Just as any writer should, I spend a lot of time reading the work of other writers, and in particular I enjoy perusing, on a weekly basis, columns by other restaurant critics. Since I dont live in a big city, its difficult for me to make this assertion with any certainty, but it seems to me that many critics in larger, metropolitan areas are not taking into consideration the desires and tastes of their population a lot of them are also downright mean, if you ask me.

I would be well within my rights as a foot critic to visit a Chinese restaurant, such as the Great Wall in Gearhart, where I dined recently, and complain that its not authentically Chinese but is in fact Cantonese, as is the food that most local Chinese restaurants serve. I could say that the menu has the same sort of sweet and sour this and pork fried that as the next Chinese place down the street, or that chop suey and chow mein are largely American creations. I could bemoan any number of these points, and many critics would but what they fail to realize, I sometimes believe, is that maybe this is what the public wants. Is it inventive, packed with flavor, and 100 percent authentic? No, it isnt. But it seems to be what the public likes.

As such, I think it is unfair as a restaurant critic to approach restaurants such as this with the expectation that Im going to be wowed by an authentic, Chinese culinary experience. I dont expect it, and therefore I am not disappointed and can instead judge the restaurant in and of itself, for what it is, and not what it isnt.

Does that make sense? I might have read that in a fortune cookie. Im not sure.

At any rate, I think the Great Wall Restaurant is doing a better job than most other local Chinese places of producing the typical Cantonese fare that Americans have come to love. The restaurant itself is a bit more upscale than most, the service is quite good, and there are some items on the menu that Ive not seen in other local Chinese restaurants.

Take the dragon meet phoenix, a dish that was purportedly served to Chinese royalty. A large platter of chicken, prawns and vegetables was presented at the table and then grandly dumped atop a sizzling metal pan and served up. This is the same sort of pomp and circumstance used by Mexican restaurants when they serve fajitas, and from a culinary standpoint, its all smoke and mirrors; the dish is already done cooking when it leaves the kitchen, and if you add anything, a drop of water, even, to a hot pan, of course its going to sizzle. I dont quite get it, but I guess some people find it impressive.

The dragon meet phoenix was not particularly impressive, though. The whole of it seemed to be swimming in a white, garlicky glaze that was relatively flavorless. Although I didnt ask the server or the chef, I tasted something starchy, probably flour, that would have been used to thicken the sauce. Flour, when added in this fashion, must be cooked long enough for the starchy taste to disappear. I dont know if in fact this is the case here, but nevertheless, the sauce was starchy and unremarkable. A good dowsing of soy sauce made it edible.

Other, more traditional menu items fared better. The barbecued pork appetizer featured tender strips of pork with a hoisin glaze, and it was flavorful and juicy rather than tough and dry, as it is in some other restaurants.

Since they are a popular favorite, although against my own personal taste, I sampled both the sweet and sour chicken as well as the sweet and sour pork, and, like the barbecued pork, I found it better than the standby served elsewhere. The crispy breading on both the pork and chicken tasted fresh and light and didnt have that greasy aftertaste that deep-fried food often imparts.

Traditional pork-fried rice fell short of the mark for me with very little pork, egg or vegetables to speak of. After a few bites I pushed it aside in favor of plain, white rice.

An order of calamari, breaded and deep fried, didnt seem particularly Chinese to me, but was quite delicious nonetheless, especially when paired with spicy Chinese mustard.

I often find it difficult to review restaurants such as this, as I am torn between my own desire for daring authenticity and what I perceive the desires of the community at-large to be. While it would be fabulous to sample something bold, like what you might actually find in China, I think most local patrons would probably recoil at the sight of a duck beak on their plate.

What I will say, then, is that diners looking for inventive, truly authentic Chinese cuisine will be disappointed, but that anyone searching for average to better than average, Americanized Cantonese food will find happiness at the Great Wall.