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Posted

I'm needing simple but good dinner around 8-9pmish on Friday in Midtown East.

I just found Grand Sichuan Eastern on the New York online restaurant search engine. I noticed it was a critic's pick and one of the magazine's 101 Best New York Restaurants 101. I have scoured the eGullet NY forum and found the restaurant mentioned here and there.

Soliciting for reviews, comments, commendations, disappointments, etc...

Thanks all!

u.e.

“Watermelon - it’s a good fruit. You eat, you drink, you wash your face.”

Italian tenor Enrico Caruso (1873-1921)

ulteriorepicure.com

My flickr account

ulteriorepicure@gmail.com

Posted

Hey UE,

Grand Sichuan Eastern is apart of the Grand Sichuan Intl group.. Seperate owners, but still has most of the same dishes.. I use to live by here and this was the one I frequented.. If you look for Grand Sichuan on this board you will find many posts about it.. Its a great place, enjoy your meal..

Posted

But I find the quality of the various "Grand Sichuans" to be wildly variable. Although I've never eaten in the one being asked about, I've eaten in the ones in Chinatown, near 34th St. on the East Side, on 25th St., and in Hell's Kitchen. I think the latter two are miles better than the former two. In fact, as much as I like the Hell's Kitchen and 25th St. locations, I would recommend avoiding the Chinatown and near-34th St. ones. They're not just "second best" -- they're not very good. So I wouldn't take praise for the Hell's Kitchen location (the best of the group) or the 25th St. location to be applicable to the rest of the group.

Of course, if Daniel says this location is good, then it must be good. I'm just cautioning against taking the commentary in the "Grand Sichuan International" thread to apply to all the "Grand Sichuan" restaurants.

Posted

I haven't been to this branch (which if GS's website is any indication, is the same owners as the all the others, except for the chinatown one) but I'm told that the Second Sister's Rabbit dish -- which isn't found at the other GS's, is a standout.

"If it's me and your granny on bongos, then it's a Fall gig'' -- Mark E. Smith

Posted

The Second Sister rabbit dish is at the one in the west 50's.. Its just goes by a different name.. Its Second Sisters at the GS on the east and just cold spicy rabbit west..

Posted
That cold spicy rabbit dish is FANTASTIC.  (FWIW.)

Thanks everyone... okay, so I'm pretty sure that this will be a safe bet for dinner Friday... unless raji can woo me away with his photos and report from his dinner tonight at Aburiya Kinnosuke, which I had also been considering before I came across Grand Sichuan Eastern. My only hesitation on AK is price... I'm sure GS would be cheaper? If it's not, then I think it's a toss up.

Would appreciate any other suggestions for a good, yet affordable, dinner for three in Midtown East on Friday night.

u.e.

“Watermelon - it’s a good fruit. You eat, you drink, you wash your face.”

Italian tenor Enrico Caruso (1873-1921)

ulteriorepicure.com

My flickr account

ulteriorepicure@gmail.com

Posted

Would appreciate any other suggestions for a good, yet affordable, dinner for three in Midtown East on Friday night.

u.e.

perhaps a suggestion that you'd not get from many people, but i would certainly consider pizza at Naples 45 (behind grand central), where they're trying very hard to duplicate neopolitan style pizza. or antipasti and pasta at Otto, which is not midtown, but not far.

additionally, while i have enjoyed many many meals at grand sichuan "east", i've been liking wu liang ye on lex and 38th-ish even more. specifically any of their pork belly dishes, and their smoked duck with ginger.

good luck and enjoy.

Posted
perhaps a suggestion that you'd not get from many people, but i would certainly consider pizza at Naples 45 (behind grand central), where they're trying very hard to duplicate neopolitan style pizza.  or antipasti and pasta at Otto, which is not midtown, but not far.

Oh yes, Otto - where I can slather olive oil gelato across my face in a hurried frenzy to get it into my mouth!! :laugh: That's definitely not Midtown - you're right... I suspect it's a bit farther than either of my companions would be willing to travel for food... :hmmm: If this were up to me, I'd be hitting WD-50... personally...

additionally, while i have enjoyed many many meals at grand sichuan "east", i've been liking wu liang ye on lex and 38th-ish even more.

Hmmmm..

specifically any of their pork belly dishes, and their smoked duck with ginger.

ko roa, mmmmm... talk about slathering.... :laugh::raz:

good luck and enjoy.

Thanks!! Keep the suggestions coming if you can!!

u.e.

“Watermelon - it’s a good fruit. You eat, you drink, you wash your face.”

Italian tenor Enrico Caruso (1873-1921)

ulteriorepicure.com

My flickr account

ulteriorepicure@gmail.com

Posted

when i travel i like to experience food/restaurants unique to that city. with that in mind, the Oyster Bar (Grand Central) might be a good option. and when you're done you can walk down the stairs to the 6 train and be at 8th street (and otto) for gelato in about 15 minutes. :biggrin:

Posted
you can walk down the stairs to the 6 train and be at 8th street (and otto) for gelato in about 15 minutes.  :biggrin:

Don't tempt me... *obscene gelato slathering noise* :laugh::raz: We'll see how my chums are feelin'... send a special prayer up to the gelato gods for me. :wink:

u.e.

“Watermelon - it’s a good fruit. You eat, you drink, you wash your face.”

Italian tenor Enrico Caruso (1873-1921)

ulteriorepicure.com

My flickr account

ulteriorepicure@gmail.com

Posted (edited)
That cold spicy rabbit dish is FANTASTIC.  (FWIW.)

Thanks everyone... okay, so I'm pretty sure that this will be a safe bet for dinner Friday... unless raji can woo me away with his photos and report from his dinner tonight at Aburiya Kinnosuke, which I had also been considering before I came across Grand Sichuan Eastern. My only hesitation on AK is price... I'm sure GS would be cheaper? If it's not, then I think it's a toss up.

Would appreciate any other suggestions for a good, yet affordable, dinner for three in Midtown East on Friday night.

u.e.

Alas I showed up to Aburiya Kinnosuke at 7pm last night, and it was 30 minutes wait for a table, on a Monday night! I thought their policy was the same as Totto's (same owner) so I didn't not make a reservation, but didn't think I needed one on a Monday night! I was down to wait, but my companion was starving so we went to Hizen a few doors down.

HOWEVER, I would still HEARTILY recommend the place. If you are not drinking you can easily fill yourself for $30-$40 a person and try a wide variety of stuff, it's just a matter of order some more voluminous dishes, i.e. with rice and/or noodles, rather than smaller-size dishes of tender fish and meat...

Chinese will always be cheaper than Japanese unless it's a real luxe place.

Edited by raji (log)
Posted

Grand Sichan Eastern is one of my favorite restaurants in the city. In my opinion it's the best of the Grand Sichuans, but that is clearly a matter of preference since each one has its own emphasis. Grand Sichuan Eastern emphasizes 'New' Sichuan cuisine. That's the part of the menu you really want to order from, although they recently added a New Year's Menu and the things I've ordered from it are also very good.

I usually order the 'live sliced fish' (it comes in a stainless steel 'tub' and swimming in cabbage, chile oil and a bit of stock), dry sauteed baby shrimp, soft shell crab (Chendu or chongquing style, it comes with a mountain of whole dried red chile peppers), Sichuan pickled cabbage, Sichuan sour cabbage soup w/whole fish, sauteed pea shoots. The smoked tea duck is also excellent although there seems to be some inconsistency: sometimes it's the best BBQ ever, and other times it's only very good. Their double cooked pork is not as good as the Hell's Kitchen version, so I'd skip it. I completely agree with the cold spicy rabbit dish recommendation.

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