simply heated up. With everything else on the menu made-from-scratch, why skimp on the buns?

I had heard the Dumping Haus had a rough opening, usually running out of food early in the day (even the dry erase board was asking for patience as they go through growing pains), but I had no hiccups with my meal. The space is not large, but you also can order for carryout.