Kar Won (CLOSED)

This is probably one of the best Chinese restaurants in Midtown East. The decor leaves a lot to be desired for, but the food is hot and fresh and doesn't cost an arm and a leg. And as many of the previous posters suggested, I'd go for the authentic items, particularly the noodle soups.

If you're ordering from the express lunch menu or ordering from the "right side" of the menu - you're doing it wrong. This place has a plethora of more "authentic" types of common Chinese and pan-Asian dishes - most notably their various noodle soups, made hot, fresh and to order. If the menu item you're ordering can be found in the average Chinese food restaurant, then its' going to be generic, boring, and possibly not very good. Order from the left side of the menu - the part that's written mostly in Chinese. I highly recommend their Shrimp Noodle Soup or their #31 - the Shredded Pork with Chinese Pickle Noodle Soup. Just remember - order from the left side of the menu, not the right side.

They serve the best friend rice, best beef stew, best noodles and soup. The staff are very accommodating. Highly recommended. Price is affordable and you get the best food.

Avoid this place if possible. You get what you pay for. It's cheap, so expect the quality of the food to be cheap, as well. The fried rice was the poorest fried rice I've ever had from a Chinese restaurant! It was grainy and clumpy. The egg roll was also the poorest ever! It smelled and tasted nasty. It was salty and the pork tasted like dried fish. The filling was also unappealing to look at. The good thing about this place, is their dining room. They have a big dining room at the back, to accommodate their customers. It is also clean. They also have complementary water. The bottom line is, the quality of the food I had, was very poor. I will not be going back.

If you're looking for your generic, every-corner-in-every-neighborhood, American-style Chinese food, this isn't the place. Sure, they've got the General Tso's platters that come with an egg roll and a can of Pepsi--but really, this isn't the place you want for that. But if you want Chinatown-style Chinese food for not-quite-Chinatown-but-definitely-better-value-than-most-other-places-in-Midtown prices, this place is great. I recommend the fried pork chop noodle soup.

Nasty food and poor atmosphere. Avoid at all cost!

It was a late night at the office and this was the only place that would deliver. Let's just say NEVER again. The food was so disappointing. What's up with the chewy general tso and rock solid spring rolls?