CRITIC’S NOTE: Before I get to Jasmine Cafe, a lovely little Chinese spot in the northeast corner of town, I have some star business to take care of. The star ratings The Gazette gives restaurants each week are way out of whack, suffering from inflation, and at risk of becoming meaningless.

It’s my own fault. In an attempt to be nice (yes, it’s a trait even food critics possess), I have too often given one star too many out of fear of giving one star too few. Because I did not strictly define what our rating system when I started this gig in 2007, I’ve fallen victim to star creep, which means too many restaurants end up with four stars and too few with one.

It is time for a do-over. So, here are the new guidelines for The Gazette dining stars.

No stars: Not recommended. Opt for a gas station hot dog before dining here.

One star: Undistinguished. Expect typical food, a lack of fresh ingredients and ambience, and somewhat amateur service.

Two stars: Not bad. The setting is clean and pleasant, service is dependable, and there are at least one or two recommendable things on the menu.

Three stars: A sure bet. The menu is solid and has a few unique, fun offerings, the prices are fair, the setting is enjoyable and service is professional. Any major inconsistencies on review visits will disqualify a restaurant.

Four stars: Best of breed. The top one or two of the class, whether it be a steakhouse or a souvlaki stand. A local favorite with unique dishes, fresh preparation, inviting décor and near-perfect service.

Five stars: Visionary. A restaurant that not only does everything expected, but offers the unexpected and makes a innovative contribution to the local dining scene.

OK. Now, for Jasmine Cafe. It’s a cute, bright little place on Powers Boulevard whose Imperial-red walls and comfy booths offer more than the normal Chinese take-out joint.

The menu is mostly saucy standards, such as moo shu chicken and beef with broccoli, with a few unusual additions such as pad Thai and crispy roasted duck. But like the dining room, the standards have more than their share of pleasant surprises. Vegetables stand out in almost every dish, tossed just barely in the wok so they still have a firm freshness. Seasoning is just right — a good mix that is never cloyingly sweet or drastically sour. And everything fried, whether egg rolls or sesame chicken, comes out crisp and not the slightest bit greasy.

It’s just Chinese take-out, no surprises, but it is very good Chinese take-out. This should be the go-to spot for everyone in the neighborhood.

The delightful dishes are all thanks to chef and owner David Bang, who has run four restaurants in the region, most recently Jasmine Garden in Monument. Bang has built a following everywhere he goes, and says that when a restaurant gets too busy, he moves on to a new one.

Who knows if the story is true. It is suspiciously similar to the tale of Peter Chang, a constantly moving Szechuan master on the East Coast who was the subject of a New Yorker profile last spring. But who cares, the food is good. Enjoy it while you can.

Perhaps the best surprise on the menu was the beef pad Thai (8.75) — a very Szechuan version of a Thai favorite. Here, the traditional flat rice noodles are stir-fried in a brick-red sauce, swimming with mild ground chilies but with no detectable fish sauce. It’s dusted with chopped peanuts and sprouts and loaded with tender strips of beef sautéed in black pepper.The result is hot, sweet, sour and thoroughly satisfying.

More traditional American-Chinese dishes hit their mark, too. Sweet and sour chicken, in its cherry-red sauce, offered tender, white meat cloaked in smooth, crispy breading. General Tso’s chicken is more crunchy, in a sauce that is sweet and hot without being gooey. Both are generously mingled with carrots, green pepper and slices of bok choi. And both can be had with soup (go for the good hot and sour), rice and an eggroll at lunch for around $5 — a phenomenal deal. At dinner they are closer to $9.

Kung Pau shrimp ($9.25) showed the same care in crafting. A small dice of water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, celery, carrots and zucchini swim with decent, tender shrimp in a spicy brown sauce that has not been over-thickened with cornstarch.

Little here has been over-thickened. Even the sauce served with a teriyaki appetizer ($5.25) was thin — suggesting the kitchen uses traditional mirin instead of corn syrup as sweetener.Crispy duck is the right choice for something different. This common Chinese favorite is rare on local menus. The whole duck is rubbed with fragrant five-spice and roasted until the thick, rich skin is the color of cinnamon. Then the duck is halved and brusquely chopped, bones and all, into strips and served with rice and duck sauce. The result is moist, delicious, and unabashedly fatty. Its sure to win you over.

Service is quick and friendly. Bang’s wife helps with the front of the house.

Maybe they will get comfortable at his new address and stick around awhile.

JASMINE CAFE3 STARS out of 5(An A for textbook Chinese)Address: 6064 Stetson Hills Blvd.Phone: 591-9898Hours: 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays, 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Fridays and SaturdaysEntrees: $5-$13Vegetarian: YesAlcohol: NoCredit cards: Yes

Imade Robyana, left, and Xiuzhen Xu show dinner portions of Jasmine Cafe’s orange chicken and combination noodle soup. The restaurant, in the Market Place Shopping Center off Powers Boulevard, also offers lunch specials. Photo by CHRISTIAN MURDOCK, THE GAZETTE