Fuleen

[Pan]

After seeing a fabulous concert of the Hilliard Ensemble at Washington Irving High School, mascarpone and I walked down to Chinatown and visited Fuleen Seafood Restaurant for the first time (for both of us).

We had an excellent meal.

A woman who seemed to be a manager (she was not a waitress) and was quite fluent in English came over to our table to talk to us about the specials and answer any questions we had. When we asked her about the Special Crispy Black Jelly Fish ($10.95), a cold dish, she explained that the jellyfish is not fried but is naturally crispy (i.e., chewy) in texture.

When the waitress brought the dish to us, she was really doubtful that we'd like it. We did, very much. It was pleasantly chewy but not difficult to eat, was accompanied by sweet pickled cucumber slices and some fresh cilantro, and had a little sesame oil and some sesame seeds on it. We were given a dipping sauce that went terrifically with the dish. I do not know all of what was in the dipping sauce, but clearly, there was some vinegar and some salt; I know there were other things in it, though.

Next in order of appearance was Shredded Squid Chili Style ($8.95), listed on the menu as an appetizer. It was in fact a full plate, but had the character of an appetizer because the squid tentacles were breaded and deep fried like French fries. The dish was too oily and salty for us to finish a whole plate of it, but would be better as an appetizer shared between four or more people. It included little bacon strips (I think), chopped scallions, crispy rice noodles, and some fresh ginger, but the jalapenos clearly in evidence in the photo of the dish on the menu were almost completely absent. So overall, this is the closest to a failure of anything we had, but it still had some merit.

We then got a special: razor clams in black bean sauce ($11.95, IIRC). These were wonderful!!!! Delicious clams, excellent texture, and the black bean sauce was not the typical black bean sauce but must have included some kind of high-quality special soy sauce or/and good stock of some kind, I guess.

We found the service quite good. The total bill came to $46 for two, including a deservedly generous tip.

I think this would be a great place for an eGullet banquet one of these days.

Fuleen Seafood Restaurant

11 Division St. (right off Bowery)

New York, NY 10002

Tel: (212) 941-6888

[Pan]

Anyone want to comment about your experiences at Fuleen? I know that some of you have been there before.

[ahr]

I recall going to Fuleen several years ago with some friends and greatly enjoying their preparation of various kinds of seafood featured live in the window. The reason I never returned, perhaps unfairly, was the pervasive odor of cat in the dining room. (Just to be clear, that's cat as in litter box, not cat as in entrée.)

I trust that you didn't encounter this problem.

[markk]

Anyone want to comment about your experiences at Fuleen? I know that some of you have been there before.

I've eaten there three (possibly four) times in recent months. My first visit was superb, like yours was, and so were my next one or two. The woman you describe is Dorina, the owner's daughter, and she makes the excellent food all the more enjoyable with her expertise and willingness to share it.

The last time I went the food was disappointing and lackluster. I guess it was an off night, and of course almost all restaurants have them. This was the first time I'd tried the lobster there, and it was a major disappointment, as were the other dishes that night. This shouln't be a reason not to have returned, but for whatever reason, I haven't been back there since - and I think that the reason is probably that there are just too many other restaurants to try when this happens.

The things I've had there that have been outstanding are a few live steamed fish, one more exquisite than the next, and a magnificent large blue crab with rice noodle bundles and an all around spectacular presentation, not to mention some outstandingly good oysters, some truly impressive scallops, and some exceptionally good pan-fried noodles with luscious seafood.

Well, I may have just talked myself into going back another time.

[Pan]

I recall going to Fuleen several years ago with some friends and greatly enjoying their preparation of various kinds of seafood featured live in the window. The reason I never returned, perhaps unfairly, was the pervasive odor of cat in the dining room. (Just to be clear, that's cat as in litter box, not cat as in entrée.)

I trust that you didn't encounter this problem.

No, definitely not! Cat shit smell at dinner? Gross! That's a valid reason for you not to return.

[ahr]

The, um, other one actually, like territory had been marked.

[Pan]

Oh, well that's OK then.

[Live It Up]

Soo...I notice no one has written about this place in a few years. I just went there for the first time last month despite the fact that I walk by it 3 times a week. My husband Josh and I wanted to take my youngest sister to have peking duck for a "thank you for working for us for free" dinner, but we didn't have time to call ahead. So I was poking around on menupages and noticed that not only does fuleen have peking duck on their regular menu and they're open til 4 am. That was the main thing, actually, 'cause we always get to restaurants in china town and find them closed. Anyway, we ordered a whole peking duck, chive blossoms w/ soy sauce and noodles with enoki mushrooms and dried scallops. I know, I know we didn't get any seafood, but truth be told, I don't really like many cantonese seafood preparations. Also, it was all about the duck, and as it was we had too much food. The duck itself was really good, but then I don't think I've ever had bad peking duck. They serve the skin with the squishy buns here, which I was worried I wouldn't like. I've only ever had the pancake one before, but the buns were really good. The skin also comes on a bed of pringles, which cracked my sister and me up to no end.

I don't think you supposed to eat them, but Josh sampled a few. Hmmm, do I sense a new potato chip flavor?

Actually, the pringles are the only reason we have any pictures of the food, because my sister thought it was so funny. Anyway, everything we had was really good, and our waitress was very nice (such a nice change of pace from XO and New Green Bo). She insisted on serving all our food for us since she was already preparing our duck skin sandwiches. The whole meal with a generous tip was about $65 IIRC (no beverages). Overall, I really enjoyed myself.