By Anne Gelhaus
The adage that those who eat Chinese food will be hungry again in an hour probably doesn't apply to customers at Shangri-la: The restaurant, which opened this month in King's Court Shopping Center, serves portions big enough that most people would have trouble burning off a meal in 60 minutes.
"I eat a lot," says co-owner Tom Chang, "and I want to make sure my customers can, too."
Chang admits that his prices are a little higher than those at comparable restaurants. Standard dishes like Kung Pao chicken and sweet-and-sour pork go for about $7. But he says that the larger portions and the quality of the food justify the extra cost.
"Everything is made fresh and by hand," Chang adds. "We don't even have heat lamps. We make the fried rice and the chow mein for our lunch specials every 10 to 15 minutes. We don't want to make too much, or it just sits there. If we can't sell it, we throw it away."
Chang says some of his best-selling items are the general's chicken--fried and served in a spicy sauce--and the Chinese chicken salad.
As far as making his prices more palatable, Chang is open to customer suggestions. He says one woman who balked at the a la carte prices on the dinner menu said she'd be willing to pay the same price if the meal included rice and a salad. Thus, a dinner special was established at Shangri-la.
"If people feel like they're getting their money's worth, they'll come back, and that's what I want," Chang says.
Apparently, people are leaving the restaurant satisfied: Chang says he's gotten a lot of business through customer referrals.
"We do have a lot of regulars," he adds. "We already know their names."
Shangri-la, 798-13 Blossom Hill Road, Los Gatos. 358-6520. Hours: 11 a.m.-3 p.m. and 4-9 p.m. daily.
This article appeared in the Saratoga News, January 31, 1996.
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