Then La turned over the management to others. He sold out and moved on...

La, in the meantime, couldn't stay on the sidelines. He made plans to open another restaurant, and word got around. Thus, when he opened Meiwah in February, it was a hit right from its first lunch...

...The atmosphere is far different, though. Meiwah is a glossy twostory dining room with its name in neon. It's modem and sleek, though a touch homey as well. La has moved up from a basement to wraparound windows...

... To the extent that Chinese food is about texture, Meiwah is a culinary success. Asparagus has its own menu in this season, and whether pan-fried or salt-baked, the green spears are perfectly firm without any rawness.

The jumbo shrimp - pan-fried in the shell, with butter sauce or spiced salt - burst with juices, and whole fish are pearly and moist whether fried Hunan-style, steamed with black bean or ginger and scallions, or stir-fried. Fried spring rolls flake at the first bite, and sesame noodles have the firm, wiry texture of pasta that's not been cooked a moment too long. Stirfried meats, whether thinly shaved lamb, julienned pork or sliced pepper steak, are soft as velvet.