Amazing 66: The Best Chinese Restaurant in Chinatown?
Is Amazing 66 Chinatown's best Chinese restaurant, non-Dim-Sum division? Well…who knows, really. Just sampling all of the options would require more nights out than we can budget to such a quest. But we will say this: for four-plus years this scrubbed-clean, brightly-lit, modestly-sized, massively-menu'ed spot has been packing in the crowds, usually large groups of Cantonese-speaking locals grabbing at all manner of animal and vegetable piled onto spectacular-looking platters. And in the past month we've had two excellent, overly-indulgent meals at Amazing 66 NYC. So even if the Amazing 66 restaurant isn't "the best"–though it might well be–we can say with confidence that it is very, very good.
We sampled more than ten dishes from all over Amazing 66's NYC Cantonese-heavy menu, and only once hit a dull note. The for-a-crowd Short Rib Beef In a Pumpkin–the rich, soft meat piled high into a large, sweet squash, all covered in a terrific curry sauce–was a definite high point, and, given the number of times we saw the dish devoured at other tables, we weren't alone in our adulation. Also very popular with our crew was the Amazing 66 NYC Salt and Pepper Fried Squid, Scallop and Prawn, battered and fried with a light hand, the intense seasoning–this is really salty… and peppery–somehow not overwhelming the meaty sea creatures.
Another big hit at our table was the Steamed Juicy Pork Dumplings, a generous ten-pack, all plump and chewy with a splash of soup inside. The Barbecued Honey Spare Ribs weren't as good as they are at, say, Hill Country, but they were certainly acceptable, and in the upper tier of this Chinese restaurant mainstay. The same could be said for the Amazing 66 Chinatown Barbecued Honey Quail, except, perhaps, for the "mainstay" part.
Fillet Steak with Chinese Broccoli was a solid example of the classic sweet-tender-meat/crunchy-bitter-greens combo. The fried Soft Shell Crabs were perfectly prepared. Really, the only disappointment in either visit was the Peking Duck, ceremoniously carved at the table, packed into sticky rice buns with scallions and sweet sauce, the whole thing surprisingly bland. But there are literally dozens of other good-looking and/or intriguing-sounding dishes on the menu at Amazing 66 in Chinatown. We'll be back, no question.
Amazing 66 NYC Chinatown Restaurant Details
Amazing 66 Chinatown Restaurant is located in the heart of Chinatown, on Mott Street between Canal and Bayard Streets, and is open from 11:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. every day. Visit their website for a look at the Amazing 66 NYC menu.
Posted in NYC Dining, Other Neighborhoods |
