In the high-turnover world of New York restaurants, it’s rare to see a place survive for three decades, let alone thrive. China Grill in midtown Manhattan has managed to remain vibrant and relevant long after it put fusion dining on the map in New York City. Of course, between an inspiring space, top service, and memorable food, maybe the restaurant’s longevity (and its expansion to destinations as far afield as Mexico City and Dubai) isn’t such a mystery.
Soaring ceilings, granite walls, and lush golds and blacks conveying classic New York greet diners. Epic overhead lights look like stylized parasols, while an open kitchen adds energy. Floor tiles quote Marco Polo’s diaries, fitting since the restaurant bridges East and West so seamlessly. (Restaurateur Jeffrey Chodorow’s early epiphany was that the menu here could expand boundaries: why not lobster mashed potatoes, or a Peking duck salad?)
Settle in and get comfortable as the warm and knowledgeable staff, some of whom have been here since the beginning, lead you through the intriguing options. There is a smart wine and beer list, joined by sophisticated cocktails and seasonal punches: opt for refreshing, like the Shiso & Watermelon, or intrigue, like the tantalizing spices in the Tamarind Punch, which blends cardamom and tequila.
The menu combines established classics and new temptations. (In many cases, they both come together—longstanding favorites have light updating to reflect the greater health awareness of today; the barbecued wild salmon, for example, still has the bright flavors of its Chinese mustard sauce and shiso pesto, but the dish now leads with the freshness of the fish.) There’s more Japanese influence, and a greater focus on the sourcing of premium ingredients.
Chodorow is still the driving force behind the creativity, with innovations like King Crab Dynamite, which puts sweet crabmeat, speckled with quinoa, over an addictive crispy rice crunch. You’ll see Chinese favorites get elevated, like spare ribs, using rich lamb and a sesame plum glaze. Vietnamese influence comes into the “Wokked Shaking Filet of Beef,” with greens, pear tomato, and the most tender beef you’ve ever tasted (sourced from Creekstone Farms, as is all the beef here).
China Grill is a great place for sharing, with a mix of small and large plates. Don’t miss the skewers, tender octopus, or crispy wasabi shrimp, or rich pork belly set off by five-spice and sweet & sour cherry. A vegetarian can do very well here, too, as in the eggplant appetizer that plays crispness off the luxury of a creamy burrata, with a miso glaze and a hint of citrus that exemplify the subtle touches that make the food here stand out.
Those details also provide more evidence of a place that can pull off the neat trick of evolving with the times, while staying true to what it is.
