WHO’S IN CHARGE On a weekday evening, my dining companion and I were greeted at the entrance of China Sky and ushered to a table in the lower dining room.
In the daylight, we would have had a vista of Mill Pond from our window. Instead, a dining room with linen tablecloths and napkins (who does that anymore?), bouquets of flowers, votive candles, and decorative lights is reflected in the dark glass.
China Sky will be 13 years old in May, making it the longest-operating establishment after Lucia’s in the tony town of Winchester.
“Us and them are kind of a staple,’’ said Michael Wu, son of China Sky owner George Wu.
Regulars know the elder Wu by his brief pleasantries. Born in China and raised in Taiwan, Wu speaks Mandarin and a niche Chinese dialect, but little English. Michael communicates with his father in Mandarin.
China Sky is a beacon in a business that can chew you up and spit you out. George knows this. He immigrated to the United States in the 1970s and worked as a line cook before opening (and closing) his own restaurants.
“He’s put a lot of experience in [China Sky],’’ Michael said.
The younger Wu, who has a computer science background, stepped up to help his father when George had cancer a few years ago. Now in remission, George still leans on his son for doing administrative tasks and filling roles where needed.
THE LOCALE China Sky, which is in the heart of Winchester center, draws locals with popular lunch specials. Couples enjoy the romantic dining rooms (a lower and upper) at dinner. The lounge area is lively with tables of two and four. A man in a leather jacket nursed a brown beverage while a woman sipped what looked like a martini at the five-seat bar. Seven seats round out the sushi bar.
After 5 p.m. weekdays and on weekends, there’s parking in a lot nearby.
ON THE MENU Chinese dishes make up most of the offerings, but there’s also sushi and Japanese cuisine. We started with salmon sushi ($5.95 for two pieces). “It’s the fatty part of the salmon,’’ my dining companion said. He knows his sushi, so I trusted his palate. The salmon is buttery in texture, pristine in taste. Our other appetizer — scallion pancakes ($5.50) — was a slightly oily version of the chewy dough.
For entrees, we were impressed with the Prawn Amazing ($20.95) and Crispy Sesame Chicken ($14.95). Elaborate daikon roses — carved using the Asian radish — decorated the platters. Tomato gave tang to the sweet-and-spicy sauce covering the jumbo fresh shrimp and vegetables. Zucchini, snow peas, red peppers, and mushrooms were gloriously not overcooked. Jicama — the Mexican turnip that’s popular in China — added crunch.
The chicken, coated with lotus flour, was naturally gluten-free. It was fried yet light and tender. Whisky abetted the smokiness in the slightly sweet sesame sauce. All entries came with rice.
Tony Chiang, head chef since 2008, oversees the sauces and procures ingredients.
Satiated, we broke open our fortune cookies. Mine read: “A smile is the most effective medicine.’’ So is a place that inspires a smile.
China Sky, 27 Converse Place, Winchester. 781-729-6899; www.chinaskywinchester.com.
Naomi Kooker can be reached at naomikooker@gmail.com.
