Best Chinese food in Chelsea, some dishes very spicy, service mediocre, prices reasonable
Sunday, March 11, 2007
I've been going to this place for at least five years, and I haven't noticed the decline in food quality mentioned by others, but I am pesco-vegetarian (I do eat shrimp, fish, tofu, all veggies, etc.), so I can't comment on the quality of their meat (pork, chicken, beef) dishes. The service is authentic Chinese. Of course it's surly. Low- to mid-priced Chinese restaurants throughout the City and throughout Mainland China have surly service - for good reason. Slave labor is hard. They cover three times more tables than staff at most other NYC restaurants, are mistreated by management, and get less than minimum wage. Illegal? Yes. Who turns them in? The staff can speak only "restaurant English," if that. Many are illegal immigrants. They get nothing for courtesy but fired. Courtesy takes time, and each server has to keep pace with the others or management boots them, and they can't get another job. They work hard for next to nothing so that you can enjoy cheap, decent food. It's fair to call the service poor, but it's not fair to complain about it. All that said, this place is better than its competitors because the food is better. There are some Chinese restaurants with wonderful service -- and prices double or triple those at Grand Sichuan, for food that is no better.
Pros: Thumbs up for food that beats its competitors
Cons: Service is the same as you find at Chinese competitors - surly