Hee Win Lai?

[phungi]

I am coming to town from Philly for a Board meeting, and someone planned a group dinner at Hee Win Lai restaurant in Chinatown, 32-30 Pell St. I can't find anything in terms of on-line reviews or even listings, and fear I may be eating kung pao kitty.

With all the fantastic dining options, I am not sure why anyone would plan a dinner in an unknown venue in Chinatown. Is anyone familiar with this locale, or am I better off heading to Brother Jimmy's on my own tab?

[Pan]

I haven't been there, but if I were you, I'd just go and try it. Otherwise, would you be able to live with the curiosity of not knowing how it would have been? (And let's not joke about American Chinese restaurants serving cat, please.)

[Gastro888]

I've been to Hay Wun Loy - it's decent, not bad. You'll have a solid meal. If you want to venture out on your own dime, go for it. Otherwise, try something new.

Kitty jokes aren't funny and they just reinforce the ignorant stereotype of Chinese restaurants/people. I don't know where or how the stupid jokes started. Hell, I'm sure you'd find something weird if you go check out any non-Chinese restaurant in this country - like there's nothing funny in the meatloaf, right?

[phungi]

I've been to Hay Wun Loy - it's decent, not bad.  You'll have a solid meal.  If you want to venture out on your own dime, go for it.  Otherwise, try something new.

Kitty jokes aren't funny and they just reinforce the ignorant stereotype of Chinese restaurants/people.  I don't know where or how the stupid jokes started.  Hell, I'm sure you'd find something weird if you go check out any non-Chinese restaurant in this country - like there's nothing funny in the meatloaf, right?

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Thanks to you both for the quick feedback and the correct spelling. It was presented to me as a "place owned by a friend or a friend" and while it still lacks the luster of NYC fine dining, it is nice to know that it has been visited, reviewed, and listed on the web (is eGulleted a verb?).

Also, thanks for the honest and direct feedback about what I intended to be a joke. I never thought or meant it to be disparaging, but perhaps I simply didn't think, period.

[Gastro888]

As for the correct spelling, I honestly don't know if I have it correct. But it's somewhat close, I suppose. The restaurant itself is nothing spectacular to look at - it's your stock Chinese restaurant that's been around forever and a day. The interior needs a redo and it a little grungy but nothing like Mei Lai Wah (You must go there for the buns. Baked roast pork buns to die for. God, I wished I lived in NYC's CT!)

My NYC familiy looooves to dim sum there. Personally, it's better than anything down here in DC/MD/VA. HOWEVER, if you compare it to NYC's food, it's a'rite dim sum - their chowed dishes are good. I would make it a point to go to a bakery or a teahouse afterwards to have dessert. Yum.

Now if you are going as a friend of a friend of the owner you MAY get better treatment or dishes. This is a good thing - two nights ago I went to a restaurant that had my father's employee's husband as a head chef (I know...but this is how things work in the Asian community) and we had some GREAT food, things that weren't on the menu. This may happen to you, it may not. (Hey, we know the owners of a bunch of restaurants here and sometimes we get expedited seating or sometimes we get free tea...it all depends on the relationship)

In regards to the joke, thanks for making it clear where you were coming from and being open minded enough to receive our feedback.

[phungi]

Now if you are going as a friend of a friend of the owner you MAY get better treatment or dishes. 

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WOW! We had a group of 24 or so, packed in to two tables. We had a specially prepared banquet-style 10-course meal which was considered "table-style" in that the platters were prepared for a table (or 10 or so). Giant plates of Pork, Chicken, Beef, Duck, Flounder, some kind of foul (with the heads), Shrimp, and a large platter of absolutely delicious cantonese Lobster... I wish I thought to take pictures of every course. The cost was about $600 or so per table, which amounted to 50-ish per person, although it was picked up by the organization (we were all in town for a Board meeting). I specifically asked our "contact" if this was available to the general public and he said you have to order the special banquet style meal for the table. BYOB was a nice plus.

Whew, I need a nap!

[Gastro888]

See, what was there to be afraid of?

I'll do my best to refrain from smirking and doing the "I told you so" dance.

Glad to hear you had a good meal. As for the foul with the head on it, you probably had goose if it was big or squab or quail if it was small. Sounds like you had a very decent meal. For $50 a head, what you had was reasonable. FYI, you can go to most large Chinese restaurants and order a banquet menu like what you had - the restaurant will work with you to design a menu or you can use a preset menu. You must have a minimum of 10 people (ie, one "table") in order to do so.

[phungi]

See, what was there to be afraid of? 

I'll do my best to refrain from smirking and doing the "I told you so" dance. 

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Nah, it's ok, smirk away and do the dance (and please post photos)! It was not only a good eating experience, but I also got to know some folks in the NYC eGullet forum.

Btw the fowl was squab and tasted like ground beef cooked without draining the grease. It was served on small circles of iceberg lettuce folded over to make squab/lettuce tacos.

Finding the place was not easy, and I still question the decision to take 24 people from 53rd & 7th to Mott and Pell for a 6:30 reservation on a Friday evening, but a fun time was had by all.

[Gastro888]

Squab tacos? Huh, interesting. I prefer mine fried with lemon slices and Szchuan peppercorn/salt to dip in.

Yes, the restaurant is rather tucked away on Pell but at least you weren't on the UWS trying to get to CT. And the food was worth the hassle, eh?

Too bad you didn't have a couple more people - if you had a number closer to 30 you would've gotten 3 tables instead of 2 - more food to enjoy!

[Pan]

[...]It was not only a good eating experience, but I also got to know some folks in the NYC eGullet forum.[...]

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I'm glad you had fun, and don't hesitate to PM for directions next time.

[nitpicking mode]Just one little point: eGullet forums are for all members and don't belong to any locality. This forum is for the discussion of New York-related food topics, not for the exclusive use of New York or New York-area members, and we New Yorkers don't own or belong to the forum. So you met New York eGullet Society members, not folks in the New York Forum. [/nitpicking mode]