Some friendships need constant attention, care and feeding to flourish. They're high-maintenance but exciting. Then there are those deeper, long-term relationships. Weeks, months and even years can pass between chats, but you can pick up the conversation with these friends as if no time had passed.

The 20-year-old Imperial Chinese Restaurant is that kind of old friend. I hadn't eaten there in years when I walked into the lobby, and there was affable owner Johnny Hsu in his usual spot at the reception desk welcoming the regulars.

The big eatery retains its cool, elegant appeal with none of that Chinese buffet kitsch and remains one of the most quiet, comfortable dining rooms in the city.

As we tucked linen napkins on our laps, we perused a menu guided by the principle "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

We found the expected Szechuan, Mandarin and Cantonese items - your kung pao chicken ($9.95), your sweet and sour pork ($9.75) and your moo shu shrimp ($10.25). The roster is still led by sesame chicken ($9.95; $8.75 lunch), an entree Hsu claims to have introduced to Denver diners.

After all these years, the Imperial's sesame chicken is the same as it ever was. Lightly battered white-meat pieces finished with white and black sesame seeds are set in an orangey, barely spicy sauce that isn't too sweet or cornstarch goopy. It's still likable. Whether it's Denver's best is a suitable topic for loud debate.

Dinners can begin with one of 12 soups ($1.95 to $7.50), including reputable hot and sour and onion egg drop versions. The vegetarian seaweed soup ($6.50) is a light, tasty broth awash in thin strips of dark green sea vegetable with egg and soft tofu cubes. We especially liked the soothing chicken and corn and shredded duck with mushroom.

I think the Imperial does duck in its myriad forms as well as any eatery in town, starting with the impeccable, crisp-skinned Peking duck ($29.50).For a smaller taste of quack, I like the cool Peking duck spring roll ($3.95), which wraps fatty bird tidbits with lettuce and veggies for dipping in a Hoisin-type sauce. Everybody also loved the tender, soy-infused Shanghai braised boneless duck ($15.25) with shiitake mushrooms and a rainbow of vegetables.

The Imperial's make-everyone-happy starter roster ranges from run-of-the-mill egg rolls ($3.80) and ho-hum crabmeat cheese won tons ($5.25) to decent but unmemorable coconut shrimp ($4.75). We also weren't excited by the rubbery, inch-long snippets of barbecue baby-back ribs ($5.95).If you skip the usual suspects, however, you uncover treasures like the truly exceptional tempura soft-shell crabs ($13.25). The crispy, sweet, hot-from-the-oil crabs arrived atop a lettuce salad and a crispy, baked won-ton sheet.

Another appetizer winner that would appeal to even conservative eaters is the dim sum sampler ($9.50). The craveable assortment features fresh house-made shrimp and chicken shao mai, translucent shrimp dumplings and pretty, green vegetable dumplings. (If you want the full-blast weekend dim sum - or Chinese brunch - visit Hsu's other restaurant, the Palace, 6265 E. Evans Ave.)

The same truth is evident among the entrees. Yes, you can enjoy perfectly acceptable Szechuan chicken ($9.95) and Cantonese chow mein ($8.95) served here. What elevates the Imperial above dozens of other neighborhood Chinese eateries, however, are the well-prepared, beautifully presented signature dishes.

For instance, we waxed poetic about the scintillating Chilean sea bass in black bean sauce ($18.95). The barely battered bass slices were counterpointed by one of my favorite Chinese flavors, earthy fermented black bean. The sauced fish with veggies were presented prettily in a cabbage-leaf bowl.

"Man, that was good!" was the critique all around the table for this ideal flavor match.

Traditional, comfy walnut prawns ($14.50), often called "wedding shrimp," could easily become as popular as sesame chicken if more people tasted it. The change-of-pace main dish combines shrimp and fresh pineapple chunks with citrus-accented mayonnaise sauce and a smattering of candied walnuts.

Other recommended signature dishes include steamed whole striped bass ($19.95), seafood bird's nest ($16.75) in a fried potato basket, Thai basil salmon ($13.75) and rack of lamb ($16.75) glazed with Hunan barbecue sauce.

Highlights among the noodle dishes are the wide chow fun noodles with bok choy and mushrooms ($9.75) in a rich brown gravy and the salad-like cold noodles with chili sesame sauce ($5.25) with cucumber and pea pods.

The Nanking pork loin ($10.95; $8.75) was a mixed blessing. We liked the brown, barbecue-like sauce, with its hints of smoke, sweet and tart, but the meat itself was extremely chewy.

As has always been the case, the service from the experienced, black- and-white-attired servers is dependably good. That smooth treatment is one reason that the eatery hosts an endless procession of big family gatherings.

Regular readers know how much I love Denver's regional Chinese eateries tucked away in strip malls where I beg to order, sometimes with hand signals, from the secret menu featuring exotic ingredients like sea cucumber, duck's feet, frog and unfamiliar greens. It's always an adventure. The Imperial, where chopsticks aren't provided unless requested, satisfies an equal but separate need for familiarity and consistency.

As I tally the weekly openings and closings of local restaurants, I'm glad there are places like Johnny Hsu's to which we can go home for dinner.

Imperial Chinese Restaurant

• Hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday; until 10:30 p.m. Friday; noon to 10:30 p.m. Saturday; 4 to 10 p.m. Sunday

• How much: $2-$13.25 starters; $7.95-$29.50 entrees; $7.95-$9.75 lunch

• How loud: moderate

• Reservations: yes

• Information: 303-698-2800, www.imperialchinese.com

John Lehndorff is the dining critic; lehndorffj@rockymountainnews.com or 303-892-5103

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