“Just what makes that little old ant think he’ll move that rubber tree plant.
Anyone knows an ant can’t move a rubber tree plant. But he’s got high hopes , he’s got high hopes, he’s got high apple pie in the sky hope.”
“High Hopes” is the Oscar winning song sung by Frank Sinatra from the film “A Hole in the Head”
When a therapist starts his work with a patient he attempts to establish a working alliance. This means that you try to help the patient to relax and grow comfortable in the office so that they will be able to trust you enough to divulge hidden secrets.
To do this I will at times make small talk. One day I asked a teenager in my office what was his favorite food. He told me “Oh maybe General Tso’s Chicken.”
I asked him where he got it and he said “Right on Hillside Avenue next to the bank.” Fair enough.
I guess it was time to saunter down Hillside to Chen’s Kitchen and taste it for myself. That’s just what I did this week. Patients learn from the therapist but the therapist can learn from the patient too.
Chen’s Kitchen is at 126 Hillside Avenue right next to Minuteman Press. It is owned and run be a husband and wife team. The pretty girl behind the counter is Mrs. Jenny Chen. Her husband is Michael.
He’s the young man usually seen hustling down Hillside delivering an order. They are originally from Fujian China.
Michael’s older brother works there as well and his name is Chun Chen. Nice name, it flows off the tongue with ease.
Chen’s Kitchen is an unassuming place with the standard mirrored wall, wooden floors, two tables and counter you see when you walk in.
The Chen’s do not speak perfect English so the interview was short but I was there to taste the food anyway. Naturally I ordered the General Tso’s Chicken.
The dish is deep fried chicken breast covered with sweet sauce and served over a bed of fresh broccoli. The dish you see above is General Tso’s Chicken.
For you history buff’s General Tso was a real guy. His full name was General Tso Tsung-tang who fought during the Qing Dynasty.
Over the years the dish has been called many things including General Cho’s Chicken, General Joe’s Chicken, General’s Chicken and my favorite Governor Tso’s Chicken.
Anything that has been around long enough to get that many nicknames must be good. And it was. Often when I am reviewing a restaurant I will take only a few bites of a dish and leave the rest on the plate.
But this time I noticed that I kept picking at the plate until it was all gone. As the old TV commercial said “I ate the whole thing!”
One of the charms of Chinese restaurants is the moment you get to crack open your fortune cookie. By the way the fortune cookie originated in Japan and was called the Japanese cracker.
It is what you settle for as dessert and tells you that the Chinese are not addicted to sweets yet. My fortune cookie read “Great things happen when men and mountains meet.” It reminded me of the famous Frank Sinatra song “High Hopes” with the lyrics “just what makes that little old ant think he’ll move a rubber tree plant.”
Wise words to live by. You gotta have hope. Especially if you want to succeed. And of course the Chen’s have lots of hope.
They are like that little old ant who thinks he can move that rubber tree plant. And low and behold they did just that. Going strong in Williston Park for thirteen years and counting. Good for them.
Well I took my photo and off I went. And as I write this column I am wondering what I feel like for dinner tonight., maybe some Mongolian beef and sticky rice. Who doesn’t love Chinese food?
It’s nonfattening, tasty and comes with a few words of wisdom. So go visit this lovely hardworking couple.
And see what the Governor Tso’s Chicken tastes like for yourself.
And tell them I said hi to them.
