Shun Lee Palace
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155 E. 55th St., New York, NY, 10022
212-371-8844
Known For
The lowdown
The room has a faded quality now, and the menu is more famous for its extreme prices than its originality. But no other Chinese restaurant in town has a more impressive and durable pedigree (one of the early chefs, T.T. Wang, unleashed General Tso’s chicken on the unsuspecting masses), and the old-time regulars will tell you that year after year there’s no better high-end Chinese food in Manhattan. One of our early reviewers wrote that the “Cantonese wonton soup has broth so rich with chicken flavor, shrimp, and chunks of pork that it may ruin you forever for takeout swill.” Although this may not be true now (even uptown, the city’s wonton carryout game has picked up in recent years), the restaurant is worth visiting, especially for an old-fashioned, pre-ordered, banquet-style feast.
What you need to know
Recommended DishesCantonese wonton soup; braised sea bass filet; Grand Marnier prawns.
DrinksFull Bar
Noise LevelCivilized