Special Massachusetts edition--CK Shanghai

As i write this, I'm lying on my bed in my hometown of Lexington, Massachusetts, where the lawns are well-manicured, the voters are reliably Democratic, and even the Dunkin Donuts' have a "colonial" look about them. Yesterday I returned from a week in utopian Martha's Vineyard, where the most exciting dining out experience I had (my family ate in most nights) was seeing Spike Lee at the local pizza joint. I was reminded of "Do The Right Thing", minus Radio Raheem and a trash can through the window. (Actually, I ate at a pretty good diner in MV, which I may deign to write about later this week.)

Anyway, dear reader, let me put this question to you: why can the best Chinese food I've ever eaten outside of London be found not in New York City, but in the small (even whiter and richer than Lexington) town of Wellesley, MA? WHY? Why can't CK Shanghai move next door to my house, dammit??

Sorry, I went a bit off the rails there. But good food should have the power to make you angry, I think. And CK Shanghai is damn good. It's not that the menu at this pleasantly laid out Cantonese (sorry, I wanted to sound like Zagat for a second) is that inventive, just that the quality of the ingredients must be light years beyond your standard Chinese restaurant. Everything I've eaten there, and I've been there four or five times now, has been excellent. My favorite is probably the classic crispy spicy shrimp, which is plesantly soft and succulent (mmm, food porn!). The tangerine crispy beef, double fried pan noodles, and vegetable dishers have all been winners, too. The appetizers, as always are just as good if not better than the main courses, from your standard spring rolls to pork dumplings. And for what feels like gourmet eating, the prices are extremely reasonable.