A RELATIVE DIFFERENCE AT UNCLE CHEN, IT'S N.Y. CHINESE FOOD WITH A TWIST.

Byline: Larry Lipson Restaurant Critic

The smiling man in suit and tie led us to our table at the new Uncle Chen, a Chinese restaurant in Encino, and after we were seated and he handed us menus, I asked, ``What kind of food is it, Taiwanese, Hong Kong?''

He continued smiling and replied without hesitation, ``Long Island, New York-style.''

Which turns out to be not a whole lot different from the food at most of the other Chinese restaurants in the area (and there are plenty). Perhaps there's a bit more sweetness in the cooking and certainly more restraint in spiciness where starred items denoted as hot and spicy are concerned.

Uncle Chen's owners have transformed the former Woody's barbecue into a handsome dining facility, matching the top local Chinese dining rooms.

And the entire staff works hard at pleasing customers.

Complimentary crispy wonton chips quickly arrive with saucers of hot mustard and sweet fruit sauce along with a pot of hot tea while menu decisions are being made.

Tureens of soup designated for two are enough for four normal appetites (a cup each). Both shredded pork with pickled cabbage ($4.50) and chicken with corn soup ($4.75) were singled out of the menu's 14 soup options and each rated well.

The luck didn't hold with picks from the appetizer list. Of 20 possibilities, acceptable ground pork-filled Szechwan wontons (10 for $4.50), although quite generous in portioning, possessed a slight pastiness in the skin. And two items ordered never did show up.

However, it's show-up time for Peking duck ($23) here.

This traditional entree is available at Uncle Chen without advance ordering. Though not divided into two courses (crunchy skin and softer flesh) as is the case in many restaurants, the duck can be had as half a bird ($12.50) wrapped tableside in large pancakes by a waiter or waitress with a daub of hoisin sauce (here called Hai-Hsien sauce) and finely chopped scallions.

It's still a tasty experience this way, though I prefer the alternative smaller, thinner pancake wrappers that allow a diner to make his own little duck crepe.

Speaking of smaller and thinner, there are plenty of noodle options here with vegetables or without, with meat or shrimp (add $1). Our pick was the chow fun rice noodles and chicken ($7.50): a respectable effort.

Perhaps a step up from respectable, pork is handled nicely. Roasted and served simply with mushrooms and a few snow pea pods ($7.95), it's one of several inviting pork opportunities.

And there are numerous - actually, 30 - chef's special dishes, many of them combination items.

Like the scallops and shrimp combo titled ``twinkie and pinkie'' ($11.95). Who could resist ordering a dish with this name?

We couldn't.

It comes up as a typical Chinese-style, full-flavored dish consisting of the two seafood favorites sauteed with straw mushrooms, broccoli and sweet red pepper in a sauce accented with a touch of garlic. A good blend.

Going a notch higher, Uncle Chen does lobster.

And the good news is that he won't bankrupt you if you order it.

It's probably better by itself served deshelled with black bean sauce or finished spicy in the Szechwan manner ($18 each), rather than as a combo platter called the triple crown ($16) with chicken and roast pork ends.

A pasty saucing, maybe thickened from cornstarch, plus straw mushrooms, water chestnuts and snow peas as well as the other main ingredients, aid in the lobster losing its usual strong identity.

A better-conceived dish is the crispy pan-fried fish filet in reddish-toned Hunan sauce ($11).

At this new restaurant by Uncle Chen from Long Island, it would seem that simpler recipes may be the way to go.

UNCLE CHEN

Where: 16624 Ventura Blvd., Encino.

When: Open for lunch, dinner and snacks from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Lunch specials from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily except Sunday and holidays.

Recommended items: Shredded pork and pickled cabbage soup, chicken and corn soup, roast pork with mushrooms, chow fun, twinkie and pinkie (shrimp and scallops), lobster (four ways), pan-fried filet of fish.

How much: Starters from $1.20 to $6.75, entrees from $8 to $23, desserts from $1 to $4. Beer and wine license pending. AE, MC, V.

Reservations: Helpful. Call [phone].

Our rating: Three stars for food; tThree stars for service.

CAPTION(S):

3 photos

Photo:

(1) Jimmy Cheng, left, owner of Uncle Chen in Encino, and executive chef Siuha Chang display some of the menu items. The restaurant cooks its food ``Long Island, New York'' style.

(2) The tangerine beef has a delicate citrus flavor.

(3) The walnut prawn dish may entice shrimp lovers.

Charlotte Schmid-Maybach/Daily News