Chinatown Brasserie
New York, NY 10003
Phone: (212) 533-7000
- Price:
- $$$
- Cross Street:
- Great Jones Street
Editorial Review for Chinatown Brasserie – by Justin Hartung
The Scene
This latest endeavor from the owners of popular Lure and Lever House restaurants reimagines the 1940s Chinese banquet hall as downtown hot spot. Large parties of on-the-prowl singles focus their attention past ivory columns, ornately decorated screens and oversized red-and-white lanterns in hopes of glimpsing "Page Six" regulars. The see-and-be-seen coup? Two A-shaped doors leading to the kitchen, which create the impression of peering eyes. Service is pleasant, if a bit hovering.
The Food
Much like the special effects in a summer blockbuster, the whiz-bang scenery fills seats here more than the standard Chinese cuisine. Best bets from the dim sum menu are staples like a fluffy pork bun, rather than pricier items like the fried blue-crab claw that comes in a single portion. Peking duck is appropriately savory and crispy, but costs what your entire meal might in Chinatown, while the ginger flavor in the steamed branzino barely registers. Noodle dishes fare best: Try the one with "essence of mushroom," loaded with thick, fragrant shiitakes.
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Insider Tips
What to DrinkCocktails like the Ginger Dragon are mixed on the sweet side. Order instead from the sizable wine list, conveniently divided into sections like "crisp" and "fruity."
Where to SitCan't get a table? Try the downstairs lounge, just past the koi pond, which serves a limited, dim sum-heavy menu.
The ExtrasSkip the disappointing desserts and take a five-minute walk to one of the bakeries in the real Chinatown.
User Reviews for Chinatown Brasserie
09/11/2008 Posted by mrsrussell
We sat down and we were served an amuse bouche (shrimp). Delicious! Then we had the potstickers and dumplings. Still great. I had the filet mignon with white asparagus. My friend had the cod. Dessert-Orange sorbet over a lemon tart with pineapple. Absolutely in my top five of dining experiences. These other negative reviews are bizarre and unfounded. The chef is amazing, the decor-divine. I loved it! Go! The bill was $100. I was happy to pay. I ordered some more today as a delivery. Others in my top 5? Grandma, CIA, Paris.
08/15/2008 Posted by ninglin
I went there on a tuesday night for a date. We ordered some dim sum, pao pao beef and general tso's. The food was pretty good, nothing to write home about, but better than good delivery. The service was excellent - they had us wait for five minutes when we got there only because they wanted to give us better seats than they had available, and the waiters were perfectly attentive. Though it didn't seem to be nearly authentic chinese, we enjoyed atmosphere of the restaurant and found it to be perfect for a mid-high end eating experience. It was definitely conducive to group settings and was charming enough for a couple. The dim sum was definitely the highlight of the meal, plus they surprisingly had some good beers on draft (think chimay). Overall, if you want to get good chinese food at a nicer restaurant than a chinatown hole-in-the-wall, this will meet your expectations.
Pros: Dim Sum, ambience
Cons: not very memorable entrees
