Chin Chin

Chin Chin

Owner

Chin Chin is a midtown mainstay that prides itself on impeccable service and delectable Chinese cuisine in an elegant setting. Owner Jimmy Chin has been named one of New York City's Top Gracious Hosts Four Times by the Zagat Survey.

The crowd always looks happy at this longtime gourmet Midtown Chinese where familiar dishes manage to seem fresh and different, thanks to their beautiful preparation. Classic and civilized, this designer Midtown Chinese never fails, offering a top-flight menu highlighted by its one-of-a-kind Grand Marnier shrimp; if pricing is similarly top-shelf, most feel they get a lot in return.

Chin Chin welcomes requests for banquets, private parties, and outside catering. There are two dining rooms available for private parties. The smaller room can accommodate 15 to 25 people and the large one can accommodate 35 to 55.

Contributor

Citysearch

The Scene
The bustling dining room is cleanly decorated, with white walls, polished wood and black-and-white framed photographs. Waiters move with blinding speed, taking and delivering orders with a brusque approximation of courtesy. The clientele is made up of biggish spenders who enjoy the full bar and don't mind the immoderate prices, or special-occasion diners who wanted elegance and insisted on Chinese.

The Food
This menu attempts to take Chinese food upscale with re-invented classics, like savory shark-fin soup and supple, greaseless tea-smoked duck. The Peking duck prix fixe, which comes with a hearty complement of sides, starters and extras for $38, is a sure winner. Not all dishes are hits, however: The scallion pancakes are on the dry side, and dumplings are gummy. Moo shu pork would be great at a quarter the price, but here its ordinariness rankles.