No Quackerjack

An urban Asian bistro of sorts is the latest project from restaurateur Philip Chiang, the Chang behind the phenomenally successful P.F. Chang’s China Bistro chain. Chiang is the son of Cecilia Chiang, who owned the elegant Mandarin in Beverly Hills, and he also founded Mandarette, a Mandarin spinoff that’s a perennial favorite with the fashionista crowd. The appeal, I guess, is its innocuous Chinese cooking that goes as easy on the grease as it does on the flavor. (He sold Mandarette in 1989.)

Inhabited first by Gadsby’s, then by Serge Burckel’s fusion experiment, One, Lucky Duck’s spacious storefront has never looked better. The expansive windows on La Brea Avenue are smoked just enough to obscure the going-on inside. Soaring ceilings, closely packed tables and actors-in-waiting give it the feel of a downtown New York restaurant--urban and hip. The walls are painted a yellowed ivory and hung with a pair of imposing ancestor paintings and quirky vintage boudoir mirrors. The nerdy eyeglasses, recycled vintage duds and L.A. designer labels worn by diners signify a predominantly young industry crowd. Lucky Duck is pitched to some of the same people who haunt Mr Chow, Mandarette and Manhattan Wonton.

If you’re hoping, like I was, that this newcomer would be the place outside of Monterey Park or Chinatown for a comforting bowl of hot and sour soup, pot stickers bursting with pork and cabbage juices, or even a decent version of kung pao chicken, you’re out of luck.

Chiang would seem to have the pedigree to give L.A. all this. Though he’s on hand most nights, the kitchen seems to be on autopilot. There are a few decent items, but despite the whimsical menu titles--”one hand tossing,” “bean no one going nowhere” and “dreaded chicken”--this Chinese food isn’t much better than what you’d find at a mom-and-pop Chinese takeout 20 years ago. I’d expect the savvy former graphics designer to set the bar a little higher.

Waiters recommend dishes with enthusiasm, which means the cooking must be going over with someone. (In addition to Chinese dishes, there are a handful of Vietnamese and Thai dishes, along with red snapper sashimi for the raw fish crowd.) Crushed cucumbers turn out to be a good suggestion. The cucumbers are sliced and crushed with sesame seeds and a little soy.

It’s refreshing and crunchy. If you like soybeans, try “bean no one going nowhere,” which combines the protein-rich legume with mustard greens and hot mustard. Despite the name, “dreaded chicken” was the best thing I tried, a shredded chicken salad made with moist tender bird tossed with scallions and garlic and perfumed with sesame oil. Scallion pancakes are on the heavy side, but tasty. And Vietnamese spring rolls, while humdrum, taste all right wrapped in a lettuce leaf and dipped in a vinegary soy sauce.

After that, it’s pretty much downhill. The Sichuan duck touted by one server and described as “sticks of crispy duck” is like leathery duck jerky, with more carrot and celery sticks than duck. It’s no bargain at $14. The restaurant’s signature Lucky Roast Duck (not to be confused with Happy Go Lucky Duck) has the virtue of being plain, reasonably flavorful hacked roast duck--nothing to rave about, but acceptable the first time I tried it. On another occasion, though, it was dry. Not even the thick, sweet plum sauce could make the dispirited bird appealing.

Ponzu chicken, hunks of fried chicken drenched in a light ponzu sauce, is appealing enough, but kung pao chicken is to be avoided unless you yearn for gristly bits of chicken in a gelatinous slick. “Beef Outta Mongolia” is dismal, too. A better choice is the stir-fried coins of beef with mint, though there’s more sliced white mushrooms than beef in this $14 dish. Fish eaters should stick with the rock cod steamed with ginger and scallions and light soy sauce. No complaints, but also no compliments, on this one.

Few diners, in fact, seem to be paying that much attention to the food, and no wonder. Even the duck fried rice doesn’t taste fresh, and the duck seems to be leftover Lucky Duck. But the most glaring fault is how salty almost everything is. It’s really quite remarkable.

Chiang’s mother, Cecilia, is a ferocious defender of Chinese cuisine. I can’t imagine her eating any of this food with relish. But perhaps that’s not the point. P.F. Chang’s has become a runaway success with its particular brand of sugary Americanized Chinese fare. I guess Lucky Duck is meant to be a slightly hipper version.

I wish it were better. There’s nothing wrong with the concept: Asian food pitched to a young, urban aesthetic. But surely it could be better executed. As it is, it feels as if Chiang and his crew are so sure of knocking one out of the park that they’re not even trying.

Lucky Duck Restaurant

672 S. La Brea Ave.

Los Angeles

(323) 931-9660

Cuisine: Chinese

Rating: *

AMBIENCE: Smart urban bistro with closely packed tables, yellowed ivory walls and a young industry crowd.

SERVICE: Warm and well-intentioned, if not always professional.

BEST DISHES: Vietnamese fried spring rolls, “dreaded chicken,” “bean no one going nowhere,” beef and mint, ponzu chicken. Appetizers, $4 to $10. Entrees, $9 to $16 ($3 to $4 less at lunch). Corkage, $10.

WINE PICK: Domaine Ott rose, Provence.

FACTS: Dinner daily. Lunch weekdays. Valet parking. Rating is based on food, service and ambience, with price taken into account in relation to quality. ****: Outstanding on every level. ***: Excellent. **: Very good. *: Good. No star: Poor to satisfactory.