Good Chinese near Basking Ridge

[Laksa]

What are some good Chinese (preferably non-American Chinese ) restaurants near Basking Ridge? I did a search here and found Noodle Chu which is about 15 miles away. Does anyone know of any others that are closer?

Failing that, what other restaurants would you recommend? Thanks so much.

[Helena Robinson]

What are some good Chinese (preferably non-American Chinese  ) restaurants near Basking Ridge?  I did a search here and found Noodle Chu which is about 15 miles away.  Does anyone know of any others that are closer?

Failing that, what other restaurants would you recommend?  Thanks so much.

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One place to consider is Ling Ling Riverwalk in the Riverwalk strip mall across the street from the Somerset Hills hotel in Martinsville. Take Exit 33 off Rt. 78 to get there. Or, if you're already in Basking Ridge, you can take Mt. Airy Road, which (if I recall correctly) turns into Martinsville Road.

Although the place looks nice, has an interesting menu and has received some good reviews, our one experience there was a disappointment. We were pretty much ignored while the head servers were busy catering to those who (to us) appeared to be regulars. On top of that, they messed up our orders after a wait that seemed longer than it should've been. I'm afraid I've put the experience too far in the back of my memory to recall what we had. We MIGHT give this place another try sometime in the future, but it's not on the priority list yet.

Others may have a better experience to report.

[Rosie]

If you are willing to drive to Noodle Chu you might as well go to Hunan Cottage in Fairfield. Ask for the Chinese menu.

[Curlz]

If you're in Basking Ridge, you really need to try Thai Thai on Valley Road in Sterling! Haven't had a bad meal there yet, and it is definitely the top choice of two different friends who live out that way. Easy to get to from Basking Ridge, too!

[skinsey123]

Or for a slightly different twist, you could also try Shanghai Jazz in Madison, NJ. I suspect there's lots of commentary about the restaurant in this forum, but decent, slightly upscale Chinese food, in a great atmosphere with live jazz. They will get a range of performers, from local musicians, to well known performers stopping over in Madison between NYC and Philly, or whatever (The higher end performers will usually coincide with a price fixe menu plus alcohol). They usually have 2 seatings per night, so you have to call ahead. We've enjoyed going there a number of times, and have always had a good time.

[birder53]

I'll second the recommendation for Thai Thai in Sterling, even though it doesn't meet the Chinese food requirement. I haven't been to Ling Ling but my neighbors did and had nothing good to say about it. Our local Chinese restaurant, Hunan Taste in Warren, was our favorite for almost 20 years. Our last two visits there were awful, extremely slow service and bad food. We haven't been back and haven't found a replacement. It's amazing that with the number of Chinese restaurants in this area that I can't recommend one to you - or me!

[BryanZ]

I'm going to defend Ling Ling and say it's the best and most elegant Chinese around (although that's not saying that much). Service can be spotty but the flavors are clean and not bogged down like too many American-Chinese restaurants. And yes, Thai Thai, albeit the fact that it's not Chinese, is quite good. Portions aren't huge but it's the kind of place where you can order a lot, share plates, and not spend that much. Tell them it's your birthday, you'll enjoy it.