Yong Gee Seafood – You have to try this Chicken
You’re probably thinking, this title makes absolutely no sense. Why should I be having chicken at a seafood restaurant? No, I am not referring to the “chicken of the sea”. The fact is, the chicken at Yong Gee is pretty amazing.
This is my first review of a traditional Chinese restaurant, and slowly there will be more to come, this is part of my recent effort to elevate the level of Chinese dining in the city. The process goes both ways. We must make the restaurants more accommodating to non-Chinese diners, and we must also introduce and educate the average diner on the art of Chinese dining.
Now back to Yong Gee, did I mention the chicken is damn good?
I was invited to this restaurant by the owner, who only recently took over the restaurant and installed a brand new staff and chef. His goal is to introduce the restaurant to the mainstream public, so he was eager to show me what his team can put together on the dinner table.
From the street, the restaurant looks like your average Chinatown affair, with roasted duck and pork hanging in the windows. However once you walk in, you’ll see the efforts the management team put in renovation, this is much cleaner and brighter than most places I’ve visited. One thing did catch my eye, which is a claim written in Chinese: “World’s Best Chicken”. Can this beat the Colonel Sanders’ 11 herbs and spices? Lets find out.
In standard Chinese food in America fashion, we were served soup first. This watercress soup, simmered slowly for hours, transferred all of the flavors of the vegetable and duck gizzards into the soup. This is not something I usually order, so I was glad the owner, a true Canton gourmet was here to pick and choose the most symbolic courses.
Apparently they are quite skilled at soups, for next came a light beef stew. While American beef stew usually uses leaner more fibrous meats, Chinese stew usually uses shank meat, which gets softer and melts away in your mouth. The soup was quite delightful, and I can never have too much soup.
Hearty beef stew
What’s a Chinese meal without stir-fry? We were given two plates, one was shrimp with pine nuts and celery, the other scallops with an assortment of vegetables. These chefs know how to work the wok.
Nothing beats stir-fry off a hot wok
Mixed vegetables with seafood
The rack of lamb was quite a surprise, kind of a modern day Cantonese fav that has made its way into traditional menus. The flavor and quality of the meat was excellent, but I wish it came pre-chopped. Gordon Ramsay would probably pick up the whole rack by the bone and yell “how do I eat this?” if it was his TV show.
Please cut this for me
Now, the grand finale. Onto our table came this seemingly boring and plain chicken. How can this possibly be the world’s “Best Chicken”?
The best chicken? Looks can be deceiving. Eat it.
Then I tasted it, wow. The flavors, textures, all extremely impressive. This is some good chicken.
I asked the owner how this was cooked, as all chefs know it is extremely difficult to cook chicken and maintain tenderness. It turns out that this chicken is not steamed, baked or broiled, but rather boiled. It’s soaked in an unknown number of herbs, spices, and other ingredients, then slowly boiled at low temperatures to infuse the flavor. I’ve never cooked like this before, but boy am I impressed.
Like all Chinese restaurants, the service could be smoother, but it was much better than I expected. The important part is that I thoroughly enjoyed the food. This would be an excellent place for a quick business meal, family dinner, or group gathering.
So come and try this chicken, and tell me if you’re impressed by its simplicity in presentation, and its complex flavors.
CS
Rating: 
Yong Gee Seafood (also known as The Dining Room Management Group Inc., yes the name is ridiculous but will hopefully change soon)
102 Mott St
New York, NY 10013
(212) 925-6661
