Tse Yang Restaurant

Very elegant chinese restaurant. Food and service were great. I agree with prior review regarding the quietness of the restaurant. I would suggest some background music. But, these days, this is a plus. After a long hectic day of shopping and walking around midtown, this place was an oasis. J

This may not be «real genuine Chinese,» but it is delicious! The Peking Duck is like none I have ever had before, crunchy, rich, delicate, bold– in a word: perfect! The peking duck alone deserves the 5 star rating–

Warning: if you want real, genuine chinese food, DO NOT COME HERE. This is a midtown corporate-​lunch sort of restaurant, catering to middle-​late age out of towners and business folk. Always judge an Asian restaurant by the number of Asians you see inside. It’ll let you know if the food is real or not.
The décor was incredibly dated. There was no music so it was awkward silence throughout. The clientelle was averaged 50 – 70 years of age. It is overall very formal, very slow-​moving, and very unauthentic.
The food was horrid. Really only fancifully presented take-​out Chinese food, but priced 500% higher. The peking duck itself was scrawny and there was little to no real presentation involved in the carving, which should traditionally be part of the whole dining experience. They also don’t provde the duck with the white bread that is traditional, but rather tortilla-​like wraps.
I would not recommend this to anybody, neither tourist nor businessman, unless a company or someone else is paying. Truly. Go to Chinatown. Don’t ever have Chinese in midtown. Ever.

So legit. Old school, solid chinese in a respectable setting. Perfect for midtown business lunches and dinners. Nothing on this menu will disappoint you, while plenty of things (Peking Duck) will amaze you.

I am a big fan of this place. Perfect spot for «business» lunches in Midtown. Always easy to get seating on a walk-​in basis and it has a pre-​fixe menu of $ 28. You get an appetizer, entrée and sherbert.
I think the food is excellent! Clearly, not «authentic», but very good stuff.

The only reason why this restaurant receives 1 star is for its décor. Even the Peking Duck was subpar. Don’t waste your time/​money there. They charge per person for Chinese Tea (that isn’t even loose!) Staff was also grumpy and superficially attentive. This restaurant wouldn’t last a month in Tokyo. Worst «high end» restaurant experience in years!

Very good and to add to other comments, very light. I agree that this is a good thing.
I had the Sichaun beef — it was $ 28 but was good. Pricier than I want but that’s New York.

So, a friend and I were looking for a place to have some dinner, and we both felt like some place quiet and some place asian. After glancing around the various options on Unilocal and Citysearch, we ended up deciding to give this a try.
My friend is Taiwanese, and, while I’m not entirely sure what I am, I’m definitely Asian — with a strong bent towards southern Chinese.
One of my big complaints with Chinese Couture dining is that there is still a very small selection in the US. It’s better in Taiwan and Hong Kong, and the PRC is definitely catching up, but there’s really not a tonne.
People seem to expect heavy flavours, and large amounts of oil from chinese cooking. But that’s not necessarily true. Indeed, at its best, it should be fresh, flavourful, light on oil, with a very significant attention to texture.
While I wouldn’t put this place against the likes of haute Northern Chinese restaurants in China, this one holds it’s own to everything I’ve had in the states.
Yes, it’s pricey, but Peking Duck, done well, is generally relatively pricey wherever one goes, after factoring in PPP.
As a point of interest, Tse Yang (note the non standard pronunciation of the chinese characters, and spelling), is an old establishment, with French roots. It’s really built to be a restaurant that would be more accessible to a continental sort of perspective. Look at the décor and ambiance, and that should make sense.
The décor is much more akin to a high-​dining sort of environment, and thus, one is encouraged to take one’s time with the food. Atypical for N. American Chinese restaurants, but unheard of back east.
We had soup, dumplings, fresh vegetables (Baby Bok Choy), and the Peking Duck.
The flavours and textures were excellent. Well selected produce, delicately prepared. The flavours weren’t strong; but they’re not supposed to be.
It’s actually one of the better Peking Duck experiences I’ve had in N. America. Both of us agreed that it was a good meal, and overall, worth the price. We even had wine… which I normally don’t do with Chinese.
Their wine selection is limited; I think they know that few will be ordering a 1977 Bordeaux at this sort of venue. But who knows? One of the things that I enjoy about watching Chinese cuisine evolve is that I fully expect a huge amount of change over the next 2 decades.
You need wealth to develop high end dining, where no expense is spared. Then you need palates to develop to appreciate such things and become discriminating. Seems like things are ripe in the PRC now.
Hopefully, Tse Yang will not be relatively alone for long.
On a side note, this is not to suggest Tse Yang is experimental. It isn’t. This is very traditional fare, prepared well.

If you’ve been to a «real» Chinese restaurant, it is lively, noisy and busy.
This restaurant has none of these qualities. It might as well have been a funeral parlor.

Beautiful restaurant. Friendly wait staff. Good food. High prices.

I’m going to qualify my review by saying that it has been a long long time since I“ve been here, so things may have changed since then. I used to come to NY on business about ten years ago, and my company owners (all Chinese) would come here to celebrate.
I vividly remember three things about this restaurant even to this day. The décor was easily the most beautiful Chinese restaurant I’ve ever seen, and being from the San Gabriel Valley in Socal I’ve seen a few. It was one of the most beautiful rooms I’ve seen for any type of place at the time. Whether that remains I don’t know, but the elegant carved wood, the beautiful fish tank, and the sweet parisian-​asian ambience has stuck with me all these years. I always recommend this place to people I know are heading the the city.
The second thing I remember was the service. The staff was the epitome of care and grace, they watched over us with a persistence that was both sweet and hysterical but it was nice to be so well taken care of.
Lastly, the Peking Duck was incredible. I’m not a fan of duck, had it a million times before and after, but this is the gold standard by which the rest should be judged. The rest of the food was good solid Americanized Chinese food, it may not compare to a truly good authentic meal and Yujean Kangs in LA is much, much better overall if your looking for Chinese fusion cooking but it’s still one of those meals I will always remember.
Food — A–
Ambience — A+
Service — A+
Value = B

Tse Yang has the best Peking Duck East of the Mississippi!
Our other entrees were better than average, but paled in comparison to the duck. Crispy, savory, not greasy, unbelievably good. I hate to go on and on about the duck, but damn it was good!

Seriously, an average of 4 stars for this place? Décor — awesome. No cell phone reception — a big plus (no joke, this is great — I got to really feel unattached to my blackberry here since I had no choice and it made for a more relaxing meal).
But the food? Not great, very blasé, and too light (i think the greasy Chinese food that stuffs you is even worse, but this was not that much more satisfying).
— Shanghai seafood soup. Incredibly bland, medium quality seafood
— Chicken with mushrooms. OK, but tasted like that which I have had at $ 10 a dish places
— Fruit plate. Literally like my pulling some fruit out of my fridge. No presentation, nothing fancy (a few grapes, a slice of orange etc).
All in all, a very BLAH meal. What a dud. This was a $ 10 meal covered in a $ 20 outfit known as a gorgeous interior of the restaurant and the see-​and-​be-​seen crowd. 2 stars.

4 Stars for one reason: Best Peking Duck Ever!
I second Sarah T’s ROTD. She nailed it. Tse Yang’s Peking Duck is their signature dish. It costs $ 55, but it will make your belly happy!
The duck skin is crispy, not greasy at all. The meat is succulent. I tried to get the owner drunk so he would divulge his trade secrets! Mission only partially accomplished. I succeeded at getting him drunk. Slick and elusive bastard kept smiling at me and joking, «Ancient secwet ingweedient. Ha Ha.»
I avoided Tse Yang in the past believing that it was a place for non-​Chinese. And to think, my shallow myopic thinking deprived my belly of that yummy Peking duck for 20 years!
I’ll have to up the ante next time and sneak in the kitchen for that secwet.

I hosted a group here for a business lunch at a round table in one of the private rooms. We had the course menu. The quiet, calm of the private room coupled with attentive staff was ideal for business.
One issue a few had in the group was the «chopsticks». Chinese chopsticks are longer and bigger than Japanese chopsticks and there were a few plops and splatters… and red faces. Make sure your guests are adept.
The course was very nice – light, tasty and fresh. The lunch offered a variety of flavors without overbearing the taste buds and the tummy.
The ambiance/​décor is a bit bland and androgenous which makes it perfect for business meals, but I cant imagine a romantic meal here.

Oh Tse Yang, the moment I found you I knew it was love at first sight. Er … first bite? First drank?! Whatevs, I love you!
Coming to Tse Yang was a bit of an initiation when I moved to New York. The New York Palace Mafia aka my lovely friends who work at my favorite hotel in the city (Have you felt their sheets?!) introduced me to this gem. A special after-​work ritual for them, and a favorite lunch and dinner spot for investment bankers buttering up their clients, I can see why this place could send many a tail wagging.
The atmosphere is very elegant and welcoming as soon as you open the heavy front door. Larry, the owner is there to greet you with a contageous smile, while the nicest lady in the world takes your coat. (I’m unsure if that is her official nickname.) Another addition to the Tse Yang family is Louie, the best bartender I have ever met – and I have met a few. Heyyyooooo! Louie greets you with Tse Yang’s special Mai Tai or a Tsingtao, and never forgets your name or your favorite drink. He wears a vest covered in pins collected from various cities in the world. Bring him one from your hometown and watch his eyes light up with joy.
The Mafia and I like to sit in the front of the restaurant near Louie, Larry and the nicest lady in the world. It makes for a more casual dining experience, plus we can watch the game on the TV. If you are looking to wine and dine clients, celebrate a promotion, wedding or birthday, opt for the main dining room – complete with beautiful tables, décor and a huge fish tank. (Insider tip: Hold your camera phone up to the big blow fish. He likes to pose for pictures … or maybe that was my 3^rd Mai Tai?)
Anyway, say hi to Larry, Louie and the nicest lady in the world for me. You won’t regret visiting my favorite place in New York. Oh, and if you are looking for sushi, try Larry’s wife’s restaurant next door – Sushiann. Mmmmmmmmmm
Things to try:
Tsingtao
Mai Tai
Steamed shrimp dumplings
Tse Yang Fried Rice
Spicy Beef
Ribs
… and anything else Louie tells you to eat!

Came here on a business lunch today. I have to say the service is wonderful, but the food is ok. Definitely Americanized Chinese food, but on the better end of that spectrum. Good thing is the food isn’t too greasy and there doesn’t seem to be any MSG.
Items I tried —
Spinach and cheese cream puffs
Spicy dumplings (these were not spicy)
Chicken w/​mango
Thai basil shrimp
Noodles
Prix Fixe lunch is $ 28 (includes on appetizer and one entrée).
Business crowd. I wouldn’t frequent here again unless it was on the company’s tab. Overall review — not great, not bad.

man, I’ve never been one to disagree with another Unilocaler’s review, but…
Tse Yang is hands down my favorite fancy-​occasion Chinese restaurant in nyc (maybe even my favorite fancy-​occasion restaurant). What really puts me over the edge is their Peking Duck. Good god they know how to make Peking duck. It absolutely Is expensive ($ 55 for the plate, makes about 8 pancakes and then a second course). But oh so worth it when you can afford a good treat for yourself (or have someone else paying!). You really can’t go wrong w/​the main courses. I also recommend the Beef Tse Yang Style and their lobster in black bean sauce. Quite delicious. (The apps I’ll admit I haven’t been blown away with, but they are still status quo for a nice Chinese restaurant.)
Re: the candy-​coated fried donuts on the table, I can’t really understand how one would be offended by that. The apple donuts come fresh out of boiling water and are dunked into the cold water to crystallize the sugar-​coating. As a result, when they are served to you they have this nice hard outside, but a deliciously warm inside. It is a full experience. This is not some grand display that you are forced to watch (I didn’t even notice it the first time I had them), it is just how they prepare it for you, in the same way that they will show you a large plate of the duck skin before folding it into the pancakes/​hoison sauce/​scallion.
Service is very impressive /​maybe a little over the top. Our waiter didn’t take notes, and every time we would order something, he would give us a fullllll description of the dish. Yah. We know what the dish is. We’re ordering it. But heck, it’s nice to be treated pretentiously every once in a while. ;)
Anyways, we’re all entitled to our opinions. Is Tse Yang pretentious? At $ 55/​entrée, yes! But have you tasted their Peking duck???

Tse Yang is a little «frou frou», but that’s because of its Parisian roots. It’s kind of like a nineteenth-​century French version of a Chinese restaurant — in NYC. The kind of place Phineas Fogg would eat at in Paris.
The food is very very good — my favorite dish is the Filet Mignon Tse Yang Style; perfectly sliced and cooked, in a delicious suace with broccoli… mmmmmmmmm…

We tried this restaurant as a potential venue for our wedding banquet.
I really liked the interior. Wood carving and slik fish tanks. We went there for Saturday dinner, and most of the customers were international (lots of Japanese, some Europeans) and old.
Food was good, but quite expensive! We paid 55 $ for course dinner (sharkfin soup, peking duck, etc…). They have banquet menu from $ 60~120 per head, and menu was more like northern Chinese. I didn’t like their beef dumpling though.
This restaurant has branch in Paris and the menu was bilingual (English & French!!) and we even had Chinese waiter speaks Chinese & English in French accent. Service was real good, very upscale, but at the same time we felt it a bit pretentious and frou frou. All the soy sauce and hot sauce were served in the Chinese tea cups, and my husband was a bit offended by its pretntion especially when they served candy-​coated fried doughnuts on the table — they dunked them in the ice-​cold water in front of us so that it gets super hard on the surface. Well thanks for the effort, but, hmm… Well, if you have lots of money and if you have lots of non-​Chinese guests, this might work.
(M)