Ping's Seafood
New York, NY 10013
Phone: (212) 602-9988
- Price:
- $$
- Cross Street:
- Between Mosco Street and Worth Street
- Directions:
- J, M, Z; N, Q, R, W; 6 at Canal St
- Hours:
- Daily 10am-12am
Editorial Review for Ping's Seafood – by Paul Adams
The Scene
Past tanks filled with shrimp in various sizes, crabs, lobsters and more, the muted dining room reverberates with an enthusiastic clientele of neighborhood Chinese families and destination-diners from elsewhere in the city. The efficient waitstaff speak little English, so non-Cantonese speakers must point to the photo menu and direct any special requests to the brusque host.
The Food
Fresh-killed Cantonese shellfish is the specialty of the house, although there are copious other options. A hot pot filled with fresh shrimp, scallops, and bean curd, kept bubbling at the table over Sterno, resounds with subtle flavor and texture, although a similar hot pot with mushrooms and loofah is blandness dispite its pleasing texture. A chewy, savory jellyfish salad with pickles is a terrific starter, and so are huge steamed oysters, served in the shell with briny XO sauce. Individual honey-roasted quails are also not to be missed.
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User Reviews for Ping's Seafood
09/22/2008 Posted by wisebrain
This is the best Dim Sum I've had in NY so far. They have a wide variety and and we didn't spend that much money.
Pros: Delicious, Cheap
Cons: Crowded, Wait Time
06/26/2008 Posted by maddawg995
I was checking out the Best Chinese Food section and was shocked by the list and felt compelled to write a review for Pings. On average since it has opened, I go to Pings about once a month for both dinners and dim sum and have rarely been disappointed. For the price and quality there's really no better place for seafood. My favorite dish for dinner is the "cold crab". It's a fresh king crab that's cooked then soaked in some type of soup and served chilled, sans soup. The flavor is amazing and really brings out the sweetness of the crab. It is served with a sweet and sour sauce which I've never even bother to use. Some of my other favorites include their house special fried rice (it translates to gold and silver fried rice in Chinese). I noticed many Chinese restaurants serve this now but as far as I'm concerned, Pings did it first and still does it best in NYC. Their winter melon seafood soup is also phenominal but I believe it's seasonal and must be ordered in advance. As for dim sum, the most important thing for me is freshness. There's a lot of restaurants that serve dim sum that you know is not fresh when they try to mask it with tons of MSG and/or sauce. Everything I've tried at Pings has tasted crisp and fresh, especially the dishes with seafood. My favorite is their "hai gow". They also have different variations of it with other seafood which are also very good. I noticed the previous reviewer said he was "ripped off". I can't say whether that's true or not but from my dozens of visits, I have never encountered it. In fact, there has been many instances where I was comped for soda or rice. Service wise, there's room for improvement but their wait staff is better than most if not all of the Chinatown restaurants. The midtown ones are definitely better though. Bottom line, if you're looking for dim sum or good Chinese seafood, Pings is a no brainer.
Pros: Dim sum, seafood, house special fried rice, various noodle dishes
Cons: Impossible to find parking during weekends
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