Worth a try, but avoid when busy.
Sunday, September 17, 2006
Most of the food we tried was very good. This is among the better Cantonese restaurants in Manhattan. Especially good plates were the salty/spicy crabs and the clams with black bean sauce -- both for about $10! The fresh flounder was very good as well. Alcoholic drinks are very inexpensive. With its "woodland village" theme, the decor balances a fine line between interesting and cheesy. The place gets unbelievably crowded on weekend nights, though (good food for cheap tabs -- why not?) and this is point at which someone expecting a good dining experience might want to consider another place. Kids everywhere, indifferent-to-rude service and a general sense of impending chaos can ruin the appetite of those not used to it (unfortunately, it's par for the course at most crowded Chinatown establishments). Our experience on a busy night wasn't too bad, but I can easily see how it could turn into a nightmare for others. The preferential treatment given to regulars (we witnessed a "Dr. Hong" and his family being seated immediately and with a "house special" soup waiting for them at their table) might rub those among the waiting masses the wrong way.