Profile

Ollie’s came on the scene in 1989 as a collaboration between restaurateurs Artie Cutler (of Artie’s Delicatessen and Carmine’s fame), T. Wang of Taiwan, and Tommy Sze of Hong Kong. Their concept was simple and brilliant: Bring Chinatown-style food uptown to Morningside Heights and serve it in contemporary, chic settings. Hey presto, raging success. By 1996, there were four restaurants on or near Broadway in high-traffic areas like Times Square and Lincoln Center; in 2006, a Third Avenue location opened. The restaurants stand out for their staggering array of offerings; up to 200 choices crowd the menu. Best-sellers include Cantonese-style roast meats, especially the honey-glazed barbecued spareribs; southern-style noodle dishes; and scratch-made northern-style dumplings that swell with pork, shrimp, or vegetable fillings. Spicy Sichuan dishes round out the eclectic selection. To cater to Columbia University’s Asian students and faculty, this location has numerous Hong Kong dishes, too, like an exemplary fried sea bass with spicy salt. Small chunks of the velvety fish are dusted with cornstarch and lightly fried. They are then wok-fried with salt, scallions, fried onions, and mild green chile peppers. Ollie’s delivers, in every sense of the word. — Michael Anstendig

Pan fried mixed dumplings, $5.95; BBQ spare ribs, $7.25; eggplant in garlic sauce, $7.75; fried filet of sea bass with spicy salt, $14.95