To be honest, Little Asia doesn't aspire to much beyond the usual stereotypes. Look at its name: it doesn't even reach for any particular culture, like most "Chinese" restaurants. Its menu is the typical pseudo-Szechuan-Hunan-Mongolian mix of your choice of meat (or tofu) cooked with assorted vegetables. Of course, they give you chopsticks, soy sauce, duck sauce, and fortune cookies. Of course, their menu is printed on paper and contains a few funny typos and grammatical errors. Of course, they have General Tso's Chicken. But given its limited aspirations, Little Asia doesn't disappoint.

Not that you'd know it when you first walked in. If you enter through the door with the big Coca-Cola sign emblazoned with the restaurant's name, you may not find anyone there. When we visited, there were about four people in the tiny restaurant, and not a restaurant employee in sight. We waited around awkwardly for a few minutes until a waiter arrived (presumably from the kitchen, wherever it is). Fair enough; I was used to this clumsiness from the Thai Place Café, the last restaurant to occupy this space. Once we were seated, our waiter was perfectly attentive.

However, we were the only group in the restaurant. Did I mention that it's a really small place? Somehow, it also manages to be big enough that you don't feel like you're in your own room, and quiet enough to make it a little uncomfortable, especially if it's as empty as it was when we visited.

So, it's not the greatest atmosphere. But, when our food came, we stopped thinking about how quiet and self-conscious the restaurant was. The food was pretty good! Between my friends and me, we tried Chicken with Broccoli (described in the menu as, "Its states the contents of this ever famous dish"), Moo Goo Gai Pan, Sesame Chicken, Szechuan Beef, Family Style Tofu, and three sushi rolls (California, Salmon, and Snapper). The Szechuan Beef and Moo Goo Gai Pan were a little bland, but the Sesame Chicken and Family Style Tofu were pleasantly fried to the right crispy consistency, and one of my friends described the Chicken with Broccoli as "the best Chinese food I've had in Pittsburgh."

The sushi rolls weren't spectacular, but they were all right; if you're seriously craving sushi, Little Asia might hold you over. However, you're probably better off at Ginza on Atwood Street or Chaya in Squirrel Hill.

Little Asia is a good choice for American "Chinese" food, and even though the restaurant itself is a little cramped, there's an easy solution: take out! I'd go for Little Asia over pizza or Wing Zone every now and then. Sadly, they don't deliver, but it's a quick walk to Craig Street.

Overall, if you're in the mood for noodles, bubble tea, or a fun atmosphere, Lulu's might be more your style. But if you're just hungry, give Little Asia a shot. At the very least, you'll probably like it better than Orient Express.

Restaurant type: cheap pseudo-Chinese
How to get there: It's on Craig Street across from Lulu's
Price for an entrée: $6-8
Rating: 6.8

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