21 W 39th St
Midtown is the place for awesome Chinese in the city. I am certain of this after a recent mediocre meal in Chinatown and a stellar lunch at Szechuan Gourmet.
Across the street from previously recommended and adored Lan Sheng, Gourmet is the more well known of the two and overflowing with happy diners at all hours.
While the mouth numbing mala we experienced at Lan Sheng wasn’t here, the food is equally delicious yet unique.
My latest litmus seems to be shredded chicken in garlic and here the dish is complex, flavorful and addicting. I simply could not stop eating it long after I was full.
Another good marker of a good Chinese place is their hot and sour soup. Done wrong its a gloppy confusing mess that strikes an off chord with your stomach right away. Done right and it’s incredible: thick but not gloppy and punchy with fresh tasting tofu and crunchy bamboo shoots. Here it’s definitely done right.
Jim enjoyed the old American favorite General Tso’s which was a delicious challenge to the mall court junk that gives Chinese food a trashy name. Prices are great and the staff is efficient but doesn’t rush you. With this and it’s competitor across the street there’s no excuse to not enjoy good Szechuan in the city.
But what do you think?