by MARK SLUTSKY

Northern China, near the Mongolian border, has a colder, dryer climate than the country's south, and the food there is hearty stuff, with more of an emphasis on grains than rice. In contrast to the climate, it can also be some spicy, at least the way they prepare it at Niu Kee, a warm and friendly upstairs restaurant in the heart of Chinatown.

Decorated in high-ceilinged, brightly-lit, big-mirrored Chinatown style, Niu Kee isn't the most atmospheric place in town, though it has a certain charm of its own. Boxes of Kleenex sit at regular intervals on a ledge running around the room, presumably there for customers who need to dab their sweaty brows - yes, the food can get that hot.

Like many restaurants in the area, the place features a trilingual menu, with some dishes seemingly limited to the customers who can order them in Chinese. The menu's cover (or title page, rather) features the restaurant's presumed mascot, a big winking cow with its tongue hanging out. Inside is a variety of dishes with lots to choose from but not so much that you're overwhelmed.

One dish that you should absolutely not miss is the Kung Pao chicken ($7.50). Served on a square, ceramic plate, the chicken comes in little bite-sized chunks with a delicious sauce, chili peppers and a bounty of peanuts. This dish is spicy; my mouth felt like it was exploding with hot flavour on the first bite, though I did get used to the sensation and soon felt pleasantly, lightly high. Adding to the sensation are the little peppercorns that dot the sauce. They've got an almost narcotic quality to them - bite into one and your tongue will go numb, then tingly, and then you might find yourself saying, as I did, "Oh my." Also in the spicy zone (though our tongues were a little too numb to gauge just how spicy) was a dish we ordered from the Chinese side of the menu, and which I thus can not name. Suffice to say that it's on the page facing "page 2," and is the fifth item on the top row (and it's $10). Our mystery dish was a mélange of fried octopus, squid and various vegetables, and was fresh and tender all around.

Another, stranger flavour experience is the beef with special spice and chili ($8), a large portion of sliced, fried beef and not much else (besides the ubiquitous chilis). I smelled a hint of curry when I brought it to up my mouth to taste, and it's actually flavoured quite strongly with cumin. It's got a great, singular taste, very peppery and bracing.

A good dish to complement the spiciness of the other foods is the garlic snow peas ($5), which, while made with garlic, weren't actually snow peas, but rather some fried leafy green we couldn't identify. We didn't complain. A simple concoction - greens, garlic, oil, and perhaps some other seasoning - it's a good thing to have on hand when things get too hot. The rainbow silky pork is another plate in the milder category. Shredded pork mixed with various colourful vegetables, it's got a very light, almost citrus-like flavour to it. If you're into the other white meat, you might want to give this a try.

If you're in the mood for soup - and even if you're not, really - you should try the traditional homemade noodles with seafood ($6.50; there's also chicken and beef versions of this dish). Made with a rich, nutty broth, the soup is heaping with shrimp, crab and other seafood, and most importantly the homemade noodles, which are thick, wide, and very long. These monster noodles are great, really soaking up the flavours of the soup. It's a good start to the meal, and you might want to ask for it to be brought out first.

Niu Kee
ADDRESS: 1027 St-Laurent (just below
de la Gauchetière), second floor
PHONE: 868-1866
HOURS: Mon–Thu noon–11PM; Fri noon–11:30PM;
Sat–Sun 11:30AM–11:30PM
BEST FEATURES: The variety of intoxicating
spices and seasonings
ALCOHOL: Yes
WHEELCHAIR ACCESS: No (up one flight of stairs)
VEGETARIAN FRIENDLY: Yes
CREDIT CARDS: ????
NO-SMOKING SECTION: Yes
PRICE: $10–$15 per diner, before tax or tip
RATING: *** out of ****