Each Tuesday the Register reviews an area restaurant, with an emphasis on establishments where a couple can dine for $30 or less. Reader suggestions are welcomed.

Napa Premium Outlets is a shopping destination devoted exclusively to name brands. Timberland, Bose and Liz Claiborne sell their wares here.

It would follow that the outlet's food court would feature a collection of national restaurants offering up their trademarked burgers and cinnamon treats.

Not so. The food court is basically a mom and pop operation, featuring three operators with a fourth to be named later.

One of the food court anchors is Hunan China Express, with a steam table of prepared foods offering the fastest possible dining.

But there is more to Hunan China Express than meets the eye. For those willing to wait a few extra minutes, the restaurant will prepare other menu items expressly for you.

We arrived at the start of a weekday noon hour. Sun lit up the cheerfully decorated food court which had just a scattering of diners.

The food line at Hunan China Express was neat and presentable. The dishes appeared fresh and delectable. It did not have that tired salad bar look.

A moment's perusal revealed that there were considerably more items on the menu board than displayed before us. Hunan China Express, it turned out, has a cook lurking behind the scenes ready to execute orders on the spot.

My companion scanned the buffet line and ordered the cashew chicken, which included either pork fried rice or chicken chow mein. She opted for white rice.

I chose Mongolian beef, a special-order item described as "hot and spicy." For my side, pork fried rice.

Each of our luncheon specials cost $5.75, a considerable savings over ordering a la carte at dinner.

During the few minutes that it took us to assemble utensils and pick a table, my Mongolian beef had been sizzled in a wok and was available for pickup at the register.

I'd like to say that my dish, by virtue of its fresh preparation, was far superior to the cashew chicken which had been languishing on the steam table, but this was not the case.

Mine may have been slightly hotter, but the cashew chicken was its flavor equal.

But for one gristly chunk, the beef slices were tender and, thanks to the hot bean sauce, extremely spicy. The broccoli, carrots, cabbage and zucchini were all fresh. They had not been over-cooked and retained their natural color.

My companion's chicken dish featured dark meat, with zucchini, celery and water chestnuts. Crisp-roasted cashews created flavor bursts with every bite.

For our $5.75, we received a lot of lunch, making Hunan China Express a good value. Since this is cafeteria style, tipping is optional.

If there was a casualty from sitting on a steam line, it may have been my pork fried rice. Many of the peas were shriveled. The rice had bits of pork, carrot and egg, but there wasn't much flavor.

Overall, lunch was a pleasant affair. The food court is a charming space, with better aesthetics that you would expect. The tables and floor were exceptionally clean. Pleasing oldies rock is piped in.

As you would expect, most of the dinners are shoppers who are fortifying themselves before plunging back into the fray. At Hunan China Express, the service is so quick that a pit stop need not take more than 30 minutes, tops.

Hunan China Express is located at the southeast corner of Napa Premium Outlets on Freeway Drive, south of First Street.

Hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday, from 10 to 6 on Sundays.

Readers with tips about interesting places to eat should e-mail diningout@napanews.com