At first glance, the façade of Eastern Legend, a fledging family-run joint located a few blocks west of Bathurst on the south side of Dundas, doesn’t inspire confidence. It’s not that the place looks dumpy. There’s just something about the ’70s-era style, arched-glass-enclosed dining room that says more “Dip ’N’ Sip donuts” than “funky Asian bistro.”

The paper take-out menu taped inside the front window, sporting more than three times as many items as the place has seats, does nothing to allay any concerns. As many a food pundit has said, given how much volume a tiny shop is doing, just how fresh can one expect the scallops in item #901 to be? In this instance, item #901 is Three Kind Seafood with XO Sauce ($13.95), and the answer is simple: plenty fresh and plenty delicious to boot.

A home-made XO sauce — made from dried shrimp, spicy peppers and a few other secret ingredients — is worthy of the two-pepper rating appearing beside it on the menu, providing a spicy jump-up to a generous mound of thinly sliced, melt-in-your mouth scallops, tenderly seared squid and plump, juicy shrimp. While this dish alone is worth the streetcar ride over from the east end, it certainly isn’t the only thing worth travelling for.

The dumplings, for example, made off-site by staff of the former occupant Yu Shan Dumpling Cuisine, are stellar. The pan-fried pork and chive version ($6.99 for eight) wins best-in-show at our table, each morsel a combination of crispy heaven and sweet doughy goodness wrapped around a ball of pink, lightly seasoned ground meat. The steamed chicken bites ($6.50 for 12/$10.50 for 24) are slightly less impressive, a little loose in the wrapper and coming in a thin puddle of starchy cooking water. But they’re still tasty, with a good ginger-scallion kick that works well with the chunky chili sauce provided for dipping.

The green-onion pancake ($2.75) is also well-executed, its golden-brown mottled surface an aesthetically pleasing study in fried tastiness. And a stack of sautéed green onion stuffed beef rolls ($4.95) slathered in a rich and peppery glaze keeps the parade of delectable delights marching in the right direction.

The procession hits its first snag with the beef short ribs in spicy honey sauce ($8.95), the soy-laced sauce quite salty enough on its own without the addition of seasoning on the grill. And while the mega-sized plate of braised eggplant ($7.95) has my taste buds dancing a jig, vegetarians may be surprised to find nifty morsels of pork and shrimp nestled amongst their delicate chunks of Asian aubergine. This, our server enlightens us, is how the dish is traditionally prepared in China.

Herbivores can rest assured when ordering the fried noodles with vegetables ($7.75), however, a crunchy nest of wok-fried noodles that comes loaded with broccoli, mushrooms, baby bok choy and carrots in a refreshingly thin, corn-starch light sauce (with no surprise meat).

OK, so the food is good, and, in many cases outright exceptional. But what about that pesky urge to order a double-double inspired by first visual contact? It melts away pretty much the instant one walks through the doors and encounters a surprisingly roomy interior, with the ceiling rising two stories at its highest point. And to tell you the truth, with grub this good and cheap (four-course dinner combos start as low as $10.50), it could be served out of Borat’s bedroom and I’d still be happy. The friendly service and cozy atmosphere? They’re just bonuses.

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