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To New Yorkers of a certain age, King Yum doesn’t seem exceptional. They remember the classic era of Cantonese-American restaurants, when Chinese dining meant sitting surrounded by bamboo, eating fluorescent-red spare ribs, and drinking mai tais garnished by little umbrellas. Times may have changed but not here. Loud, bright, and busy, this once-commonplace restaurant has become a Tiki totem-ed relic of a bygone era as it continues to turn out showy cocktails and deliciously greasy appetizers circa 1953, the year of its founding. The food is no better than anyone remembers it, but it’s still sticky-sweet, filling, and most appetizing when illuminated by a blue butane flame like the one that lights up the pupu platter. Karaoke nights on Wednesdays and Fridays are especially euphoric as area teens—intoxicated by chow mein—belt out the hits while their elders pick at maraschino cherries and shrimp toast. This is time-traveling at its foodiest. — Josh Ozersky

Pupu platter for two, $18.90; tabu for two, $7.95; wonton soup, $1.80