“A” is for the A-List of Chinese Restaurants #AtoZChallenge @AprilA2Z

All good things have to start somewhere.  This is the first Article I’m publishing in the 2015 “A to Z Blogging Challenge“.  I won’t be prefacing all articles with this disclaimer, but just wanted to level set anyone who might be regular subscriber to The Chinese Quest.  Every day through the month of April 2015, excluding Sunday’s which we get off for “good behavior”, all Challenge participants will write an article with the subject corresponding the a letter in the alphabet.  Sequentially, from “A” to “Z”.  Today, being April Fools Day, err, April 1st, we start off with the first letter of the alphabet, “A”.  And today’s article will be The Chinese Quest’s “‘A’ List of Chinese Restaurants”.

These are the cream of the crop, the, umm, A Number One, Top of the Heap, Chinese restaurants that we have discovered on our Quest to find the best Chinese restaurants on Long Island and New York City.

The “A” List

A-1:  Joe’s Shanghai, Flushing, NY

This was a real authentic Chinese restaurant.  The kind we’ve been looking for.  No sugars and sweeteners to go with the tea.  No fried noodles to munch on.  No spare ribs on the menu (Heaven forbid!  What were we to do without our staple for comparative purposes??).  Joe’s Shanghai has a few different locations, including one in Chinatown, one in midtown, as well as in China and even Japan.  But, it all started at this very location in Flushing, NY.  Joe’s Shanghai is famous for Soup Dumplings!  But, that’s not all they should be known for.  We had a veritable feast of Braised Pork Shoulder, Soft Shelled Crabs, Chicken w/Hoisen Sauce, Water Spinach w/White Bean Sauce, Scallops & Prawns w/Garlic Sauce, Scallion Pancakes.  And as if SIX entrees wasn’t enough for FIVE hungry Mee’s, we ordered a SEVENTH entree, Lobster w/Fried Rice Cake.  And finally, for dessert they made us a special dish of Fried & Steamed Mini Buns w/Sweet Sauce.  YUM!

A-2: Pearl East, Manhasset, NY

Catering to the well heeled clientele of the Gold Coast of Long Island, Pearl East won’t disappoint.  It’s appetizing as much to the eye as it is to your palate.  The waitstaff was extremely attentive, and accommodating.  We were treated to a delightful banquet of Chef’s delights including Crispy Rice Paper Shrimp Roll w/ Grand Marnier Sauce, Barbequed Jumbo Shrimp served with Bok Choi, Free Range Chicken w/ Spices, Lobster in XO Sauce w/Sticky Rice, Sauteed snow pea leaves, Sea Bass w/Pinenuts, and Sea Food Rice Cake.  A meal at Pearl East will be very festive.  The perfect Chinese restaurant for any special occasion!

A-3:  Moonstone, Great Neck, NY

Moonstone, a self-proclaimed authentic Chinese restaurant, opened earlier this year at the location of the former Harvest Buffet.  We never did get to try that restaurant, but Moonstone struck a chord in the taste buds of the Mee’s.  Moonstone is the perfect marriage of glitz and good taste.  Moonstone is definitely out to attract the Gold Coast clientele with their decor and service.  And there food certainly doesn’t detract from the experience.  They have an extremely well stocked wine “cellar” which adds to your overall dining experience (and to your tab).  We enjoyed a meal of  Spare Ribs, Beijing  Duck, be prepared for a 30 minute wait for this dish, but it’s worth waiting twice as long!, Red Snapper, which was perhaps the BEST piece of fish I’ve had in, maybe for ever!, Roast Pork Fried Rice, Asparagus with Lily Bulb – I don’t know what the Lily Bulb was, but the veggies were yummy!, Sangi Chicken Claypot – I don’t remember the clay pot, but the chicken I won’t soon be forgetting.  This dish was yet another winner, Yang Chow Fried Rice , Thrice Cooked Pork Tenderloin – This was not a triple… it was a home run!  Just right amount of spices… the pork was succulent.  I could have eaten this dish all night, Kowloon Rib Eye Steak – Served in a birds nest (fried taro… usually I’ve seen seafood served in the birdsnest and not steak.   The steak was excellent!), and Shrimp with Black Bean Sauce.  You will enjoy an outstanding dining experience if you take out your someone special to Moonstone!

There you have it.  Our  top three Chinese Restaurants (to date) that we would put on our exclusive “A” List.  You’ll note that these aren’t the Top 3 rated Chinese restaurants on our Official Chinese Quest Rankings of Chinese restaurants.  But, these three made the list exclusively for a combination of their outstanding food and/or outstanding dining experience.

What do you think of our list?

Humbly submitted for your consumption,

—Mee Magnum (“Chop!  Chop!”)

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