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The Seinfeld crew may never have scored a meal at Hunan Fifth, but now that the restaurant has merged with Peking Park, it’s hard to imagine anyone having to wait for a table. The discreet glass doors on 40th Street lead to a sunken lobby and a semicircular arch beyond which stretches a palatial grouping of rooms. Several dining areas branch off the entryway—all are large, elegantly lit, and filled with spaciously set tables and ladder-back chairs. There’s even a long, well-stocked bar and a curtained lounge for cabaret and piano performances. On the menu are Peking favorites like Beijing duck; and tasty Cantonese roasted and barbecued meats. But the heart of the kitchen is Hunan: spicy, complex dishes like citrusy orange-flavored beef enlivened with chili pepper, and sautéed pork in a sharply spiced sauce with black beans and vegetables. — Jessica Branch

Scallion pancakes, $4.75; orange flavored beef, $18.95; twice sautéed pork, $13.25