Lee Chen

Telephone: 978-689-9888

Hours: Monday - Thursday, 11:30 a.m to 10 p.m.; Friday - Saturday, 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Sunday, noon - 10 p.m. Reservations recommended on weekends

Credit cards: Visa & MasterCard

Wheelchair accessible

Takeout available

No smoking

Full bar

Like the kiwi fruit -- drab brown outside and brilliant color inside -- Lee Chen's exterior can be easily overlooked. But inside, it dazzles.

A sparkling bar of glass and mirrors confronts you at the door. Soft lighting, then calming neutral colors immediately put you at ease. Any fears about dining in a decor of red carpets, black accents, and hanging lanterns with tassels are immediately put to rest.

A muzak version of ''The Look of Love" played in the background as we were seated by a friendly host, who whisked a ceramic pot of tea onto the crisp, white tablecloth. A complimentary bowl of crunchy noodles followed with duck sauce on the side.

The sizzling soup with chicken ($5.95 for two) needed more sizzle, but it offered fresh white chicken meat, carrots, peapods, and Chinese cabbage in a strong, thickened broth.

Our skewered teriyaki beef appetizer ($6.25) arrived on a bed of shredded lettuce adorned with a maraschino cherry and pineapple cube. The beef was well marinated, succulent and tasty, and served at the perfect temperature. The marinade had a hint of fruit mixed with soy to yield a sweet and salty flavor.

Manager Dennis Lee said he and partner Richard Chen opened the restaurant in January with a focus on freshness and sauces without monosodium glutamate.

''We try to use fresh vegetables as much as we can," said Lee. ''We cook fried rice every two hours, so it's fresh. In here, we don't use leftovers."

The shrimp fried rice ($7.25) made us so giddy we could have forgotten the rest of our order. It was barely recognizable from the typical fried rice dish found in most Chinese restaurants. Shrimp, rice, peas, beansprouts, onions, and cooked egg all blended into a medley with a variety of textures and a mild onion flavor.

The crispy sesame beef Hunan ($11.95) was remarkably tender. It was surrounded by a sauce of sesame oil, soy, and sugar, which was delicate to the palate.

In addition to the house specialties and traditional items, Lee Chen also serves a few dishes for people on diets. The steamed shrimp with mixed vegetables ($10.95), served with soy sauce, arrived in a wooden steamer. The dish was healthfully bland and provided a nice balance to the more flavorful foods, but not recommended if you're in the mood for the exotic hints of ginger, garlic, and salt that make Chinese cooking so fascinating.

Even fortune cookies are special at Lee Chen. Half the cookie is chocolate. ''A new voyage will fill your life with untold memories," read my fortune. Lee Chen left a pleasant one.

Joyce Pellino Crane