Driving on Route 1 is an adventure. While dodging traffic, you can be distracted by the scenery. An orange dinosaur, a replica of the Leaning Tower of Pisa, and plastic cows appear on the southbound side of the road. But on the northbound side, a bit set back from the road, is a huge wooden figure from the Far East. This marks the entrance of Kowloon, another of the mega-restaurants of Route 1.

In their heyday ---- before the rise of the Golden Archers ---- these restaurants were known for delivering quality to large groups in large quantities. As the years progressed, many of them began to short on the quality, or the delivery, but never on the quantity. That kept the crowds lining up at their doors.

We recently took a trip to Kowloon and were in for a most pleasant surprise. There was quality, there was quantity, and there was delivery!

Let me start with the decor, though. The outside is a mere hint of the inside: fountains spurting colored water, a mural of a volcano somewhat reminiscent of a lava lamp, and bamboo everywhere you look.

Now for the delivery. From the minute you walk in, the service is equal to the best restaurants in the largest cities. In fact better ---- because there are no condescending wine stewards of haughty head waiters.

Here are host and hostesses who can almost read minds. They know from experience that the kids want to be seated adjacent to the fountain. The waiter sees you looking at a certain part of the menu and nonchalantly starts a conversation about the dishes listed there. Ashtrays are whisked away from tables where there is no interest in lighting up, water glasses are refilled as if by magic, extra plates are offered when the next course is delivered.

Now for the quantity. In a word, enormous. As expected in an Oriental palace like this one, the menu is pages and pages long. In addition to mainstream Chinese-American cooking, there's an extensive Szechuan menu and the added delight of a Thai menu. (Of course, if you want the total treatment, there is a Thai section of the restaurant ---- not at all loud an flashy like the main dining room, but reserved and refined.)

So how about the quality? This is the test of whether a restaurant will bear the repeat business, and Kowloon passed with flying colors.

Let me start with our appetizers. We sampled the Peking ravioli ($4.75). These are by far the best I've ever had ---- and this is my favorite dish; I've sampled them everywhere. Friend golden brown, they had just enough filling, were evenly spiced, and had a nicely textured (not gummy) dough.

We also tried an appetizer platter ($13.50). These goodies hadn't been sitting in a vat of oil all day. There were light, crisp and delicious. The winner was the egg roll, but the spareribs were a close second.

Right now, Kowloon is in the middle of a promotion called "Lobsterfest "92", and we fell under its spell. There were eight different presentations to choose from, the first being twin boiled lobsters for the unadventurous. But the others were steamed in scallion and ginger, or spicy tomato sauce, or black bean sauce, and more. Two whole lobsters ($12.95).

We tried the Szechuan style. They were heaped high on the platter in a sauce made with sliced ginger and scallions. All the hard work of getting meat from the shells had been done in the kitchen, and all we needed was a lobster fork for the last little push. Although it had been described as spicy, the sauce was very mainstream ---- in other words, not much heat. But if you like lobster, and very slightly spicy food, this could be a hit.

With this we tried the pan-fried noodles, which were light and nicely browned. They would have been a perfect foil for a really hot dish. They were nice with this one.

In a rush to catch a late show, we presented our plastic to run out the door. Our waiter not missing a step, would not let us leave without our fortune cookies. He insisted we carry them along.

A nice meal. A good take, as they say. But this is a restaurant that certainly goes beyond its glitzy facade and provides good quality, service and quantity at a very decent price.