Share this on...
Recently, Northern Manor metamorphosized into the New Northern Manor, and a new butterfly in Little Neck, NY has taken to its wings. The restaurant briefly closed so they could give it a refresh They also retook the space to their west to expand and make private dining areas. A fresh coat of paint; more Asian works of art including painting, pottery, and more. Along with printing new menus, New Northern Manor, located at 251-15 Northern Blvd, Little Neck, NY 11362, was ready for a surprise visit from an advanced expedition team of The Chinese Quest, consisting of Mee Tsu Yan, and myself.
Full view of where old meets new:
Eager to see what had changed in their quality (which was very good when all of the Mee’s were there, to very disappointing on future visits), we were excited to order our gold standard dish, BBQ Spare Ribs. Much to our dismay, it was “on the menu”. Yet it was. But, we couldn’t order it. We are still unsure if they ran out of BBQ Spare Ribs this evening, or if it’s not a dish they will ever serve again. We were offered Deep Fried Sweet & Sour Diced Pork Ribs. We declined.
Despite that disappointment, we soldiered on and chose an appetizer and one entree to share. It’s a good thing we didn’t order more as we were stuffed when we wiped those dishes clear. But, were we satisfied?
Appetizer
Fried Calamari with Salt & Spice – At first glance, the calamari looked like it came from Arthur Treacher’s. At the first bite, we realized, this calamari was spectacular!! Deep fried, but lightly done, it was neither too dry nor too crispy. It may have raised the bar for all other competing restaurants, Chinese or not, to measure up against. I don’t give the others a puncher’s chance. It may have ever so slightly been overseasoned, so we asked if they had any dipping sauce. We were brought salt. We looked at each other and surreptitiously nodded our heads horizontally, indicating displeasure. We tried a different tack and asked for hoisin sauce. The waiters were doubtful of the merit of our suggestion, but they brought us some in a dipping bowl. Verdict? Perfect! Though I think that hoisin sauce makes everything taste better. It’s not just for Peking Duck!
This dish is listed as an appetizer, what they brought us looked more like an entree. As delicious as this dish was, we tempered our appetite for the next dish and took the rest home. It was a LOT! But, so good!
Entree
Steak Cube with Asparagus – This dish alone, announced that New Northern Manor was BACK and they mean business. Delicious!! Oh my G-d, was this dish delicious! The beef could have been filet mignon, though it wasn’t, it could have been. Cut into perfect cubes, and cooked to perfection, the beef literally melts in your mouth. It’s packed with flavor that carried through to the asparagus and bell peppers.
There were going to be no leftovers from this dish. When it came down to the last few bites, and considering how considerate of each other we truly are, the only fight of the night was who was going to accept the last bite. We kept offering it to one another. I could eat this dish a few times a week. More, please!!!
Stuffed and Sated
Along with the check came a sliced orange and fortune cookies. Sadly, there were no BBQ Spare Ribs mentioned in either of our fortunes. I always put all my faith in the fortune cookies, but I’m hopeful the ribs will be there the next time one of us dines there. As always, the oranges served are simply the best. Also juicy and sweet. I just had to know where they get them from. I wanted to buy a huge bag of them to eat at home. I admit it. I LOVE oranges. The answer was a little confusing. They either came from the ghetto or maybe he said “Jetro”. English wasn’t their first language. But, it’s just what you want when you’re looking for authentic Chinese food. And in New Northern Manor’s case, it’s authentic Cantonese cuisine.
Our Fortunes
“Do unto others as you wish others to do unto you” Sounds like a Commandment, not a fortune.
“Believe in your abilities, confidence will lead you one” Sounds like it was taken from a self-help book.
Mee Tsu Yan shared that he recently read an article in the New York Times that Artificial Intelligent (AI) is being used to write fortune cookies. I’m anxiously looking forward to reading one of those in the future. I think!
The Bottom Line
New Northern Manor is BACK! Your mileage may vary, but we encourage you to consider it when your appetite hankers for Chinese food.
Humbly submitted for your consumption,
—Mee Magnum (“Chop! Chop!”)
Please share (scroll down) this article if you enjoyed it!