THE BEST: Chinese in Chinatown, any style

[Todd36]

...The kitchen was filthy - there was garbage all over and one man walked out of the bathroom without washing his hands and walked right back into the kitchen.

←

That is very serious...as is the rest of the story.

←

Historically, Fuleen has done poorly with the health inspector, according to the cities web site.

[Josh]

Have you tried the soup dumplings at Yeah and Joe's, by way of comparison? Overall, I think Yeah's are the best of that lot, though I had better at the banquet last year at China 46 in New Jersey.

←

For soup dumplings, I'd rank them in order: Joe's Shanghai --> Moon House --> New Green Bo --> Yeah Shanghai Deluxe.

Joe's dumplings rock. I've searched and searched for better, but I've mostly come up short. Moon House on Bayard Street, which I was introduced to recently and go to when I don't feel like dealing with the Joe's circus at busy times, is a close second, but I'm not impressed with the non-dumpling fare that I've eaten there.

New Green Bo's soup dumplings were my second choice before I found Moon House, but overall it's one of my favorite spots in c-town and unlike Joe's they offer veggie dumplings for the non-carnivorous among us.

Yeah Shanghai? The dumplings are tasty, but the skin's a bit tough, they are small, and the soup is "less soupy". Although I like their overall menu a lot and they have a pleasant back room with exposed brick, it's somehow migrated down my list to an also-ran. Yet I'd highly recommend it if someone asked, so go figure.

Edited to mention: btw, any desire that I had to check out Fuleen is now... gone.

Edited June 1, 2005 by Josh (log)

[Chris Amirault]

Had some fine Shanghai soup dumplings at (New) Green Bo, 66 Bayard St, this weekend: crab meat and pork, as well as "steamed tiny buns." Most excellent. I can't compare them to any other place here, but we were very happy. Their mixed meat and shrimp lo mein was also swell, and the two of us left having spent $20 including tip. Plenty left over for black sesame and red bean ice cream across the street at Chinatown Ice Cream Factory.

[markk]

...Plus when I went downstairs to the bathroom I got a look into the kitchen and what I saw disgusted me.

←

Coughy, don't look in any Chinese kitchens edit ...just don't look. (I know what you mean.)

Another edit: If they continue to pass inspection, it's probably fine, and as long as I don't see rats having a party, it just doesn't bother me.

←

Well, I've posted this story before, and I must tell it again...

The bathroom at Sun Lok Kee (on Mott St. in New York's Chinatown, before it moved to Flushing) - surely one of the most beloved restaurants in New York - was probably the most disgusting restaurant bathroom on earth. Filthy, dirty, disgusting.

I'm sure that the lady upthread [this was posted in a different thread originally] who made her family leave a Chinatown restaurant after seeing the bathroom would have found that one immculate compared to SLK's. Although that didn't keep me, or most people away, obviously. And I've run into Ed Koch eating there, for what it's worth, probably nothing.

Yet strangely enough, their kitchens and back-of-the-house, which I got to see twice, were immaculately clean.

After I had achieved "regular" status there, I commented on how strange it was for a place that specialized in such good seafood not to have tanks in the window as most places in Chinatown do. That prompted an invitation to come and see the tanks "downstairs" in what turned out to be a subterranean warren of rooms reached by a staircase at the back of the kitchen. And having seen their bathrooms, I was sure I didn't want to do this, truly afraid and anticipating just the worst sanitary nightmare imaginable.

But the kitchen and downstairs storage and tank areas were spotlessly clean. There was just nothing scary about the cleanliness of the kitchen, and in particular the various basement rooms with the fish tanks were as clean as could be - and in the many tanks, the glass was sparkling, and the water crystal clear! There were tank after tank of the various fish being offered, and some really gigantic lobster tanks. All as clean as you could ever hope to see!

It made us think that perhaps they kept the bathroom a pigsty for effect, honest.

I got a repeat invitation at their new Flushing location to tour the new donwnstairs tanks after dinner one night and went through their entire kitchen, and it was as clean as I could have hoped for as well.

[markk]

I was a great Sun Luck Kee fan before they moved to Flushing (after, too, for that matter).

Does anybody have any suggestions for Chinatown dining at night now? I've had mixed experiences at Fuleen, and mixed/disappointing experiences at NY Noodletown.

I would love some suggestions from Gulleteers for where to dine in Chinatown now (not looking for hot/spicy). THANKS.

[Alchemist]

I know it's not chinese, but Thai son (It's not Thai either but Vietnamese) on Baxter btw Canal and Bayard is great. #114 Pork chops with lettuce, mint (like build them yourself leafy tacos) And #91 carmalized pork are fantastic. I so miss Sun Loc Kee. I was at New Loc Kee in Flushing last week. The Canonese lobster, and salt and pepper scalops are as sublime as ever.

[weinoo]

I think Yeah Shanghai on Bayard has some of the best food in Chinatown - and if you venture a bit north of Chinatown, there's always Congee Village.

[Busboy]

Any updates? Anyone been to Funky Broom lately?

[raji]

I'd list price ranges - I mean, if you have a little to spend, Ping's Seafood is some of the best chinese food in Ctown.... if I have $9 to spend, I'd probably spend it at NY Noodletown. Congee Village is great in between there. And I'm not sure who is dim sum king - Dim Sum a Go Go?

[AzianBrewer]

I'd list price ranges -  I mean, if you have a little to spend, Ping's Seafood is some of the best chinese food in Ctown.... if I have $9 to spend, I'd probably spend it at NY Noodletown. Congee Village is great in between there. And I'm not sure who is dim sum king - Dim Sum a Go Go?

←

Good call Raji, Ping's is definitely one of the best Hong Kong style Cantonese restaurants in CTown. Their dungeness crab with fried garlic is highly recommended!

[raji]

I've had amazing meals there. Still dream about their pineapple fried rice and dim sum items, and ohhhh the seafood.....

It's funny, it's just a little bit off the map because it's not dirt cheap and they probably pay their help appropriately....

[raji]

And I don't dole out "amazings". In fact, I think I ended a relationship of my brothers by really getting into it about his girlfriend. She'd be like "this is an amazing cookie". Amazing this, amazing that. Can a cookie really truly be amazing? I didn't think so. She's a 'tard, kick her to the curb!

[Dryden]

We had some great dim sum (quite comparable to Dim Sum Go Go, although not as much of a selection) yesterday at Chatham Restaurant in Chatham Square. Their baked goods are also great (the coconut bao and dan ta, especially).

[Busboy]

I'd list price ranges -  I mean, if you have a little to spend, Ping's Seafood is some of the best chinese food in Ctown.... if I have $9 to spend, I'd probably spend it at NY Noodletown. Congee Village is great in between there. And I'm not sure who is dim sum king - Dim Sum a Go Go?

←

Generally speaking, price is no object (unless prices in Chinatown have escalated dramatically since my last visit). won't be doing dim sum, though. Like to have a long-ish feast as it is the last grand family dinner before my son heads off to college.

[Gastro888]

Prices haven't changed that much. Go to Oriental Garden or Ping's for a good meal. (Me, I like me some Ping's.) Congee Village on the Bowery is small but makes for a wonderful dinner. It's just not the greatest place for conversation.

It would be nice if you knew which place you wanted to go to so that could call beforehand and arrange for a banquet style dinner since your son is heading off to college. A few days, some C-notes & you'll have the makings for a good dinner.

Go to Tai Pan or Egg Custard King for egg tarts. I like Tai Pan's po-tat, which is Cantonese Portguese style egg custard. (That word doesn't look right) It's a perfect combo of egg, lard and sugar. Yeah, boy!

[raji]

The Congee Village on Allen is bigger and better.

Haven't been to Oriental Garden, but I know Ping's is significantly more expensive than other restaurants in the neighborhood, but as a result you get a well-known chef and really top notch specimens

[Nathan]

my recs:

Shanghai style: Shanghai Cafe (it's better than Yeah or New Green Bo)

Cantonese seafood: Oriental Garden (I need to check out Ping's)

general Cantonese: NY Noodletown

I don't have any faves for Fujanese or Formosan or dim sum...but I'd like to hear some.

[Gastro888]

The Congee Village on Allen is bigger and better.

Haven't been to Oriental Garden, but I know Ping's is significantly more expensive than other restaurants in the neighborhood, but as a result you get a well-known chef and really top notch specimens

←

It is bigger and the food's about the same as the one on the Bowery but didn't it get damaged in a fire recently? I thought it was shuttered. If not, then definitely go to the on on Allen b/c you'll be able to talk while you're eating. (And admire the oh-so kitchy bamboo decor.)

Ping's is great for seafood but (I hate to say this) the one in Elmhurst, Queens is far better than the one in the city. Don't get me wrong - Ping's in Manhattan is great. Go, you'll have a good time.

Taiwanese dim sum? Oh, I'd like to know as well. All I know is that XO Cafe in Manhattan does "ja mantou" (fried montaou) with the sweetened condensed milk on the side. Now the thing is - is the ja mantou lightly fried; is it fried whole or sliced then fried? Ah, the beauty of fried bread...

[weinoo]

It is bigger and the food's about the same as the one on the Bowery but didn't it get damaged in a fire recently?  I thought it was shuttered.  If not, then definitely go to the on on Allen b/c you'll be able to talk while you're eating.  (And admire the oh-so kitchy bamboo decor.)

Ping's is great for seafood but (I hate to say this) the one in Elmhurst, Queens is far better than the one in the city.  Don't get me wrong - Ping's in Manhattan is great.  Go, you'll have a good time.

Taiwanese dim sum?  Oh, I'd like to know as well.  All I know is that XO Cafe in Manhattan does "ja mantou" (fried montaou) with the sweetened condensed milk on the side.  Now the thing is - is the ja mantou lightly fried; is it fried whole or sliced then fried?  Ah, the beauty of fried bread...

←

Congee Village on Allen did have a kitchen fire (I think), but it has reopened. Quiet conversation might be pushing it, though, especially at prime time. Unless you're in one of the private rooms.

As far as Ping's, I've had a great meal or two when Ping was in the kitchen. But I don't know that he always is, and am wondering if the food suffers or comes out more "Americanized" when he's absent. Does he split his time among the various Ping's?

[AzianBrewer]

my recs:

Shanghai style: Shanghai Cafe (it's better than Yeah or New Green Bo)

Cantonese seafood: Oriental Garden (I need to check out Ping's)

general Cantonese: NY Noodletown

I don't have any faves for Fujanese or Formosan or dim sum...but I'd like to hear some.

←

Sun Luck 69 is one of the infamous hole (or dollar bills) in the wall place in CTown, cheap and fast.

NY Noodletown is pretty decent but I just can't stand the cashier! She's been my nightmare since 1984!

I don't know if there is any go Taiwanese place in CTown. I am not even sure if there are any good Taiwanese restaurants existing in NYC these days. The only decent Taiwanese joint I could think of is this place by Sheraton hotel in Flushing.

[AzianBrewer]

I've had amazing meals there. Still dream about their pineapple fried rice and dim sum items, and ohhhh the seafood.....

It's funny, it's just a little bit off the map because it's not dirt cheap and they probably pay their help appropriately....

←

The seafoods are fresh out of the tanks!

[Gastro888]

Congee Village on Allen did have a kitchen fire  (I think), but it has reopened. Quiet conversation might be pushing it, though, especially at prime time.  Unless you're in one of the private rooms.

As far as Ping's, I've had a great meal or two when Ping was in the kitchen.  But I don't know that he always is, and am wondering if the food suffers or comes out more "Americanized" when he's absent.  Does he split his time among the various Ping's?

←

Hey, it's Chinatown - where there's good food there's loud Chinese people. Your chances of good conversation are better at Allen than in the Bowery.

I don't know if Ping splits his time between the two restaurants. I wouldn't be surprised if he did and/or if the better chefs were out in Queens. It's sad but it seems all the good chefs are out here. Great for Queens but sad for the Manhattan folks and those tourists wanting to have a taste of good Chinese food.

[Busboy]

Related question: if we go to Congee Village (I'd like to do Ping's but the kids don't do fish) is it a mob scene all night Saturday night, or will showing up a little later than usual allow us to avoid the crush (and how late is that?). Also, no Sichuan or Hunan?

[weinoo]

Related question: if we go to Congee Village (I'd like to do Ping's but the kids don't do fish) is it a mob scene all night Saturday night, or will showing up a little later than usual allow us to avoid the crush (and how late is that?).  Also, no Sichuan or Hunan?

←

It's a mob scene - till pretty late...but you can try and make a reservation and see if that helps (I've used reservations there a couple of times, and they seem to work).

Hunan - I wish. Grand Sichuan Int'l. - everyone else can chime in on what their favorite branch is!

[Gastro888]

Mob scene. Especially on a Saturday. Try showing up for dinner around 6-6:30pm at the latest. I know that's painfully early...

I haven't heard of any Hunan places in Chinatown. That would be interesting.