One needs a good sized group to sample the menu. My order of three dishes without the signature items was not enough. That said, the items that I had were of variable quality.
West Lake Minced Beef Soup - well balanced broth with ground beef, parsley, egg whites, and imitation crabmeat. Delicious dish. I am not a fan of imitation crab, but this was a good start to the meal.
Drunken Squab - traditional cold dish, with disassembled and reassembled plain squab complete with head, in a pool of rice wine. The squab was tender, but the wine was harsh and the dish lacked complexity. Not recommended.
Dried Scallops with Chinese Melons - this dish was described on the menu as steamed chinese melons, black fungus, and seasonal greens topped with dried scallop gravy. The dish that arrived was tasty but lacked black fungus. When I inquired, the waiter explained that the kitchen had run out. What remained was good, but it would have been nice to be informed in advance. This seemed like an inadvertent error.
Dessert -- The waiter brought a nice bowl of sweet bean soup. Good dish.
Service - reasonably attentive and friendly. Waiters took the time to explain the elements of dishes and the high market prices of much of the live seafood to tourists at an adjacent table. This was during a slow part of the day. Your mileage may vary.
Clientele - an odd mixture of tourists clutching Foder's while ordering salt-and-pepper crab and locals working deep into the menu with gusto.
Bottom line - My initial impression was mixed. I have had better food in Taipei, Singapore, San Gabriel, Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Beijing (of course), and even in Tokyo, Philly and Boston. I will try the R & G again to sample signature dishes and other items. The very positive reviews on this site and the happy faces of other diners suggest that my experience was atypical.
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