A couple of recent meals at King Chinese BBQ in south Arlington will do nothing to convert the Pei Wei and P.F. Chang&rsquo;s loyalists. For many, there&rsquo;s nothing more satisfyingly "Chinese" than a starter of lettuce wraps followed by an order of orange chicken. Dishes like this seem to be popular because they appeal to our lowest common food denominator; they are familiar and comforting to the palate. Or, as they would say on <em>Top Chef</em>, their flavor profiles are <em>umami</em> (savory). Or something like that.</p><p>But at King Chinese, the food is mostly unfamiliar. Unless you&rsquo;ve recently returned from sabbatical in Hong Kong. You might find this restaurant&rsquo;s Cantonese fare, as well as its environment, a bit intimidating and inaccessible. But it&rsquo;s also a dining adventure.</p><p>Ducks, chickens, a crab and parts of a pig hang from the rotisserie, which greets you near the door, much like the Chinatown shops in San Francisco and New York. Two large flat-screen TVs play Chinese satellite movies, with Chinese captions. At one of our recent meals there, we were seated adjacent to two roasted suckling pigs, partially wrapped in aluminum foil and ready to head out for a big Saturday night. </p><p>Eying the pigs and the menu, we opted for the barbecued spare ribs and the deep-fried bean curd (tofu) with minced meat and egg &mdash; a somewhat daring order. We also chose the Chinese-style broccoli and roast-pork fried rice (safer bets), all to eat family-style. The spare ribs come to the table fast, splayed and glistening on a platter. A reliable staple on most Chinese menus, these were disappointing. Incredibly fatty, and not in a good way, maybe three of the eight ribs in the order were edible. Gristle aside, the barbecue flavor was on point. </p><p>Vegetable dishes fared better. The broccoli, saut&eacute;ed in oyster sauce, was perfectly cooked to a mellow al dente. And the tofu dish, which featured large pieces of baby bok choy, was very tasty as well. Steamed white rice comes with the dishes, so our fried rice was an exercise in over-ordering, as usual. </p><p>A few nights later, the weather had turned brisk, and we were in the mood for hot-and-sour soup. We returned to King Chinese and found that not much had changed in the dining room: The ducks were still hanging tough, but we were happy to see that the pigs were gone, mostly. A family seated behind us sounded as if they had swine flu, so we quickly moved to a table across the dining room and commenced ordering. </p><p>The soup was well-seasoned and delicious; pieces of tofu, chicken, mushrooms and other hot-and-sour soup unidentifiables commingled in a silky broth. We followed this up with salt-and-pepper spare ribs, kung pao chicken and a seafood combination with flat noodles. All were above-par renditions, especially the spare ribs, which were flash-fried with a crispy breading, and this time, they were meaty and moist. Egg noodles, part crispy and soggy, were drenched in oyster sauce and topped with shrimp, cuttlefish, imitation crab and scallops. The sauce was winning, as it was in the spicy kung pao chicken. </p><p>King is not big on customer service. On our visits, the waiter feigned confusion when I asked for hot mustard (really?). And the servers were of no help when asked for recommendations. The menu lacks descriptors, so ordering is a leap of faith. (Marinated duck tongue, anyone?) But ultimately, King provides a rewarding and authentic Chinese dining experience. Remember that next time you&rsquo;re standing in a long line at Pei Wei. </p><p><hr class="infobox-hr-separator" /> <div class="infobox"> King Chinese BBQ 907 E. Pioneer Parkway, Arlington</p><p>817-795-2338</p><p></div>