Chinese UWS

[mikeyrad]

Hey, no one said Jews eat good Chinese food!

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Actually, in the movie My Favorite Year, the lead character Benjie Stone says, "Katherine, Jews know two things: suffering and where to find great Chinese food."

There is also a link in eGullet regarding Jews and Chinese Food.

[jgould]

Saigon grill is really good and that seems to be my go to.. In terms of Shun Lee palace, I am not a fan.. Really boring stuff.

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that's classic i assume you are referring to shun lee west on W 65th?

shun lee WEST, not the awful shun lee PALACE on the eastside, may be the best chinese restaurant in the city, & to characterize as boring signifies a lack of familiarity with the varied number of interesting selections on their menu ranging from mild-to-spicy; or using another criteria - every nite, 7 nites a week, 4 weeks a month, 12 months a year, year-after-year; shun lee has a filled restaurant with both regulars, & newcomers who ALL seem to turn into regulars. to even compare with saigon grill is particularly odd, these 2 are not in the same chinese ballpark. additionally, the much EG- touted grand sichian is very good, but not in the same league as shun lee west!

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Jesus christ! I am assuming you like this place. You are right i am mistaken, I had only been to the Sun Lee cafe, the attachment to Shun Lee. At this place i had the dim sum, and found the dim sum to be very boring and overpriced. However, it is too far get delivery to my girls place.. Also in terms of the menu at shun lee i really dont like that type of stuffy chinese food. Something i never find in china. Would you compare the type of cuisine close to the food at mr chow or chin chin? Cause i hate both those places.

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your assumption is correct. as a matter-of-fact, went to shun WEST again, sat nite at 8:30, packed as usual. &, i must say, another excellent meal. they are expensive, but i've given up my rantings about overpriced wine lists & overpriced food. why? because nobody listens & everybody allows these practices to continue, see how everyone flocks. only until these places lose business based on their prices, will this concept sink in, but ny'ers seem price oblivious, & allow these practices to continue. this, btw, is not meant as a criticism of SLW, but a general observation. SLW's prices would have to be compared to comparable upscale restaurants, & in this regard, their prices would be no better, or no worse.

as an observation for you, SLW is NOT STUFFY; & as to the cafe, haven't been in quite a while, prefer the restaurant; however, i do recall "WE" enjoyed the cafe for what it is, & did not find it boring. not sure what your criteria is when looking for chinese, but as u say " shun lee is too far for delivery for u"; shanghai is too far for me

lastly, & i assume u may find odd, but i never liked chin chin's food which i thought vastly overrated; & mr. chow's too pretentious (for me).

Edited November 29, 2004 by jgould (log)

[mikeyrad]

Whats that Cuban Chinese place in the 80's? I love that place. Not Ollies.

EDIT: La Caridad on 78th street.

I discuss my first time going there here:

http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showto...ndpost&p=387246

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Just went to La Caridad last Tuesday after our completing our Thanksgiving shopping at Fairway. I had roast pork egg foo young. They still serve great "bad-Chinese food" (retro, Chinese-American, etc.). That's a compliment.

[emmapeel]

I have not had decent Chinese on the UWS for 10 years except Shun Lee West. I also like Tse Yang, but it's in Midtown. One ordinary Chinese restaurant which I think is worthy of a meal and you won't throw it in the garbage is on Third Avenue and 82nd Street. I recommend Our Place. I know it is UES, but a walk across the park is good for you.

As for why Chinese on the UWS is so bad I have an opinion. It may be because most people will eat anything and either don't know any better or care. I once ordered Prawns from Empire Schezwan at Broadway and 97th. When I got home, I discovered the prawns smelled and were not deveined. I called them and told them to come and pick them up and replace the meal. They did and this time, they brought only the prawns, cleaned, but not the vegetables, as if I were going to combine everything in my own wok. I called again and this time I told them "pick up the food and bring me the money".

They brought me the most beautiful, nuclear sized prawns, (the others were puny) and they were so fresh, that I was amazed that they thought I would eat that other crap. This time the meal was carefully prepared and I must say it was exceptional. But I still don't order from them. I don't have time to argue and convince a restaurant to fulfill it's obligation.