A tale of two restaurants: Exploring local Asian eateries

Many Princetonians who venture into the heart of Princeton to check out the Old English Fish and Chip Shoppe on 236 Nassau St. might expect to find a hearty, pub-like restaurant housed within its walls.

What they are likely to find instead is that the restaurant's name itself is a bit of a misnomer — in fact, 80 percent of the food Old English serves is Taiwanese, and the English items have been relegated to the back of the menu. Many of the culinary promises offered by Old English turn out to be equally disappointing.

As one enters Old English, one finds a walk-up counter reminiscent of perhaps the most treasured eatery on Nassau Street, the much-loved Hoagie Haven. Specials are listed on large whiteboards on the right wall, with familiar drinks like Arizona Iced Tea and Snapple in the refrigerators to the left.

Old English seems designed for takeout, with little seating inside the fluorescently-lit, nondescript establishment itself; the seating that does exist consists of several plastic tables and chairs. On the night I visited, there were only a few customers to be found, most of whom munched as they sat on some barstools near the windows.

The lobster bisque ($3.50) came first in a small paper takeout soup container; it was watery, with a faint aftertaste of butter and lacking in pieces of real lobster. The rest of our food then followed, delivered without the chips (Anglo-speak for French fries), which were still cooking and arrived later.

The crab cakes ($6.95) were another disappointment, lacking discernible pieces of crab but instead consumed by an overpowering flavor of garlic and over-sautéed vegetables. The restaurant's namesake dish, fish and chips ($7.95), was flavorful, coated with a crunchy tempura-like batter; however, the chicken and chips ($5.99) had a fishy taste to it, as if the residue from the cod had made its way into the chicken. Served in a generous portion, the chips themselves were crunchy, if a little greasy when they finally emerged from the fryer.

The Taiwanese food was only marginally better. The vegetable fried rice ($6.95) had a significant quantity of carrots and other vegetables in it, but was a little soft, causing many of its flavors to blend together into a mélange of soy and starches. The sweet and sour chicken ($7.49) was tangy and flavorful at first, but after repeatedly eating it the sauce could likely taste sickly sweet to some. In short, on a college student's budget, Princetonians would be far better served putting their money elsewhere.

Having eaten very little of my crab cakes for the reasons stated above, my next stop became the Asian restaurant Ivy Garden (238 Nassau St.), just across a side street from Old English. The ambience starkly contrasts with that of Old English - welcoming, with a dignified air to it. Pottery and Asian décor grace the walls, and red tablecloths line the tables in its interior.

Admittedly, the prices at Ivy Garden tend to be higher than those of its competitor across the street, but it is worth noting that the vegetable fried rice at Ivy Garden is $6.45 compared with the $6.99 you'll shell out at Old English. The extra cost is minimal compared with the increase in quality a diner experiences at Ivy Garden.

The meal began with an egg roll ($1.25) fried to perfection, filled with colorful ingredients and robust tastes and aromas. This was followed by the old standby of General Tso's Chicken ($9.55), a favorite among many Princetonians and non-Princetonians alike.

The flavorful sauce clung to the crispy chicken well, as compared to the sweet and sour chicken at Old English. The accompanying broccoli was well-cooked also; not too tender, not too crisp. Dinner concluded with some complimentary orange slices and fortune cookies that brought a light and fitting end to the meal.

The service at Ivy Garden was excellent. From the delicious en-trées to the friendly waitstaff to the extra rice they may offer to put in your takeout bag, Ivy Garden leaves a thoroughly positive impression. Epicures may want to try one of the "Chef's Suggestions," two of which include Hunan Chicken and Shrimp ($11.95) and Shrimp with Honey Glazed Walnuts ($12.95).

While both the Old English

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Fish and Chip Shoppe and Ivy Garden generally serve the same type of food, they offer diners two very different experiences. This reviewer recommends that Prince-tonians wanting to explore the Nassau Street restaurant scene try the establishment just a few paces farther down Nassau Street, Ivy Garden, a restaurant sporting a friendly atmosphere with the superb cuisine to back it up.