Last night was my cousin, Mee Kenzo's birthday, and we celebrated with dinner at Nan Xiang Xiao Long Bao on St. Marks Place in the East Village.  What better way to celebrate than with Chinese food?  Nan Xiang Xiao Long Bao is located at 15 St. Marks Place, New York, NY 10003. Having dined at other Nan Xiang Xiao Long Bao restaurants on Long Island, and in Queens, we knew that we were in for a good meal. And they didn't disappoint. We got to try a few new dishes. Please let us know what you think! It was great to see you Cuz. Happy birthday!!

As we turn the calendar to the Year of the Fire Horse (which officially begins on February 17th), I’ve been doing some thinking. The Horse is known for being energetic, active, and a bit intense. Add the "Fire" element to that, and you’ve got a year that promises to be passionate, volatile, and, well, hot. If that’s the cosmic forecast, then we here at The Chinese Quest believe we should eat accordingly. We’re not starting 2026 with a whimper; we’re starting it with a bang. A mouth-numbing, sweat-inducing, "please-pass-the-soy-milk" bang. This is our guide to embracing the Fire Horse spirit. We’re diving into the spiciest dishes we could find on Long Island and in Queens, searching for that perfect, painful harmony of flavor and fire. Grab a glass of cold water and loosen your belt. It’s about to get hot in here.

The confetti has settled, the ball has dropped in Times Square, and we have officially entered 2026. According to the Gregorian calendar, it’s a new year. According to our stomachs, it’s just another 365 days to find the perfect soup dumpling. Every year, people resolve to “eat less” or “cut carbs.” Here at The Chinese Quest, we believe those resolutions are not only quitters' talk but fundamentally against the laws of nature. Why eat less when there are still menus in Queens we haven’t translated yet? Here are the official Chinese Quest Resolutions for 2026.

2025 was a year of "The Quest" digging deeper. We ventured further into the boroughs, revisited some old faithfuls on the Island, and even argued about whether "authentic" Szechuan is too spicy for a Tuesday night. Here is The Chinese Quest’s Official 2025 Year-End Review.

Podcast #6: The Best Chinese Food for Christmas Merry Christmas!! 🎅🎄🎁

Chinese food is a kaleidoscope of flavors—sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and spicy, often dancing together in one dish. Choosing the right drink isn’t just about quenching thirst; it’s about creating harmony. The right pairing can balance heat, cut through richness, or highlight delicate notes. Here’s a guide to making your next Chinese meal a truly memorable feast.

The air is cold, the carols are playing, and the turkey is safely tucked away in the freezer. For millions of families, especially in New York and surrounding areas, the greatest Christmas tradition has nothing to do with mince pies or roaring fires—it’s the satisfying rattle of plastic containers filled with dumplings, spareribs, and lo mein. Chinese food on Christmas Day is more than a cultural phenomenon; it's a rite of passage, a rebellion against holiday labor, and a culinary beacon for those seeking authenticity and warmth on a cold winter night. To guide your annual pilgrimage, we consulted the definitive source for metropolitan-area Chinese dining: The Chinese Quest, a dedicated collective that ranks the best restaurants across Long Island and NYC. Their suggestions shouldn't be a surprise to their followers. If you're not a follower, check the article, and if you like what you read, please consider following us. Happy Holidays!

For decades, going out for "Chinese" on Long Island wasn't just a meal; it was an event. It was a destination dining experience rooted not in the bustling streets of Beijing or Shanghai, but in the strip malls of Commack, the turnpikes of Levittown, and the boulevards of Great Neck. While the giants are falling, a few classics remain hidden in plain sight across the Island. If you want to pay tribute to this fading era, don't order Grubhub. Go sit down. Order the combination plate with the dark pork fried rice. Get the drink with the umbrella in it. Crack open the fortune cookie and actually read it out loud. And tip generously—because the servers have likely been working there since you were in elementary school.

Recently, a new Chinese restaurant opened up on Main Street in downtown Flushing.  Kings Kitchen, located at 40-12 Main Street, Flushing, NY 11354, is a sparkling new restaurant located a few doors down from McDonald's and across the street from the New World Mall.  That street looks a little drab, and Kings Kitchen is a step in the right direction to sprucing it up. I tried a new dish that I never have had before. I felt like a native! Can you guess what I had?

Join us on our podcast journey, where our intrepid team is "interviewed" after posting their review of Sweet Wonton House in Little Neck, NY. Are you enjoying our podcasts? What Chinese restaurants would you like us to review next?