Wing Shoon Seafood Restaurant

165 E Broadway
New York, NY 10002
(212) 780-0238

Located on the corner of East Broadway and Rutgers, this little Chinese Restaurant offers Dim Sum for as little as $2 a plate (Monday through Friday only)!

I came here with a friend today to experience their dim sum. The restaurant is filled with mainly large round banquet tables so we wound up having to share a table with other lunch patrons.

Atypical of dim sum service, a card with a grid on it to designate how many dishes and of what size you consumed is placed at your side and the cart comes around with steamed, baked, and braised specialties all on various sized plates. $2 for small plates, $2.50 for medium, and $3 for large.

We chose shu mai and har gow ($2.50 per plate), stuffed tofu skin and braised spare rib tips ($2 per plate) and a steamed pork bun (80¢) and a small bowl of rice. Check came out to $10.05!

The food is very tasty and pretty good. The service is somewhat cordial as they were attentive but English is not their strong point. You may have to come here with someone who speaks Cantonese (or Mandarin). The menu is in English and in Chinese.

Overall a wonderful experience and easy on the wallet!

Monster Sushi

158 West 23rd Street

New York, NY

212-620-9131

This is one of my favorite Japanese restaurants that I've been going to for many years and it has always been consistent in it's great food, service, and price at this location.

Recently returned to this branch for lunch with friends. WARNING! This place is VERY popular and you may have to wait for a table. Best time is after 1PM when it dies down and you can hear yourself think let alone get a table.

We started off with Shrimp Tempura, Soft Shell Crab Tempura, and Shigiyaki (fried eggplant with sweet miso paste). Simply delicious and the eggplant was creamy, sweet, and luscious.

Lunch Bento Specials are $14.95 (Dinner is $17.95) and come with miso soup, salad, shumai or spring roll, California, Salmon, or Tuna roll, rice, and your choice of entrée.

I opted for Chilean Sea Bass this time as I had Tonkatsu a few weeks ago here too.

The waiter and servers were very attentive and friendly and the complimentary back rubs from the massage pads (look for them!) made for a more enjoyable and relaxing experience (that and the bottle of sake we had too!)

Definitely a place I will return to again and again.

I haven't checked out the other branch in midtown but will soon and post a review.

BonChon Chicken

207 W28 Street

near 7th Ave (Fashion Ave)

NY, NY 10018

Korean fried chicken chain famous for their double fried chicken glazed in a garlic soy sauce or spicy sauce.

Ventured in here for lunch with a friend while in the Fashion District and started with zucchini fries (zucchini sticks battered and fried dusted with Parmesan cheese and served with spicy mayonnaise and ketchup dipping sauces). I had the Bulgolgi Beef Rice Bowl which was served on a plate with a salad covered in Ranch dressing while my friend chose their famous chicken which came with pickled Daikon radish on the side.

Tasty and cute concept. Dining area is upstairs. Service was good. Definitely a place to check out.

Menu here: http://menupages.com/restaurants/bonchon-chicken-2/menu

Pho 32 & Shabu

13 Saint Mark's Place

NY, NY 10003

(212) 777-0606

Came here with some friends late night and had the pork chops which were served with sauteed vegetables with what I could distinctly taste as hoisin sauce.

The Pho soups are pretty good. Delicate in flavor yet each ingredient shines through.

Inexpensive menu, Vietnamese and Korean dishes offered and pleasant service make this chain popular.

Quite busy even for past midnight as I suspect party revelers have found this place a haven for that late night munchie or snack before heading home. It is open 24 hours, perfect city that never sleeps!

Menu can be found here: http://menupages.com/restaurants/pho-32-shabu/menu

Spain Restaurant

Spain Restaurant

• 113 W 13th St, New York 10011
• (Btwn 6th & 7th Ave)
• Phone: (212) 929-9580

Came back here again for a friend's birthday celebration.

Same waiters and bartender with owner overseeing everything.

Food is consistently delicious and reasonably priced. Cash only!

Tapas and a small salad arrive at the table after you have sat down.

Garlic shrimp scampi, Spanish sausage, BBQ lamb ribs, Mussels cured in an onion vinaigrette, and Bread served with REAL pats of butter! All these years they have been serving margarine and FINALLY real butter!

We ordered pitchers of white sangria which went well with the seafood entrees. We all ordered lobster tails that are not on the menu. A plate of 6 small lobster tails halved came shortly with what looked like drawn saffron butter to dip the succulent meat in. Heaven!

The tapas and bread really fill you up but we ended the meal with dessert.

Vanilla ice cream topped with Green creme de menthe and Leche Flan.

Chinatown East

1650 3rd Avenue
New York, NY 10128
(212) 987-3500
http://www.chinatowneastnyc.com



Came here last night to try out their AYCE sushi for $25.95 per person. A full menu offering Chinese and Japanese dishes a la carte is also available. Sushi and Sahimi is offered at $1 per piece as well.

First off the place is small with 20 tables or so with a small bar when you first enter and a small sushi bar off to the back. Dark wood and stone walls are set off by blue and green neon lights about the ceiling and the sushi bar. The stone cocktail bar slowly changes through all the colors of the rainbow. Three large flat screen TVs on the walls air CNN, ESPN, and local news on mute. Soft Asian music plays over the speakers while recessed intensity lights are set on dim to enhance the mood.

The sushi menu is quite extensive ranging from the standard sushi and maki rolls to Chef's and House special maki rolls. A variety of soups and salads are also included as well as ONE house saki (hot or cold) which you can also substitute beer, wine, or a soda. An AYCD price of $14.95 is also offered.

The waitress comes over with a pad and takes your order also warning you that if you don't finish everything on your plate, you will be charged menu price for items wasted (isn't that the case in all AYCE?)

After your order is placed, the starter (soup or salad) is brought to your table a well as your beverage. Then your plate of sushi comes to your table displayed artfully by the sushi chef. I started with the green salad which consisted of iceberg lettuce, thinly shaved red cabbage, and thread-like carrot shreds dressed with the sweet, Japanese carrot ginger dressing.
The sushi was quite fresh for a Tuesday night in my humble opinion and the rice perfect.
For being a Chinese-Japanese restaurant I was impressed. Once your are finished with your plate, the waitress comes around again clearing your plate and to ask if you would like to order again. Plate sharing is not allowed so be careful when over ordering!

After a plate of sushi and a plate of maki I was stuffed and the saki I had made me a bit sleepy. I was content, sushi craving satiated, and probably will visit again.

An 18% gratuity is automatically put on the bill and there is a 2 hour limit at the table. The bill is accompanied with Chinese fortune cookies as a sweet ending.

Luke's Lobster

242 E. 81st Street
New York, NY
212.249.4241


http://www.lukeslobster.com/

A small little lobster shack in the Upper East Side that serves a fabulous lobster roll. The hot dog bun is crispy and buttery and the lobster meat is cool and luscious. By itself it's $14 but when made into a "Schooner", it is $16 and comes with a pickle, bag of chips, and a Maine soda.

Staff there seemed a bit discombobulated behind the register and the kitchen small. Seating area by the windows and some tables and benches. Quaint!