NYC Best Asian Food?

Here in Wine Country we get a little burned out of our almost complete lack of decent Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, Thai, etc.

Heading to NYC for a brief trip next month and wondering if anyone can recommend just a top-notch, killer place. Ambience, price etc. not an issue, just want great great food. Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese…any suggestions most welcome. Staying in Times Square area.

Thanks all!

Stefan

Grand Sichuan, at 33rd and Lexington is VERY good, and BYO friendly.
In Chinatown, try Great N.Y. NoodleTown.
If you have time, take the 7 Train to Flushing, Queens. Massive hoardes of Chinese and Korean eateries.

We can meet for wine, if you are free. Thanks.

Great! Thanks Victor! Still firming up my schedule.

For Thai, Sripraphai in Queens is legendary. Zabb Elee in the east village is newer and supposedly just as good (more limited menu though) but I haven’t been. Harold Dieterle of Top Chef fame recently opened Kin Shop in the village, which has been getting fantastic revues. (I’m going friday, will report back). There is also a strange cluster of decent-but-not-amazing Thai places on 9th Ave above Times Square in hells kitchen. Just walk up 9th avenue in the high 40s and low 50s - wondee and pam are both decent, i’m sure there are others too.

Chinese(ish) - Redfarm is hugely popular right now - kind of farm-to-table Chinese if that makes any sense. Might not be quite what you are looking for but it’s on my top 10 must try list.

Stefan,

Don’t leave NYC without getting some good ramen:

Je Bon
Men Kui Tei
Momofuku
Naruto Ramen
Rai Rai Ken
Ramen Setagaya
Totto Ramen

or Vietnamese Bahn Mi:

Bahn Mi Saigon Bakery
Baoguette (my personal favorite)
Nicky’s Vietnamese Sandwiches
Pho Bang

You can get the details for all of the above at www.menupages.com

Sweet. I had heard something about Red Farm, too. Katz’s pastrami dim sum?!

Chinese=
Grand Sichuan (Chelsea one is excellent and BYO)
Szechuan Garden (56th St near Columbus Circle is my preferred one)
Szechuan Gourmet (UES one is very good and also BYO)
Phoenix Garden
PDH
Jin Fung (Chinatown, dim sum)
Red Farm is the hot new place in town so might be tough getting an RSVP
Also in Queens is the Flushing Chinatown

Vietnamese=
Pho Bang (fantastic pho)
Bahn Mi Saigon Bakery
Baoguette
Nicky’s Vietnamese

Thai=
Without a doubt, Sripriphai in Woodside, Queens, a quick 20 minute ride on the 7 from Times Square, and BYO friendly

Ramen=
Men Kui Tei
Rai Rai Ken
Ramen Setagaya
Totto Ramen
Menchanko tei

Sushi=
Yasuda (though I haven’t been since the Old Man left)
Ushiwakamaru (outstanding, in fact going back tomorrow night, yay me!)
Mishima (good but they’re very friendly and BYO)
Sushi Zen (very Japanese, near Times Square)

Yakitori=
Tori Shin (outstanding, as in I’d kill to go back)
Yakitori Totto

Yakiniku (ie only beef grilled at your table)=
Takashi

Sri Lanka=
Sanrasa (free ferry but it’s in Staten Island and you might bump into Pobega… )

Korean=
Pretty much all the places on 32nd between 5th & Broadway are good, just walk and let your nose be the guide

Hope this helps!

Fantastic! Thank you so much, all!

Stefan; You cannot go wrong listening to Jorge & Michel ! Those are some great recommendations!


Cheers!
Marshall

For ramen I recommend Ippudo.

Frankly, I find Ippudo over-rated and while good, the places I recommended above are more traditional and I think better, but YMMV. The last few times I was there I got the impression that they were coasting on their rep.

Michel,
Pho Bang? Is this in Little Italy or the one in Queens?

“Little Italy”

More like “Itsy Bitsy Italy” nowadays.

Proving that Oriental gangs are more ruthless than Italian ones.

Nah, they just reproduce quicker.

Flushing has awesome Chinese food. Whenever I’m in NYC we take the subway to Flushing to eat and meet with family. Compares well to many of the eateries in LA.

Real family or just anyone out there?

we are all family, us displaced Chinese.

So, for any last minute readers, I’ll be at City Winery on Varick St. this Saturday, 12:30 - 4:00 pouring wine absolutely free —come on by and say howdoyoudo!