Bill Hong's Restaurant

[Rachel Perlow]

varmint, try bill hongs on 56th st. ... THIS INFORMATION IS NOT FOR TOURISTS!!!!!! TOURIST PLEASE IGNORE. YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE,THE ONES THAT WILL TRAVEL 2 AND A HALF HOURS TO EAT WHITE HOUSE SUBS IN AC OR DRIVE TO ANOTHER CITY BECAUSE YOU HEARD ABOUT A CERTAIN BURMESE CHEF. THE REAL FOODIES NOT PHONIES.

We met new eGullet member Larrymorman at Saigon Republic a few weeks ago. There and on the Quintessential NYC Tourist Restaurants thread (quoted above) he highly recommended Bill Hong's as having exceptional old fashioned Cantonese food. Eggrolls with chunks of pork and shrimp, amazing shrimp with lobster sauce ($23.50), etc. Does anyone else have any experience with this place? I've been pining for a real eggroll for a while now, I'm so tired of ubiquitous take out eggroll. They're full of cabbage with just a little ground pork -- boring.

We definitely want to give it a try, just to see if Larry's raves are justified. What else should we order there? or not? The prices certainly aren't cheap, with lunch specials priced in the teens and egg rolls for $3.25 (their "famous" lobster roll is $28 for a small), so we definitely want to order like a regular.

Bill Hong's Restaurant (click link)

227 E 56th St, New York, NY 10022

Phone: (212) 751-4048

[Jinmyo]

Wow. Those prices are in American dollars.

[scamhi]

Been there only once and I wasn't paying. This place is one of those places designed for old school business lunches and dinners....Prices are high and food sucks.

[doggirl]

As a favorite of my grandparents, we've been going to Bill Hongs for over 10 years. I have to say it used to be a LOT better than it is these days. I think for the money it's really not worth it. That being said- they make great spare ribs, and the wonton soup is very good. Nothing surprising here, but steady. Just how grandma likes it!!

[jhlurie]

I worked across the street from Bill Hong's for over a year (and 3 blocks away for 3 years before that) and frankly the prices kept me far far away. It never seemed that busy either, but then again I rarely saw it during prime hours.

[eatpie]

I swung by for lunch today. Rachel, this is your spot for eggrolls. The shell is fried to a darkish brown color and still glistening with oil...so wrong, but so right. I don't think Bill Hong's will win any awards for cleanest frying oil but the added flavors actually enhanced every bite. Filled with tons of pork, shrimp and nice sized slivers of celery...the inside rocked.

Next, I had a decent wonton soup. Three thick pieces of decent pork, 4 or 5 above average wontons (filling was better than the noodle), and a slightly above average broth...but nothing to write home about.

Finally, I ordered their special Chicken Chow Mein. It think it was called Yang Sing or Hing ling, sing fing...something rhyming. It was the first of the Chow Mein's listed. It was pan fried lomein noodles, large chunks of excellent quality chicken, bamboo shoots, water chestnuts, snow pea pods, chinese broccoli, mushrooms, napa cabbage and bok choy.

It was perfectly executed.

Basically, this place is a underappreciated throwback to another generation. The room is incredible...retro-60's, the waiters are all in their 60's and 70's and they really take care of you. most importantly, the food is really well done. It may not be "authentic chinese" but something felt good about it.

Yes, the food is incredibly over priced (my meal was $27 with tip) but somehow i didn't feel ripped off. I felt like my grandmother (from the bronx) who passed a few years back was going to sit down next to me and share the meal.

[coughy]

I am so happy to hear your report. I have been searching for the tastes of my youth when every Sunday my family would eat Chinese food. It was pretty much the same thing every week - soup, egg rolls, spare ribs, shrimp with lobster sauce, roast pork fried rice, chow mein and a few others. I grew up in Brooklyn and we alternated between two restaurants. I am going to try Bill Hongs. Thanks.

[Jason Perlow]

Yes, the food is incredibly over priced (my meal was $27 with tip) but somehow i didn't feel ripped off.  I felt like my grandmother (from the bronx) who passed a few years back was going to sit down next to me and share the meal.

If a restaurant can give you that feeling, its definitely worth it. I'd pay good money to feel like that again.

[Keba]

I have not been there in a year but they have the best roast pork I have ever had. The ribs, and of course the egg rolls are excellent.

I was never impressed with the main courses but you could definitely make a meal out of the appetizers.

Keba