A Review of Yao's Diner, in Centereach John Dunn for The New York Times ORIGINAL Yao's Diner diverges from the pan-Asian trend. A GENERATION ago, nearly every Long Island community had at least one Chinese restaurant, and usually a few takeout places as well. These days, new Asian restaurants are Japanese, Thai, pan-Asian or Asian fusion. Most existing Chinese restaurants have either disappeared or adapted, usually by adding dishes like sushi. Yao's Diner, which opened in November, is a 21st-century rarity: a Chinese restaurant that does not hedge its bets by offering dishes from other cuisines. Yao's is not only Chinese but authentic Chinese, with the kind of food found in Flushing's Chinatown. The restaurant is owned by two graduate students studying engineering part time at Stony Brook University. Adam Yao is in charge of the front of the house; Philip Dang is the sous chef. Both came from China: Mr. Yao in 2006, Mr. Dang in 2008. Their chef is Hong Jhang, who hails from Sichuan Province in southwestern China. A new menu introduced late last month reflects the kind of food he likes to cook: the fiery fare of Sichuan. The small, stark storefront seats about 30 people at a combination of booths and tables. The wooden tables are imported from China and are decorated with Chinese characters, which Mr. Dang said were a poem. The menu at Yao's Diner has a category called American Style Chinese Food with the likes of General Tso's chicken and beef with broccoli, but we did not order them. Those familiar dishes are in the minority here; there is much more exciting fare to be had. Be sure to try the jumbo shrimp in spicy hot pot: large, heads-on prawns in their shells, tossed with strips of bamboo, leeks, onions, bean sprouts, celery, cubes of potato and slices of crunchy lotus root. We also liked a hot pot of basa (fish) fillets with silky tofu in hot chili oil, all garnished with fried soybeans. Pork with sour cabbage pot, a mild dish from northeast China, and spicy double-cooked pork with leeks and peppers both turned out well. Another tasty, fiery Sichuan dish was the dry-braised whole fish with moist flesh under a topping of ground pork, slices of garlic and whole red peppers. Even hotter - probably too hot for many - was the braised chicken with mushrooms, Sichuan style, which featured chunks of chicken on the bone, hiding sharp shards of bone (be careful). Dishes I would order again include sautéed lamb slices with scallions and white onions in a tasty brown sauce, and sautéed pork and bamboo shoots in spicy garlic sauce. The restaurant has about 20 vegetable offerings. The two we sampled were wonderful: sautéed Shanghai greens (baby bok choy) with chopped garlic, and sautéed eggplant bolstered by bamboo shoots and black mushrooms. Dishes come from the kitchen as they are ready, in no particular order. West Lake beef soup (a satisfying portion large enough for four to share for $8.95) arrived after most of the entrees. So, too, did the Sichuan pork dumplings, which we'd ordered as an appetizer. I would rate those dumplings a miss. The first one I ate was good, but the minced pork filling in the second one was raw - an appetite killer, to be sure. Another unsuccessful dish was one called multi-flavored spare ribs - tough sautéed pork ribs topped with onions and quartered green cherry peppers. Sautéed crabs with ginger and scallions were tasty, but it was almost impossible to get any meat from the shells. The service is casual and no-frills. Those who order soft drinks - the restaurant has no liquor license - are handed a can and a straw (no glass, no ice). Napkins are paper. Chopsticks are provided automatically; forks are supplied on request. On two occasions they were metal; another time only plastic forks were available. You will not find crispy noodles at the beginning of a meal here, nor fortune cookies at the end. The sole dessert is a pumpkin pancake: a fried cookie-shaped confection made from rice flour, pumpkin purée and red bean paste that is studded with sesame seeds. It may be an acquired taste. Still, Yao's Diner is a boon for adventurous diners who want authentic Chinese food, especially the featured spicy Sichuan dishes. It sure beats the trek to Flushing. Yao's Diner 2503 Middle Country Road Centereach (631) 588-2218 THE SPACE Small, plain storefront with seating for about 30 people. Complete wheelchair access. THE CROWD Many Stony Brook University students; lots of small groups, including some children. THE BAR No wine, beer or liquor is served. Diners may bring their own. THE BILL Lunch entrees are $8.95. Dinner entrees, $9.95 to $23.95. Prices are reasonable. American Express, MasterCard, Visa and Discover are accepted. WHAT WE LIKED West Lake beef soup, sautéed lamb slices with scallions, pork in garlic sauce, jumbo shrimp in spicy hot pot, fish and tofu hot pot, eggplant in garlic sauce, Shanghai greens, pork with sour cabbage hot pot, dry-braised whole fish, spicy double cooked pork. IF YOU GO Open daily from 11:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Reservations are accepted, but most customers seemed not to have them.