Mr. Chow

“We are definitely a neighborhood restaurant — a place for New Yorkers to come and have a good meal. ” The staff at Shun Lee Palace have been working there for some twenty to thirty years. They have watched the restaurant evolve over time, but according to them, not much has changed since the beginning. It opened as Shun Lee Dynasty on 49th Street. When they moved to their current address in 1971, they changed their name. Michael Tong, the original owner, sold the business to a gentleman in 2005 who resides in China. For the most part, it is the dedicated staff that runs this establishment.

Alex Low climbed every rung on the restaurant ladder before becoming a partner at Peking Duck House. Upon leaving Malaysia, he began as a dishwasher in New Jersey, did food prep and delivery orders, and then worked his way into the dining room. “I wanted to learn how to cook, but they kicked me out of the kitchen, ” he joked. Yet he has no regrets, as he joined Peking Duck as a waiter in 1980 and was named a partial owner fifteen years later. He is now satisfied with his position at the front of the house. “You get to meet a lot of people. Customers have become friends, and everybody who comes in knows me very well. ”Alex runs Peking Duck with Wun Wu, who trained at a hotel restaurant in Hong Kong before coming to the States to open a business of his own — one in Chinatown and then a second in Midtown a year later. When asked about their most popular item, the answer is in the name: “Everyone remembers us for our Peking duck, first and foremost. ” However, Alex urges customers to sample other dishes that the restaurant has perfected, which draw inspiration from Beijing, Shanghai, and Szechuan. He laments that the art of Chinese cooking may soon be lost in the U. S., as there is a dearth of young chefs who are willing to come to America and be restaurateurs. As such, he believes it makes the places that have endured all the more precious.

The specialty at Kung Fu Little Steamed Buns is not the Japanese ramen with which most people are familiar. Peter Song, the chef at Kung Fu, is best known for la mian, a hand-pulled noodle from China that is considered the ancestor of broth bathed noodles. The noodles are also what keep him on his feet: “This is real Chinese food. Real home food, ” said Chef Song. Peter excitedly showed me to the kitchen, put his cap on backwards, and prepared to demonstrate the art of making la mian. He slammed, slapped, stretched and even swung dough like a jumping rope before twisting and pulling delicate strings of noodle from the mound. Not only does it look impressive; the taste is what keeps bringing regulars back to the restaurant. “I come in here every day. I am not kidding. The flavor of the noodles is nothing like I have ever had, they are a lot thicker, " said Ali, a local businessman and one of Kung Fu’s frequent visitors. At twenty-three years old, Peter immigrated to New York City with little money but a big dream: to own a restaurant that had true cultural Chinese food. Against his mother’s wishes to use the money he had towards an education at NYU, Peter started work at Lan Zhou Handmade Noodle in Flushing, Queens. His boss, Mr. Liu, helped Peter gain traction in the restaurant business and eventually became his financial partner when he established Kung Fu. “I bring 'home' to my restaurant. My mom understood it was my dream, but I had to work hard. ” Peter, originally from Fushun in northeastern China, returns to China once a year to brush up on the process of making la mian. He is well-known there, having performed on a few national Chinese broadcasts as an actor and comedian before coming to New York. In 2013, he returned to China to study under a noodle master, documenting his process in a humorous short film that customers can view on the flat screen TV placed in a corner of the dining room. But his biggest teacher was sitting in the restaurant with us. “I brought her with me to the US, she is here! ” he said, pointing to his mother, whom he thinks makes the best dumplings. She smiled back, her mother's pride clear on her face. Having completed his dream, Peter has started to expand. His fourth restaurant is opening soon on 39th street. “It is the best compliment to know people love my food, ” Peter said. Sporting an amazing Chef with an amazing journey, this is one Chinese food treasure that New Yorkers should not miss.

New Yorkers craving a luxury cinema experience need search no further than LOOK Dine-In Cinemas on W57th Street. The new state-of-the-art theater, located in the award-winning Bjarke Ingels-designed VIA 57 building, offers laser-projected movies on eight screens with surround sound and heated leather reclining seats. Additionally, moviegoers can enjoy a full menu of snacks, cocktails, and meals, from crispy flatbread pizzas to beef and Impossible cheese burgers, all served by "Ninja Servers" who wear all black and pop in quietly to bring whatever you need. LOOK Dine-In Cinemas also has seasonal menu items, including street tacos and signature cocktails, to appeal to local palates. LOOK Dine-In Cinemas aims to create an all-in-one entertainment spot easily accessible to Manhattanites, and it is the only one of its kind near Midtown. The dine-in cinema is one of just a handful of similarly structured movie houses in the city. However, LOOK stands out with its innovative technology, which allows customers to order and pay from a QR code on their phones, ensuring a seamless and uninterrupted movie experience. LOOK Dine-In Cinemas has plans to become the next New York venue for many of the city's annual festivals and will regularly host filmmaker talkback sessions. The theater shows a wide range of titles, from action to horror to independent films, to ensure there is something for everyone. With the summer movie season now underway, LOOK Dine-In Cinemas is poised to become a go-to destination for New Yorkers seeking a night out at the cinema.

Having been on 57th since 1886, the small congregation has been struggling to stay afloat for many years. Its congregants are proud of their church and are deeply committed to the people in their Hell's Kitchen neighborhood.

The legendary Neary’s has been a staple of New York City dining since its opening on St. Patrick’s Day in 1967. Its founder, Jim Neary, continues to grace his customers with the same, unique dining experience - in 2019 - that they have enjoyed since the beginning. The classy dress code, classic red booth seats, walls filled with an assortment of beautiful and often historically significant pictures, and knickknacks around the restaurant such as two Super Bowl rings, are only a small part of why Neary’s is so special. Neary’s is embodied and defined by its founder, Jimmy Neary, whose compassion and famous “Jimmy Neary smile” has made Neary’s the kind of place where there are “no strangers... no matter if it’s their first time walking in, everyone talks to everyone. ”Jimmy was born on a farm in Ireland, and his first job coming into America was at a swimming pool. He eventually moved on to become a bar tender at P. J. Moriarity’s, another Irish-American restaurant, where he met his eventual business partner Brian Mulligan. When Jimmy found his 57th street location - 57th street being the two-way street in the city that runs river to river - he “knew it was the place for him and never looked back. ” Over the years he has slowly added to the décor, and stated that “every picture has a story behind it. ” With the care that Jimmy has put into every aspect of Neary’s - along with the presence of Jimmy himself - he has managed to make his restaurant an important fixture in the lives of many for generations. Offered the opportunity to expand over the years, it is no surprise that Jimmy has refused, for in his words “it would never be the same. ”Jimmy considers Neary’s a family-oriented place, with many of his staff having worked with him for over forty years. Essentially, they have all grown up together. His daughter Una, who works on Wall Street during the day, has worked at Neary’s part time for close to forty years and ascertained that “the food is wonderful, the staff is amazing, but people come for my father. ”Jimmy works seven days a week, and in Una’s words, “to get him to take a day off is a major, major feat. ” While every day at Neary’s is a special day, its devoted following especially looks forward to St. Patrick’s Day, which for fifty plus years was counted down to by a special clock, and the celebration of Jimmy’s annual surprise birthday party. As a place where everyone is not just welcomed, but also family, it is no surprise that when asked what he liked to do to relax, Jimmy responded that he is “relaxed right here. I come through the door and I’m at home and I walk out happy. ”

There are many reasons to dine at BLT Steak, tucked discreetly between The Dorchester and an antique jeweler. Having dined here on varied occasions over the years, I knew visiting with Manhattan Sideways, that we were headed towards something special. As we entered the restaurant, we were greeted warmly by the affable staff and took a seat at one of the dark wood tables. We spoke with John, the Venezuelan maître d', who told us about BLT's secrets for success. "The company feels like family, " he said by way of opening, "I've been here for nine years, which is an eternity in the restaurant business. " BLT has built a following of regulars who come back repeatedly because they are "infallibly made to feel like they're the only ones in the restaurant. " In addition to this impeccable service, the food at BLT is consistently top notch. It is, therefore, not difficult to understand why people keep returning for more. While chatting, the chef prepared a succulent variety of meats, perhaps most famously the enormous Porterhouse steak – a dry-aged masterpiece served with maître d'hOtel butter and a side of roasted garlic. Although meat certainly takes center stage, the restaurant also offers a "sublime" Dover Sole and a Tuna Tartar that, according to John, is the best in the city; "I dare someone to find me a better one, " he said. My favorite moment, however, was when the chef presented Yelena, from our team, her first popover. Hailing from Swaziland, she had never encountered this doughy puff of goodness before. I, on the other hand, have had popovers on the top of my list of favorites since I first tried them as a little girl on Long Island. And I can attest to the fact that the ones served at BLT are perfectly prepared.