Best Chinese (from Timeout)

Midtown

Szechuan Gourmet
“The best Szechuan food in Manhattan. I’m still working my way through the giant menu, but I almost always get razor clams with ‘scallion pesto’ and fish fillets with napa cabbage, which comes in an amazing oily chili sauce.” 21 W 39th St between Fifth and Sixth Aves (212-921-0233)

Brooklyn

Grand Sichuan House
“This is my current favorite Szechuan in the five boroughs. The lamb with cumin flavor is awesome, and so is the ‘sautéed fresh sliced pork,’ as long as you demand fatty meat.” 8701 Fifth Ave between at 87th St, Fort Hamilton, Brooklyn (718-680-8887)

Uptown

Empire Szechuan
“I grew up eating here, and it still serves the egg rolls, cold noodles with sesame sauce, and egg foo yong against which I measure all other American Chinese food.” 193 Columbus Ave between 68th and 69th Sts (212-496-8778)


Downtown

Chinatown Brasserie
“It’s not a cacophonous, chaotic cart place. But the chef, Joe Ng, is amazing. Everything from the dim sum menu is good, especially the shrimp-and-snow-pea-leaf dumplings and the lamb dumplings with spicy vegetables.” 380 Lafayette St between Great Jones Pl and W 4th St (212-533-7000)

Vanessa’s Dumpling House
“A couple of benefits to the recent expansion of Dumpling House: There are chairs and tables, plus they no longer run out of half the things on their menu. This is where I go to get absolutely stuffed on pork dumplings and puffy sesame bread filled with beef and pickled carrots for $5.” 118 Eldridge St between Broome and Grand Sts (212-625-8008)