Lee's Dynasty demands attention: its bright yellow sign and blinking lights make it a hard-to-miss landmark for passersby. The diner-style eatery specializes in Mandarin, Szechwan and Cantonese food that doesn't always measure up to the promise of the bombastic exterior.

Lee's dining area is a small space, with seating for about 16 people. The formica tables and the off-yellow walls don't make you want to hang out for long, nor does the constant soundtrack of cooks taking phone orders. Take-out is Lee's specialty; customers regularly pop in and leave with paper bags laden with food.

And how about that food? Well, while "hearty" doesn't often come to mind when describing Chinese, it's the word that best characterizes Lee's fare. The restaurant promises to use vegetable oil only, and those must be some kind of vegetables because the sauce is downright viscous, especially on the orange chicken and yu shan tofu. Add that to the hefty chunks of veggies, meat or tofu that come with the entrees, and you get meals that could easily be stretched beyond one sitting, even for the hungry.

To really snag a deal, get one of the dinner specials (available after 4 p.m. every day). These include a regular entree, plus shrimp-fried rice (they'll substitute with plain white if you ask), an egg roll or a soda, and your choice of hot and sour soup or egg drop soup (the latter being rich to the point of almost buttery). Ranging between $5.25 and $7.50, they're all tremendous deals. This food would be perfect for late-nighters who've been out drinking and need something to soak up the booze, but the relatively early closing hours don't cater to that demographic.

Average cost: <$10

Centerstage Reviewer: Kent Green