This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Business & Tech

Jasmine, Take II

Westport Chinese Takeout, a spin-off of Jasmine, opens around the corner

It's not the first Chinese takeout place in Westport of course, but it might be the tiniest. Perched on the odd, pie-shaped lot at the intersection of Saugatuck Avenue and Franklin Street is a cheery yellow mini-building – now home to Westport Chinese Takeout.

If the menu looks familiar, that's because it probably is. Westport Chinese Takeout is owned by the same family as Jasmine, which is just around the corner at 60 Charles Street. Why the second location? Jasmine will be closing soon for renovations. In the meantime, WCT will be on hand to satisfy your craving for wonton soup and dumplings.

WCT was better than I'd hoped. We started with pan-fried pork dumplings ($6) which had a nice ginger kick. Moo shu is one of Jasmine's more popular dishes and WCT serves up a decent moo shu pork ($10) as well. Like many places, they only include four pancakes with an order, so be sure to request more if you don't want to end up with a bowl of extra pork and vegetables without anything to wrap it in.

Interested in local real estate?Subscribe to Patch's new newsletter to be the first to know about open houses, new listings and more.

I was impressed by the amount and freshness of the vegetables in the chicken with black bean sauce ($10). WCT's version, which was on the oily side, included crisp red bell pepper, onion, and plenty of snow peas. The dish was without any spice, though, and could have used a boost of garlic, ginger -- anything. We tossed on more soy sauce which did the trick.

WCT also serves pan-Asian dishes, a common practice that makes me wary. (Isn't it along the lines of a restaurant that serves, say, barbecue, creole and Mexican cuisines.) It's hard to imagine they can do a variety of Asian foods well. WCT serves the obligatory pad thai along with curries. I took a pass on that side of the menu and took the sushi for a test drive instead. Their spicy tuna hand roll ($6.50) was passable but not great and despite the name, not all that spicy. If you're looking for heat, try the Volcano Roll. It's a mix of tuna, salmon and yellowtail in a spicy sauce. Hot sauce is then dribbled on top.

Interested in local real estate?Subscribe to Patch's new newsletter to be the first to know about open houses, new listings and more.

Sushi and sashimi are sold by the single piece and are among the pricier items on the menu. I enjoyed the very tender tuna, yellowtail and salmon (about $2.50 each). But the unagi – fresh eel ($3) – tasted a little too fishy. Happily, WCT serves brown rice, both on the side of the Chinese dishes and in the sushi. Just ask.

As the name implies, eating in isn't an option unless you want to sit on the floor. WCT has a few parking spaces on Franklin Street, but street parking near nearby is almost impossible. Save yourself the trip and have dinner sent to your doorstep. Their delivery is relatively fast -- about 30 minutes on average. On one occasion they omitted a tuna roll that I'd paid for. But they happily remedied it and sent one out to me just a few minutes later.

One other thing I like about Westport Chinese Takeout: it's very reasonable. Cheap even. (Except for the sushi.) And until March 6, it's even less expensive. To celebrate their grand opening, the bill is 15% off  -- no coupon required.

------------------------------

Westport Chinese Takeout

67 Saugatuck Ave.

222-7888

Hours:

Mon. – Fri.: 11 am – 10 pm

Sat: 11:30 – 11 pm

Sun.: 11:30 – 10 pm

Major credit cards accepted.

Free delivery in Westport, Norwalk and Weston with a $15 order.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?